The Graduate Inclusion & Access Scholarship (GIA) seeks to support the growth and development of an inclusive, thriving graduate community across all academic programs at George Mason University.
At Mason we believe “diversity is our strength.” An inclusive graduate student community is essential to enhance the quality of the intellectual environment for all our students and faculty.
This scholarship, awarded on a competitive basis, is available to domestic first-generation college students who are new, incoming fall semester, full-time doctoral degree students, are from an underrepresented population within their doctoral field of study at Mason, and have demonstrated financial need.
Eligibility Criteria:
- First-generation college student, defined for the purposes of this scholarship as one of the following:
- An individual, neither of whose parents completed a baccalaureate (bachelor’s) degree. If your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) attended college but did not receive a bachelor’s degree (i.e., did not graduate), you are considered first-generation.
- An individual who, prior to the age of eighteen (18), regularly resided with and received support from only one parent, and whose supporting parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree.
- An individual who, prior to the age of eighteen (18), did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or adoptive parent.
- A member of a community that is underrepresented within their doctoral field of study at Mason.
- A domestic applicant: U.S. citizens or permanent residents or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, asylum status, refugee status, Temporary Protective Status (TPS), or undocumented within the United States.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better (most recent earned degree and/or any degree in progress).
- Applying as a new, incoming Fall 2025 full-time student to a George Mason University doctoral program. However, scholarships will only be awarded to those selected applicants that are ultimately offered full-time admission without provisions or conditions. See below for further information.
- Demonstrated financial need, as determined through a timely submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as applicable, or a Statement of Financial Need for those that are not permitted to file a FAFSA. See below for further information.
Selection Criteria:
- A demonstrated record of professional/extra-curricular achievement and/or community involvement, as reflected on the CV and essay, uploaded with the application.
- An essay that successfully responds to the prompt as described within the application.
- The completion and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid) to the federal processor as required by January 3, 2025. Those applicants who are undocumented or have DACA status and are unable to submit the FAFSA must upload a Statement of Financial Need form as part of the GIA scholarship application. Applicants may request this form at geaward@gmu.edu. See below for more details.
Designated Mason faculty and staff will review the application materials and make recommendations for GIA scholarship recipients to the Senior Associate Provost for Graduate Education.
Scholarship recipients are eligible for up to five (5) years of renewed financial support, dependent upon the student maintaining:
- Full-time enrollment as defined by the University Catalog
- Good graduate academic standing each term; and
- A cumulative GPA of 3.5 for the duration of scholarship eligibility.
Recipients will be required to hold a graduate 20-hour per week assistantship within their field of study for the duration of the scholarship. Recipients will be expected to focus on their studies and assistantship, actively engage with faculty mentors and their scholarship cohort, contribute to university-focused services, and participate in professional development activities.
GIA awarded financial support includes:
- A stipend of $36,000 over twelve (12) months:
- $27,000 for the Academic Year
- $9,000 for the Summer
- Tuition support of up to eighteen (18) credits toward their degree per academic year.
- Subsidized Graduate Health Insurance is offered annually.
Financial Need:
All applicants must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid) to the federal processor no later than January 3, 2025. Please note, only the 2025-2026 academic year FAFSA form, when available, may be submitted.
Those applicants who are undocumented or have DACA status must submit a Statement of Financial Need form as part of the scholarship application, no later than January 3, 2025. Applicants may request the financial need form via email at geaward@gmu.edu. Completed forms should be returned to the same email: geaward@gmu.edu
- GIA Scholarship Applications and supporting document uploads must be completed within the online portal no later than December 1, 2024.
- FAFSA submissions, or Financial Need statements, as applicable, are due January 3, 2025. Note: GIA scholarship applications will not be considered if the FAFSA form has not been filed by January 3, 2025. If this deadline is extended due to announced FAFSA publication delays, all eligible scholarship applicants will be notified of the new FAFSA form submission deadline.
- GIA Scholarship offers to those selected are expected, but not guaranteed, to be sent no later than February 24, 2025.
How Do I Apply?
After you have submitted your doctoral program application, more information about this GIA Scholarship application process, including the submission application portal link, will be sent to you if additional eligibility criteria are met. You do not need to have a doctoral program admission decision for your scholarship application to be reviewed. However, GIA scholarships will only be awarded to those selected applicants that are ultimately offered full admission without provisions or conditions.
If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact Mason's Graduate Division via email at geaward@gmu.edu