Students who are non-US citizens or non-residents are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, there are internal and external scholarships available to students, as well as loan options for financing your education.Â
Our Financial Aid counselors at Mason can provide you with information on these opportunities so you can make personalized decisions about what types of support are right for you.
Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA)
Beginning in January 2022, a new financial aid application is available for Virginia students who are ineligible to complete the federal FAFSA form, including undocumented students and those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.
Additional information can be found on the Office of Student Financial Aid's VASA page.
Merit-based Scholarships for International Students
Mason offers a limited number of merit-based scholarships to highly qualified international freshmen and transfer students who are non-immigrant, non-resident, and degree seeking. These scholarships are renewable for up to four years for freshmen and two years for transfers based on good academic standing. All admitted applicants are automatically considered for these scholarships. There is not a separate scholarship application.
Eligibility Criteria and Review Process
- Merit-based scholarships are open to qualified incoming international freshman and transfer students studying full-time on an F1-visa.
- There is not a separate scholarship application form. All qualified international freshman and transfer applicants will be considered for scholarship as part of the regular application review process.
- Scholarships are awarded using a holistic review process. While GPA and test scores are the most important criteria, they are not the only criteria considered.
- Admitted students awarded with a merit-based scholarship will be notified in their acceptance letter.
"You Are Welcome Here" Scholarship
The #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship program recognizes international students who have a vision for enhancing intercultural understanding. ÑÇÖÞAV is awarding two scholarships for fall 2024. 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.
Learn more and apply on our #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship page.