International students need to request to defer their admission and I-20 by completing the following steps:
1. Notify Admissions (Academic Record)
You must notify Admissions:
- Undergraduate Freshman students complete and submit the freshman admission deferral request form.
- Undergraduate Transfer students complete and submit the transfer admission deferral request form.
- Graduate students (Masters and PhDs) request an admission deferral by clicking the hyperlink within your original admission decision letter, available through the graduate application portal. (For I-20 deferral, see the additional step required, below.)
It may take up to 8 weeks to receive a decision on your admission deferral request.
If you already registered for classes, you need to “drop” all of your courses during the drop/add period. If you do not drop your classes, you are responsible for any fees incurred.
In addition, you need to contact the Student Health Insurance Office at insure@gmu.edu to cancel your health insurance. If you fail to do so, you are responsible for any fees incurred (including late fees).
2: I-20 (F-1) GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY: Notify International Admissions (Immigration Record)
- Complete Step 1 above.
- Request an I-20 deferral by sending an email to gradi20@gmu.edu (include your full name and G number).
If you were admitted to start in the Fall semester, you must submit your I-20 deferral request by September 1st.
If you were admitted to start in the Spring semester, you must submit your I-20 deferral request by January 31st.
You will not receive an updated I-20 until all criteria are met:
- You are officially admitted to a future semester.
- Your documents, including proof of funding, are valid or updated and meet requirements. NOTE: George Mason University regularly updates funding requirements and policies to reflect actual economic conditions and to ensure best practices.
- We have begun issuing I-20s for your new program start date (February 15th for Fall and October 1st for Spring start dates).