The Office of International Programs and Services offers a hybrid orientation: an in-person orientation and an online orientation. Both orientations are mandatory for ALL new students except for Antonio Scalia Law School students. If you are an incoming Antonio Scalia Law School student, please contact Aleksandra Melnikova (amelniko@gmu.edu) to schedule an appointment at Arlington campus in January.
Step 1: Attend the On-campus Orientation
Upcoming orientations in January 2020:
Undergraduate Students
Day One
Date: Thursday, January 16, 2020
Time: 9am - 5pm
Venue: JC Dewberry Hall
Registration: Online Form*
This orientation is REQUIRED for new international students in F-1 and J-1 status: Freshman students, transfer students, Mason Korea students, J-1 Exchange students (GEO), China 1-2-1 students, and INTO Mason undergraduate Pathway students
Spring 2020 Schedule (subject to change):
9am: Check In, Breakfast & Student Mixer
9:30am: Patriot Welcome & Activity
10:10am – 10:45am: Immigration Compliance
10:50am: US Culture 101
11:30am: Mason Student Health
11:45am: Patriot Experience
11:50am: Marshmallow Challenge
12:30pm: Stay Connected with OIPS & Raffle
12:45pm: Lunch
1:45pm: College 101
2:45pm - 5:00pm: Academic Advising & Course Registration
*The coordinators of the Programs Mason Korea students (Grace Lee/glee36@gmu.edu), J-1 Exchange students (Martha Sadler/intlex@gmu.edu), China 1-2-1 students (Yajie Mu/ymu@gmu.edu) and INTO Mason undergraduate students (Cassie Larson/clarson5@gmu.edu) will handle orientation registration. If you are a J-1 student, Mason Korea student or INTO Mason undergraduate student, you do NOT need to complete the online registration form.
Graduate Students (Masters and Doctoral)
Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Time: 11:30am - 5pm
Venue: JC Dewberry Hall
Registration: Online form
This orientation is REQUIRED for new international students in F-1 and J-1 status: Master's students (new and transfer), and INTO Mason Graduate Pathway students
Spring 2020 Schedule (subject to change):
11:30am: Check-in, Lunch & Campus Resource Fair
12:15pm - 12:25pm: Welcome
12:30 - 12:50pm: Speed Networking
12:50pm - 1:05pm : Graduate Student Life
1:10pm - 1:55pm: Immigration Compliance
J-1 Immigration Compliance (JC Gold Room)
2:00 - 2:20pm: Honor Code
2:25 - 2:40pm: Mason International
2:45 – 3:30pm: US Culture 101
3:35 – 4:20pm: Campus Resources Info Sessions
4:30 - 5:00pm: Graduate Student Panel/Campus Tour Dismissal
Fall 2019 Undergraduate Orientation
Fall 2019 Master's Orientation
Fall 2019 Doctoral Orientation
Step 2: Complete the Online Orientation
The online orientation is called "Rules, Rules, Rules!" It educates students about important rules and regulations (immigration compliance, the Mason Honor Code and the Code of Student Conduct) and how to navigate US health care. All new international students in F-1 status and all current international students in F-1 status who pursue a new degree are REQUIRED to complete the online orientation. The module/quiz will open on Friday, February 7, 2020, and the deadline is Friday, February 21, 2020. A hold will be put on the account of students who fail to complete the online orientation.
Log-in Instructions
OIPS uses the Learning Management System (LMS) Blackboard:
- Go to http://mymason.gmu.edu
- Enter your username/password (same as your Patriot Pass)
- Click on "Course" (top menu on the right)
- Select the course "International Student Launchpad"
- Click on the tab "Rules, Rules, Rules!"