This Winter Break, make the world your stage by studying abroad for two weeks in London! This study abroad program has been one of the Global Education Office's most popular for over nine years running! Participants will see a number of shows, ranging from fringe productions to West End productions. A distinguishing component of this program are the workshops and backstage tours that students will attend. Backstage tours and interactive workshops are two of the highlights of this program, especially those conducted by the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.
Program Highlights
Previous plays have included:
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night
- Golem
- Treasure Island
- The Knight of the Burning Pestle
- Love’s Labours Won
- Behind the Beautiful Forevers
- The Scottsboro Boys
- Henry IV, Part 1
- Assassins
Eligibility
This program is open to all undergraduate and graduate students including students who do not attend George Mason University. Members of the general public who are 18 years or older are also welcome to apply.
Undergraduate students must have a minimum GPA of 2.25.
Credits
Students will choose one 3-credit course during the application process.
Anticipated Course Options
Undergraduate:
- Honors - HNRS 122: Reading the Arts
- English - ENGH 202: Texts and Contexts (satisfies Mason Core requirement for Literature)
- English - ENGH 309: Topics in Literature
- Theater - THR 101: Theatrical Medium (satisfies Mason Core requirement for Arts)
- Theater - THR 359: World Stages (satisfies Mason Core requirement for Global Understanding)
- Theater - THR 497: Independent Study
- Integrative Studies - INTS 399: Study Abroad
Graduate:
- Theater - THR 599: Independent Study
Program Dates*
Winter 2023 Dates TBD
Sample Itinerary
| Jan. 2 |
Students arrive in London; Welcome dinner |
| Jan. 3 |
Class; National Theatre Tour; Evening Theatre Performance |
| Jan. 4 |
London Walking Tour; Evening Theatre Performance |
| Jan. 5 |
Class; Globe Theatre Workshop; Evening Theatre Performance |
| Jan. 6 |
Class; Almeida Theatre Tour; Free Evening |
| Jan. 7 |
Class; Evening Theatre Performance |
| Jan. 8 |
Visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum |
| Jan. 9 |
Puppetry Workshop; Bush Theatre; Evening Performance |
| Jan. 10 |
Class; Visit to the British Museum; Free Evening |
| Jan. 11 |
Day Trip to Stratford-upon-Avon; Royal Shakespeare Theatre |
| Jan. 12 |
Behind the scenes tour of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre |
| Jan. 13 |
Free Day |
| Jan. 14 |
Farewell Breakfast; Students Depart for U.S. |
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* Dates and itinerary subject to change. The Global Education Office reserves the right to make changes to a program in light of currency fluctuations, changing security and safety conditions, and/or any other unforeseen circumstances.
Program Cost
Winter 2023: Coming Soon!
The Program Cost for study abroad courses is assessed separately from Mason tuition and fees. This means separate charges are put on your student account for this course, a study abroad tuition charge and a study abroad program fee charge which together equal the published Program Cost for this course.
Included:
- Application deposit
- Tuition for 3 credits and mandatory fees
- Accommodations, double occupancy in hotels
- Daily breakfasts
- Welcome and farewell dinners
- Guided tours and performances, as described in itinerary
- Travel card
- Hop on/hop off bus tickets
- Pre-departure orientation
- International emergency medical insurance
Not included:
- Airfare*
- Passport
- Visa fees
- Some meals
- Personal spending
- COVID-19 testing in the U.S. before departure
- COVID-19 testing while abroad, vaccinations
- Vaccinations
- required textbooks and/or course materials.
*Note: This program does not include a group flight. Information regarding arrival times and location will be sent out to all participants after the application deadline. Do not purchase airfare until you receive the "Green Light for Flights" notice from the Global Education Office via email.
The notice will include information on the arrival/departure airports, flight times, and where to meet the group. Students who fail to follow the guidelines GEO sends out will be responsible for applicable costs of changing their flights. When the time comes to purchase airfare, GEO will be recommending the purchase of Flight Interruption and Cancellation Insurance. The “Green Light for Flights” email will provide additional information about this insurance.
Program Payments
The full program fee is charged to your Mason Student Account. Students pay the Global Education Office (GEO) Program Fee as advertised in two payments (Application Deposit + Final Payment.)
