DATES:
Fall: September - February
Spring: February - June
Note: The academic year in Malta is different than Mason's calendar. Students are welcome to attend either spring or fall semester or a full year. However, special arrangements may need to be made when studying in Malta during the fall as the semester conflicts with the start of Mason's spring semester.
PROGRAM FEE :
Paid to Mason:
--
$125 Application Fee
--
$350 Administrative Fee ($550 for year long)
-- George Mason Tuition
Paid to University of Malta:
-- Housing (~$2000)
Not Included:
-- International Airfare
--
Passport Fees
--
Visa Fees (U.S. citizens exempt from fee, but still need to apply)
-- Personal Expenses
Financial aid should apply, but you are recommended to discuss aid with your financial aid counselor when planning your study abroad.
NOTE:
If a student applies and is accepted into a direct exchange program and then drops out of the program,the $350 administrative fee is non-refundable. In addition, program fees are subject to change.
ELIGIBILITY:
This program is open to Mason students ONLY. Students must have completed at least 45 credits at the time of departure and have a minimum 2.75 GPA. Students should not study abroad the last semester of senior year if they plan to graduate on time.
CREDITS:
Students may enroll in a variety of courses and may transfer between 12-16 credits per semester back to Mason, provided the letter grade received is equivalent to a "C" or above. The courses are transfer credit, and therefore will not factor into the GPA of the participant.
Courses at the University of Malta may select from the following subjects:
--
Anthropology
-- Archaeology
-- Art History
-- Classical Culture and Civilization
-- Communications
-- Comparative Religion
-- European Studies
-- Foreign Languages (Arabic, French, Italian, Latin)
-- Forensic Studies
-- International Relations
-- Linguistics
--
Mediterranean Studies
-- Near Eastern Studies
-- Social Sciences
-- Theater
** All classes are taught in English
HOUSING:
Students are housed at the University Residence in Lija, located on extensive private grounds within walking distance of the center of this village. There is bus transportation available directly from the University Residence to the University of Malta at various times throughout the day. The University Residence offers a choice of accommodations and has its own swimming pool.
Contact
Email Daria Stepanova or call (703) 993-2154
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Now accepting online applications!
Fall Semester: March 8
Spring Semester: October 1

The University of Malta is one of the oldest universities in the Mediterranean. The Maltese islands contain a mixture of ancient and modern influences from many civilizations and cultures and the University of Malta has found the perfect way to blend tradition with innovation.

View of parts of historical Malta
The University of Malta traces its origins to the Collegium Melitense founded in 1592. It enjoys an excellent reputation with all the established European Universities and Maltese graduates are accepted every year to postgraduate studies in the world's leading institutions. The student body numbers 10,000 with a foreign student population of close to 600 students from more than 60 countries around the world. English, one of Malta's official languages, is the language of instruction at the University of Malta. Students on direct exchange are administered by the Study Abroad Office while at the University.

Gateway Building on the UM campus

Mason student, Anne (middle), taking in the sights while studying at the University of Malta
Malta and its sister islands Gozo and Comino, located at the center of the Mediterranean, occupy a total surface area of 120 square miles. Malta, the largest island, is 19 miles long and 9 miles wide. Malta's Mediterranean location makes travel to all major European capitals easily accessible. Although a small archipelago, Malta offers nine UNESCO world heritage sites to visit, and serves as a convenient base for travel around the Mediterranean as well as Africa. It is only 60 miles south of Sicily and 180 miles from Tunisia.

Known around the world as a tourist resort, the Maltese islands are endowed with several beautiful beaches and historical places. Students who have studied in Malta in the past have taken advantage of the surrounding waters to experience amazing snorkeling and diving. For more information on the Maltese Islands visit the following websites.

Malta landscape
VISA INFORMATION:
Once accepted into a program, it will be your responsibility to apply for a student visa and/or residence permit (if required, based on your citizenship). You will receive details on this with your acceptance letter. Do not apply for a visa until after you have been officially accepted. Visit the Embassy of Malta's website for further information.
HELPFUL LINKS:
Official Tourism Site for Malta
Life in Malta Guide
U.S. State Department Travel Information
University of Malta Facebook Page
HOW TO APPLY:
Consult the How to Apply section first and make sure you meet the eligibility requirements for a direct exchange program. Next, attend a Direct Exchange program information session. Do this prior to starting an application to ensure that you understand how to choose the right program and what is expected of you during the application process.
Check the course offerings at the school you are interested in applying to and check to ensure that they match your course requirements. See “Choosing Courses Abroad” section below.
Once you’ve selected an appropriate program that offers courses that match your major, complete the online application and pay the $125 application fee. Please note that all supplemental documents are also required by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please contact the program officer for further application forms and instructions specific to your program.
CHOOSING COURSES ABROAD:
There is no list of pre-approved classes for you to take on a direct exchange program. It is your responsibility to select courses and get them approved for transfer credit. Please refer to the “Departments and Courses” link on the left-hand side of this page for a list of course options on this program. You must then complete a Petition for Transfer of Credits Form to ensure that your courses will transfer back to Mason. Download a petition form here.
Download petition form instructions for Malta here.
You can fill out the petition form prior to acceptance into a specific study abroad program and in fact, you should begin this process when you first consider applying. Identify courses at the host institution that are similar to those at Mason that you need to take. This will increase your chances of receiving transfer credit approval from the Departmental Advisors who must sign your petition form. Follow complete instructions from the link above and contact your program officer if you have questions.
**Note: Make sure you find plenty of primary AND alternate course options before deciding on a specific program. Schedules are subject to change and registration in your preferred classes is not guaranteed, so you should have sufficient alternate course options. Also, please keep in mind that you must enroll in the equivalency of at least 12 U.S. credits per semester.
*CGE reserves the right to make changes to a program in light of currency fluctuations, changing security and safety conditions, or any other unforeseen circumstances.

