Application

Each semester, a new cohort of students is selected to join the Honors College through a competitive application process. It is important that you carefully review the application requirements and timeline to ensure you submit a strong and complete application by the deadline. 

 

Recruitment Plan 

First-Year Students (Primary Recruitment Pool) 

Honors College admission will primarily focus on first-year students. There will be one selection cycle per year for a Fall cohort (up to 12 students per year). For example, for the Fall 2026 cohort, the primary recruitment pool will consist of Spring 2026 admits and Fall 2026 admits. 

  • Spring Admits: 
    - Students admitted for the Spring term will be considered upon completing their first semester at Mason Korea. 
    - Evaluation will occur during the summer. 
    - Students must be enrolled at the Korea campus in the Fall semester immediately following admission to the Honors College.
  • Fall Admits: 
    - Students admitted for the Fall term will be considered during the admissions process. 
    - Students must be enrolled at the Korea campus in the Fall semester immediately following admission to the Honors College. 

Continuing Students (Transitional / Final Opportunity) 
As Mason Korea transitions fully to a first-year student recruitment model, there will be one final application opportunity for continuing students (non-first-year students). 

  • Eligible only for Fall 2026 entry.
  • This opportunity is open to all continuing students who meet the eligibility requirements listed on this page.  
  • These students will form the last non-first-year cohort and will take HNRS 310 in Fall 2026.
  • Students must be enrolled at Mason Korea in the regular semester immediately following admission to the Honors College. 

 

Eligibility

  • First-Year Students: Spring Admits 
    • Currently enrolled Mason Korea students 
    • Must have completed a full semester (minimum of 12 credit hours) by the end of the Spring semester 
    • Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA 
    • Students may apply during their second full semester (after completing at least 12 credits) and may receive conditional acceptance, pending their second-term grades
    • Must be enrolled at the Korea campus in the regular semester (i.e. Spring or Fall) immediately following admission to the Honors College
  • First-Year Students: Fall Admits 
    • A select group of newly admitted students will be invited to apply to the Honors College based on the strength of their admission application to Mason Korea 
    • Invitations are extended prior to the start of the student’s first semester 
    • Additional consideration may include academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement 
    • Must be enrolled at the Korea campus in the regular semester (i.e. Spring or Fall) immediately following admission to the Honors College
  • Non-First-Year Students: Only for Fall 26 
    • Currently enrolled Mason Korea students 
    • Must have completed two full semesters (minimum of 24 credit hours) by the end of the Spring semester 
    • Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA 
    • Must be enrolled at the Korea campus in the regular semester (i.e. Spring or Fall) immediately following admission to the Honors College 
    • Students who are transitioning to the Fairfax campus in the following semester are encouraged to apply to the Mason Fairfax Honors College. Please check out the Mason Honors College webpage for more information.

 

Application Requirements

  • First-Year Student (Spring Admits) and Non-First-Year Students Application
    • Online application form (currently closed) 
    • Required essay
      • Why do you wish to join the Honors College? What do you hope to gain from your experience in the College, and what do you commit to contributing to our community? 
      • 250 words minimum, 750 words maximum, double spaced. Make sure to list the word count at the end of your essay. 
    • Letters of recommendation are optional, but strongly encouraged  
      • If submitted, must be from Mason faculty, advisor, staff member or mentor 
      • Recommenders should use this Recommender Portal (https://cglink.me/2d7/s95860) 
      • Please be sure to ask your recommender for a letter at least two weeks before the deadline 
      • Recommendation letters must be submitted by the application deadline 
      • Members of the Honors College Faculty Council are not permitted to provide recommendation letters
    • Interview
      • Applicants may be invited to participate in an online interview. Interviews for the Fall 2026 Honors College application are scheduled for Summer term (to be updated). Please ensure that you are available on these dates in case you are selected for an interview.  
  • First-Year Student (Fall Admits) Application 
    • The Mason Korea Admissions Office will send admitted students a separate invitation along with guidance on the application process for joining the Honors College. 
    • Required essay (Applicants must choose one of the two prompts, write an essay of no more than 500 words, and submit it for review.) 
      • ESSAY OPTION 1: George Mason University is Virginia's largest public research university. As a Tier-1 research institution, every day, our faculty, staff, and students work to address unanswered questions, unresolved challenges, and problems that impact a wide variety of populations. In the Honors College, you'll have opportunities to do this sort of work -- and maybe even answer questions and solve problems that matter to you. Tell us about one question, challenge, or problem that you'd like to work to better understand or address during your time at George Mason. Introduce this issue, and then explain why it matters to you and why it might matter to others. Feel free to be creative - research and inquiry can exist in unlikely places.
      • ESSAY OPTION 2: The art we see, the stories we read, and the words we hear have the power to move us and to change us. Tell us about a time that you've been moved to act by something you read, a speech you heard, or a work of art that you experienced. What was it, and how did it impact you? What did you do -- or what will you do -- in response
    • Resume 
      • It is strongly suggested that Honors College applicants submit a resume. 
    • Interview  
      • Applicants may be invited to participate in an online interview. Please ensure that you are available on these dates in case you are selected for an interview. 

 

Timeline

  • To be updated. 

 

Application Link

  • Currently closed.