Application Deposit: $200 non-refundable Application Deposit must be received by the application deadline. This fee is paid online through the MasonAbroad application system and is included in the program fee.
Final Payment: The final balance payment is made through the Mason Bill+Payment system. Payment is due according to the Mason Payment Schedule. The amount due is the difference of your Program Cost minus the $200 you will have already paid, the Application Deposit.
Note: You can make your final payment in the Mason Bill+Payment system even if you do not see the GEO program charge on your student account. George Mason University applies payments to outstanding charges first. If you have an outstanding balance from a previous semester your payments will first go to paying that charge. You will still be responsible for the GEO charge.
Financial Aid:
In most cases, financial aid (federal, state, institutional financial aid, scholarships, grants or loans) can be used to finance study abroad. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the Office of Financial Aid to review their financial aid package. The Office of Financial Aid is the only office that can determine your aid eligibility.
Meeting with your financial aid officer prior to applying to study abroad will help you understand if, how much, and when your aid can be used to study abroad.
Confirmation of your financial aid award may not be available until registration and billing for the term in question is final. If aid eligibility changes, or the amount of aid disbursed is lower than anticipated, students are responsible for all remaining account balances or risk late fees, holds on their accounts, and program dismissal.
To assist students in the processing of their financial aid, GEO will communicate with the Office of Financial aid those students who plan to utilize financial aid for their specific study abroad program through their application with GEO. Please note there is no guarantee to students that their aid can be utilized for their specific study abroad program.
If you plan to use federal, state, institutional financial aid, scholarships, grants or loans to finance your study abroad you must:
- Mark “Yes” to “Do you plan to use Financial Aid to finance your program (federal, state, institutional financial aid, scholarships, grants or loans)?” in your profile in MasonAbroad.gmu.edu.
After acceptance:
*Students must be enrolled at least half-time for federal loans and the majority of grant funds. Please refer to the Financial Aid Website for a definition of half-time for undergraduate and graduate students: https://www2.gmu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/eligibility.
VA Benefits: The Veterans Administration determines if a program is eligible to receive VA benefit payments based on the participants VA education program. Use of benefits is dependent on type of benefit and type of program. If you plan to use VA benefits to finance study abroad contact your program officer at MasonLed@gmu.edu to request the "Intent to Use VA Benefits Form." You will complete that form with Mason’s Office of Military Services. To contact Military Services be sure to email them directly at Military@gmu.edu.
Refund and Cancellation Policy: All participants are bound by the Mason GEO Refund and Cancellation Policy.
Tuition Exemptions
If you plan to apply for a tuition exemption (for example VMSDEP or senior citizen exemption) to cover a portion of the total cost of the Study Abroad program please contact GEO immediately. Not all exemptions are eligible for use on study abroad courses. When an exemption is eligible for use, only tuition charges are covered. The participant will be required to pay program fees, which may include housing, meals, and direct payments to our overseas partners.
Employee Tuition Exemption Benefit
Global Education Office (Study Abroad) courses and trip fees are ineligible for tuition waivers under this policy. For more information please see the
Employee Tuition Exemption Benefit for details.
Payment Instructions
For more information on payments, financial aid, and information for non-Mason students:
Payments
Scholarships
GEO offers a number of need- and merit-based scholarships. All Mason students on this program are welcome to apply:
Scholarships
Application Deadline:
October 10th
Application requirements:*
Program Deposit: $200 for all applicants.
Course Selection Questionnaire: You will choose the course(s) you would like to be receive credit for on this program. Check the "Academics" tab to see what courses are offered on this program. If you need help selecting your course, check with your academic advisor.
Passport Status Questionnaire: You do not need a passport to complete this questionnaire or the application. However, if you do not have a valid passport, you should begin applying for one now. The Global Education Office offers Passport Grants to help.
Signature Documents: Read and electronically "sign" the documents regarding the acknowledgement of risk, the pre-departure orientation, and your financial responsibility.
Additional requirements for non-Mason applicants:
- Official transcript: To be mailed or emailed to the Global Education Office at George Mason University.
- Non-degree Contract Course/Admission Form: Please complete the form and upload it into the questionnaire.
* Additional application requirements may apply to individual programs. Once you open your application, you will see all application requirements.
Application instructions: