George Mason University

Founded in 1972, George Mason University is the largest public research university in Virginia with over 34,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Mason is an innovative and entrepreneurial institution with a growing and diverse student body and exceptional faculty of enterprising scholars.  
  
The main campus in Fairfax consists of 677 wooded acres and is just 24 kms outside of Washington, D.C. The nation’s capital is easily accessible by car or public transportation. Free shuttle buses transport students to the nearby Vienna Metro subway station, allowing you to explore the city on a weekend to see the cherry blossoms and monuments, visit the museums, or go to a restaurant or theatre. At Mason, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a beautiful wooded residential campus and outstanding college experience, as well as numerous opportunities that only a world-class urban setting like D.C. can offer. In addition, in just a short drive, you can be hiking in the Shenandoah Mountains or walking the boardwalk in either Ocean City, Maryland, or Virginia Beach, Virginia. 
  
Mason was ranked 47th in the 2017 Times Higher Education list of 200 universities under 50 years old and 14th in the U.S. News Most Innovative Schools in the U.S. With over 80 majors in a variety of fields, exchange students are able to enrol in nearly every degree program the university has to offer.  

The University has over 350 student organizations, all available to exchange students. In addition to club sports and intramural teams, the University also has Fraternity and Sororities, some of which have welcomed exchange students who are on campus for a year. On campus, you will also find dance, music, and theatre performances at the Center for the Arts. EagleBank Arena hosts several concerts, stand-up comedians, and live sporting events. You can also watch some of the 22 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s sports games – all at a free or discounted price. All of these and more contribute to a vibrant university life! 

The historical City of Fairfax, Virginia is nestled in the suburban expanse of the Washington, D.C. metro region. The city which is just 20 minutes from the capital of the US, combines the charm of a small town with the opportunities of a thriving urban area.

With its hallmark landscaped and leafy street medians, Fairfax is an oasis, unique and brimming with vitality and recognized as one of the top places to live in the nation. City buses are free with a Mason ID and students can access a wide variety of nearby shopping and dining locations in Fairfax. 

Fairfax is widely known for its outstanding cultural amenities. Every year the city sponsors world-class events such as Fall for the Book, Spotlight on the Arts, a weekend-long Chocolate Lovers Festival, and the Fall Festival, where Old Town Fairfax opens its streets to hundreds of renowned craft merchants and thousands of visitors.

All students must meet standard exchange selection criteria and any host institution restrictions.

Postgraduate students must have a GPA of at least 5.0 

The following subjects/areas are not available for exchange:

• Undergraduate Nursing courses
• Courses offered at the Antonin Scalia Law School
• BMGT courses in the Master of Science in Management Program
• Honor (HNRS) coursework
• Thesis/capstone courses (reserved for Mason degree-seeking students)

The following subjects are open to exchange students but may have limited availability due to the popularity of the program:

• Undergraduate Computer Science courses
• Courses in the School of Business

• UniSA academic transcript 
• Passport 
• English proficiency evidence (if applicable) 
• US Visa documentation 
• Evidence of funding 

Courses at US partner universities are generally valued at 3 credits each. Students are required to undertake a minimum of 12 credits per semester, equal to 13.5 UniSA units. 15 credits are equivalent to 18 UniSA units. 

Therefore, we recommend that: 

• 15 US credits = 5 US courses (@ 3 credits each) is equivalent to 18 UniSA units 
• 12 US credits = 4 US courses (@ 3 credits each) is equivalent to 13.5 UniSA units 

U.S. citizens and students from English speaking countries are exempt from submitting proof of English documents. 

All other applicants must provide an official score report for TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Test results must not be older than two years. Students must have the following minimum scores on their test results:

IELTS 6.5 with minimum 6.0 in each band
TEoFL (ibt) 80 with minimum 18 in each section for UG or 88 with minimum 20 in each section for PG

Find courses at George Mason University

George Mason University does not offer airport pick up. You will need to make your own way to the campus from Washington Dulles International Airport.

More information on how to get to the campus can be found here.

On-campus accommodation is guaranteed for undergraduate exchange students. Students are generally placed in double occupancy rooms in on-campus student dormitories. George Mason offers two types of dormitories, suites and apartments.

To apply for housing, you will receive step-by-step instructions to complete the housing application after receiving program acceptance. After applying, you will receive a housing selection date and time. It is very important that you select your housing on your assigned date and time. If you do not select housing during your assigned time, you will be placed at the end of the list and may no longer be guaranteed accommodation.

Unfortunately, on-campus accommodation is not guaranteed for postgraduate students. Please see here for more information if you are a postgraduate student.

Should you wish to live off-campus, please see here for available options.

As an exchange partner with the University of South Australia, you do not have to pay tuition fees to George Mason University, instead you will pay tuition as you would normally at UniSA. Travel and living expenses are at your own cost. The table below gives an indication of costs you will incur:  

More information can be found here.

You may be eligible to receive additional grants or scholarships to fund your experience. For more information please see the funding and scholarships website.

UniSA offers travel insurance as part of your exchange for up to 270 days (can be extended up to 365 days). For more information please see travel insurance website.  

Please click here to read the travel insurance policy. 

A list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found here. 

If you have any further questions about travel insurance, please contact the UniSA Insurance Office on 08 8302 1678. 

Additional mandatory health insurance is required for exchange students in the US at George Mason University. Please see here for more details.