You Are Welcome Here – Scholarship

#YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship

The #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship program recognizes international students who have a vision for enhancing intercultural understanding. George Mason University is awarding two scholarships for fall 2025. The scholarship is open to first-year undergraduate international students of all academic majors and fields of study, and it is applied to tuition costs

Who can apply for the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship?

Eligible students are those who are applying to Mason as a first-year undergraduate international student starting in the fall semester. All academic majors are welcome to apply.

How much tuition does the scholarship cover?

A #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship covers a minimum of 50% tuition for the first year of study and is renewable for the second year of study as long as the student continues to be in good academic standing. The scholarship cannot be combined with other merit awards. 

Eligibility Criteria:

  • You are a first-year, undergraduate, international applicant of any major applying to Mason. An international applicant is an individual who holds citizenship in a country outside the U.S. and who does not also possess U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
  • You demonstrate interest and initiative in leadership and intercultural learning.
  • You meet the admission criteria and adhere to the deadlines at Mason. 
  • You complete a scholarship application and a 500-1000 word essay or a two-to-five minute video describing your leadership skills in your school or community, and how you plan to continue applying your leadership skills at Mason.

How can I apply to Mason?

Required steps to apply for the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship are:

  1. Apply to Mason as a freshman and submit all required application materials by the deadline. When filling out your Mason application, you will see a question that asks if you are interested in applying to the You Are Welcome Here Scholarship.

    • Common Application: If you answer 'yes' to the You Are Welcome Here scholarship question, you will have the option to upload your essay with the application. If you are including a video please upload a document with the link to the video.
    • Mason's Exclusive Online Application: If you answer 'yes' to the You Are Welcome Here scholarship question, we will follow up with further instructions on submitting the scholarship application and essay.
  2. Complete the scholarship application, which includes either a 500-1,000 word essay or a 2-5 minute video describing your leadership skills in your school or community and how you plan to apply those skills at Mason.
You can review a sample of the scholarship application for assistance, but you should submit the online form you receive via email.  

When do I need to apply to the scholarship by?

The scholarship application and essay or video must be submitted by December 15, 2024.  

The decision date for the scholarship is March 1, 2025.

What if I have questions?

Questions about the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship can be directed to world@gmu.edu.