The Graduate Division has a pool of funds available to help George Mason graduate students earn their degrees and conduct research.
Funding comes from such sources as the Office of the Provost, academic departments, and faculty grants.
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Dissertation Completion Grants (Opens: 9/22/2025): These competitive awards go to doctoral students in the final semester of completing their dissertations. They enable students to focus full-time on research and writing, improve the quality of their work, and shorten the time needed to complete their degrees. For the TOC template, please click here. Email us for more information about Dissertation Completion Grants. Click here to APPLY!
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High Impact Grants (Opens: 9/15/2025): These competitive grants are a new funding opportunity for master’s and doctoral students. They provide tuition support for graduate students’ courses that significantly enhance training and education and/or satisfy credit-bearing requirements towards completion of the graduate degree. The deadline for application submission is by Friday, October 3, 2025 at 5:00 PM. Email us for more information about High Impact Grants. Click here to review a list of courses that are eligible to apply for this award. Click here to APPLY! For more details about this award, please check out the High Impact Grant page.
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Doctoral Research Scholars (Opens: 2/2/2026): These competitive assistantships are a new funding opportunity for full-time or part-time doctoral students, who have completed a minimum of 48 credits of coursework. They provide support for graduate students to advance their research to progress in 998 or 999 requirements towards completion of their degree. The deadline for application submission is February 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Email us for more information about the Doctoral Research assistantship.
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Summer Research Assistantship (Opens: 12/8/2025): These assistantships provide financial support to graduate students during the summer term, allowing them to devote significant time to their dissertation or thesis research. The award fosters greater professional productivity and assists in timely degree completion. Email us for more information about the Summer Research Assistantship.
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Graduate Student Travel Fund (open year round): This fund helps cover the costs of doctoral and master’s students attendance at and participation in professional conferences. Proof of payment and attendance is required. Details are available at this link.
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Graduate Inclusion & Access Scholarship (Opens: 9/15/2025): The Graduate Inclusion & Access Scholarship (GIA) seeks to support the growth and development of an all-inclusive, thriving graduate community across all academic programs at George Mason University. At George Mason, an all-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, and have demonstrated financial need. Please see the Graduate Inclusion and Access Scholarship page.
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George Mason provides tuition assistance and subsidized health insurance for graduate students who are recipients of certain prestigious scholarships and fellowships.
- Mason Foundation Scholarship opportunities are available for graduate students and administered through the Office of Financial Aid.
Note: The Office of Student Financial Aid may direct the non-need-based awards toward lowering your loans, reducing the amount of money you will borrow. For more information about how a non-need-based award may affect your financial aid package, contact the Financial Aid office at 703-993-2000.