Application Process

Thank you for choosing to apply for graduate studies in the College of Public Health at George Mason University. In order to be successful in the self-managed application process, it is important that you follow the steps below and submit all required supporting documents. Many programs in the College of Public Health have specific application requirements in addition to general admissions requirements. Please check the Standards, Requirements, and Deadlines page for details.

Applicants must apply online through the Office of Graduate Admissions and upload supporting materials when submitting the online application. Applicants are expected to use the Self-Service Center to track the progress of their graduate application and documents received and/or still needed.

The official mode of communication between the university and applicants is email. You will be notified of the status of your application and your admission decision via email, so please be sure that your email address stays active, as the university will use this address to communicate throughout the application process.

Complete applications include:

Application

Transcripts

In order to expedite the processing of your application, you may upload unofficial transcripts into your application. You will still be required to submit official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions. However, unofficial transcripts are acceptable for admissions review.

One official transcript from all institutions attended is required. The preferred method for submission of transcripts is as electronic submissions from the institution's Registrar's Office to ugtrans@gmu.edu. If necessary, transcripts can be mailed directly from the institution's Registrar's Office to the address below:

Office of Graduate Admissions
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MSN 4C8
Fairfax, VA 22030

The mail stop number is crucial to the address. Failure to use it may result in a delay in the processing of the application or even in lost documents.

Please review the guide for submitting final transcripts on the university admissions website if you have further questions about transcript submission.

Question

For most programs, applicants should follow these general instructions:

State your professional plans and career objectives in 750 to 1,000 words. Include your personal qualities and development and how they have influenced your career choice; your reasons for this particular degree in relation to your academic background, professional work experience, and career goals; and your reason for choosing George Mason University.

The following programs provide more specific instructions for the goal statement:

Global Health, MS: Which 1-2 Global and Community Health faculty members who do research of consequence on global health would you like to work with? What research do they do that interests you, and why? How will earning an MS in Global Health help you achieve your academic and/or professional goals? What have you learned from successes and/or challenges in your past educational, professional, and/or personal experiences? Please use specific examples, as applicable.

Health Policy, MS: The expanded goals statement must address and include the following: (1) your personal qualities and development and how they have influenced your career choice; (2) how your work experience (paid or volunteer) and academic background are relevant to this particular degree at George Mason University; and (3) your specific career goals in the short-run (1 to 2 years) after completing the program.

Health Services Research, PhD: Instead of the general statement, submit a 1,000 word written statement of academic goals describing your research area of interest for advanced study in health services research and goals post-graduation.

Nursing, DNP: In addition to the general instructions above, please include in the essay your goals related to pursing a DNP, your potential area for practice inquiry, and current practice or plan for practice as a registered nurse.

Nursing, PhD: In addition to the general instructions above, please include in the essay in which fields you expect to do doctoral study and research; how these interests have been influenced by your prior education, research, or work experience; why you are considering a career in an academic, research, or clinical setting; and any information relevant for evaluating your motivation to study and conduct research at the doctoral level.

Public Health, MPH: Please clearly and directly address the following: Why are you applying to Mason’s MPH program, and the concentration you chose? How will earning an MPH help you achieve your professional goals? What have you learned from successes and/or challenges in your past educational, professional, and/or personal experiences? Please use specific examples, as applicable.

Social Work, MSW: In addition to the general instructions above, please begin your essay by defining social work in your own words and explain how it fits with your career goals. Given the centrality of social justice as an integral component of the National Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics (2008), please describe a specific social justice issue and how you envision addressing this as part of your future social work practice.

Letters of recommendation (if required)

The people best suited to provide recommendation for graduate study on the applicant's behalf (recommenders) are faculty members, university administrators, or internship supervisors who are in a position to knowledgeably discuss the applicant's academic potential for graduate study, as well as the applicant's personal qualities and experiences. Applicants who have been out of school for some time are welcome to submit recommendations from supervisors.

Near the end of the online application process, applicants will be prompted to provide the names and email addresses of each recommender. Once the application is submitted, the application system automatically notifies recommenders that they have been named as recommenders and tells them how to submit the letter online.

It is appropriate to ask the recommenders in advance if they would be willing to submit a recommendation. Consider alerting recommenders after the online application is complete to be on the look-out for the electronic notice asking for them to complete the recommendation form.

You can resend a recommendation request through the Self -Service Center. However, in order to change the name of a recommender, you will need to contact the Office of Graduate Admissions (masongr@gmu.edu). Letters will not be accepted in lieu of this electronic form.

Please note: Recommenders must submit these forms online by following the prompt sent through email. If the recommender is not able to use the online system, they may submit recommendations directly to masongr@gmu.edu. Letters of recommendation cannot be submitted by the applicant on behalf of the recommender, unless they are in a signed and sealed envelope from the recommender.

Official exam scores, such as GRE or GMAT (if required)

Contact the testing company directly to request that official scores be sent electronically to George Mason University. The George Mason institutional code for most standardized exams is 5827.

Mason accepts only official scores sent directly from the test agency to the university. Most test scores are valid for five years.

Additional departmental documents (if required)

International Applicants

International applicants should review the additional requirements as listed on the International Graduate Applicant page of the admissions website.

General University Graduate Application Requirements

  • Recommendation for Graduate Study
    Two letters of recommendation are required. Recommendations must be submitted online via Mason's Recommendation for Graduate Study. Recommenders may attach a letter to the completed online form. Please note: letters will not be accepted in lieu of this form.
  • Application for In-State Tuition Rates
    Virginia in-state residency and tuition is decided at the time of application. Proper documentation must be submitted online.
  • Certificate of Financial Responsibility (pdf)
    This form is required for students requesting an I-20 visa.