The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University is delighted to offer a tuition discount to Virginia educators.
Virginia educators receive 15% off the university’s approved rate for in-state graduate study (current George Mason University tuition rates).
This discount is available to Virginia educators who meet the requirements outlined below. The discount may not be applied to courses that are already discounted, or to fully online programs offered in 8-week modules.
Please note: If you are taking courses as part of a contract cohort, information about tuition discounts will be provided by your cohort coordinator.
To receive the discount, you'll need to submit a short online form called "Tuition Discount for Virginia Educators."
Deadline to apply for the tuition discount
Deadlines to apply for the VA Educator Discount are listed in the table below. The discount will not be applied until you have registered for courses. If you have any questions regarding the Tuition Discount for Virginia Educators, please contact us at teachva@gmu.edu.
We strongly encourage you to submit your application well in advance of the application deadline.
| Semester | Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Summer | July 1 |
| Fall | September 3 |
| Spring | January 28 |
How to apply
- Review the eligibility requirements below.
- Register for classes.
- After you have registered for classes, login to the form to begin the application process. You'll need to know your George Mason email address and password.
- Navigate to the "Tuition Discount for Virginia Educators" form. Fill out the form and then click "Submit."
- One of the questions on the form asks for your supervisor’s contact information. As part of the application process, we will contact your supervisor to ask for verification that you are a permanently hired employee at a school located in Virginia.
Please note: If you need to make any modifications to your application after it has been submitted, the email verification process (steps #4 above) will restart. Your supervisor will receive new a verification email. If your supervisor has already confirmed your employment, he/she will have to confirm again.
Eligibility requirements
To receive the tuition discount, you'll need to submit the application form by the deadline above and be:
- An educator working in a public or non-public P-16 school located in Virginia.
Student must be a contractual employee working in a Virginia Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 school as a teacher, counselor, administrator, supervisor, librarian, coach, or support staff member or an educator at the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). - A student NOT in one of our fully online degree or certificate programs listed below:
- MS, Learning Design & Technology
- Certificate in Learning Technology - eLearning
- Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
- MEd, Special Education
- A resident of Virginia, as determined by the university's admissions office.
Student's domicile must be in Virginia as determined by George Mason University's admissions office. For questions, please see the Domicile FAQ. - A student who has been accepted into a graduate program in the College of Education and Human Development.
Student must be primarily enrolled in a CEHD graduate program (i.e., master's, PhD, certificate, or non-degree graduate program). The tuition discount is not available, for example, to students who take CEHD courses but are primarily enrolled in programs offered by another college at the university. - A student registered for one or more courses that are graduate-level, for-credit, and full-fee.
The tuition discount cannot be applied to already discounted "contract" courses. (Contract courses are those offered to teachers and other educators through arrangements made between a qualifying organization and George Mason University). The tuition discount also cannot be applied to non-credit-bearing courses.
Frequently asked questions
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When will I know if I received the discount?
As soon as your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation email from CEHD with further information.
To check the status of your application, please email teachVA@gmu.edu.
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Why should I submit my tuition discount application early?
We strongly encourage you to submit the tuition discount application form as soon as possible.
If your application form is submitted and approved at least one week before the university’s Last Day to Add deadline, your balance due on Patriot Web will automatically reflect the discounted rate.
If your form is submitted and approved after or less than a week before the Last Day to Add, you will need to pay your tuition bill in full by the due date to avoid university late fees and/or holds, and then, once CEHD notifies you that your tuition discount has been approved, you’ll need to wait two business days for the discount to be reflected as a credit on your balance due on Patriot Web. You can then request a refund through the Student Accounts Office.
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Will I need to submit the application form again next semester?
No. Once you are approved for the VA Educator Discount, you will be approved for the duration of your degree program.
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What if I'm an out-of-state student?
The VA Educator Discount cannot be applied to out-of-state students.
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What about the other fees on my bill?
The Virginia Educator discount only applies to tuition and mandatory student fee. Other fees cannot be discounted.
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Can I get the tuition discount on the courses I took in past semesters?
No. The VA Educator discount cannot be applied retroactively to previous semesters.
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Who do I contact about additional questions?
If you have additional questions, please contact us via email at teachva@gmu.edu or phone at 703-993-2892 (please leave a voice mail).