The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is located in Johannesburg, South Africa and shares the pace and energy of the cosmopolitan city its named for. UJ has four campuses all located in the metropolitan area of Johannesburg: The Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus (APB), Auckland Park Kingsway Campus (APK), Doornfontein Campus (DFC), and the Soweto Campus (SWC).
Johannesburg is the second largest city in Africa, with more than 3 million people calling this bustling metropolis home. Joburg, or Jozi, offers visitors an experience as unique and diverse as the city itself.
Application cycles are open one semester at a time. Applications for the fall/academic year will open around December 1 of the year prior and applications for spring/calendar year will open around July 1 of the year prior.
Click through the brochure tabs to learn more about this program.
Eligibility
In order to participate in this program, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Students must have completed at least 45 credits at the time of departure.
- For students applying for fall or academic year programs, this total does not include summer coursework that has yet to be completed.
- Students must have a minimum 2.6 GPA at the time of application and departure.
- Students planning to study abroad in the last semester of their senior year should discuss this with their GEO program administrator and major advisor as this may affect their ability to graduate on time.
- Recent transfer students cannot study abroad their first semester (not including summer) at Mason.
Courses Available
Students attending Johannesburg can select courses from the following programs:
Students can choose any combination of a maximum of four semester courses from any of the nine faculties at UJ.
Course Equivalency and Plan of Study
The Global Education Office has a
Course Evaluation and Registration System (CERS), which you will use to complete the steps needed to evaluate your courses abroad, and see how they will count at Mason. This database is accessible whether you have already applied, or are just beginning to think about studying abroad. Look at the courses in the database. You are by no means limited to these courses. The database shows courses that have already been evaluated. You can request equivalency for any course not yet evaluated, through CERS.
You are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to look at this institution’s courses ahead of time to see how they will match up to your Mason degree requirements. Talk to your academic advisor about what courses you will need to receive credit for during your time abroad to stay on-track for your degree. When looking at courses keep in mind that course schedules can change. We recommend having twice as many courses approved as necessary.
Academic Calendar
The academic calendar at the University of Joahnnesburg is different from Mason's. Our fall semester (their spring) begins in mid-July and runs through mid-November. Our spring semester (their fall) begins in late January and runs through mid-May.
Credit Conversion
Students are expected to take a full-time course load during their time abroad. Courses vary greatly in their credit worth. Students can take a maximum of 4 courses. This will allow you to transfer back 12-15 credits.
Grade Conversion
When transferring courses back to Mason, the credits will transfer but the grade will not. However, you must receive the equivalent of a "C" or above in order to transfer your credit back. Refer to the table below regarding how grades are converted at this institution.
| Johannesburg Grade |
Mason Grade |
| 75-100 (First Class) |
A |
| 70-74.99 (Second Class, Division One) |
B+ |
| 60-69.99 (Second Class, Division Two) |
B |
| 50-59.99 (Third Class) |
C |
| 0-49.99 (Fail) |
F |
Global Understanding
Students participating in this study abroad program will automatically fulfill the Mason Global Understanding core requirement.
Housing
There are 22 dorms, called residences, across the four UJ campuses. Visit their website for details. All UJ residences are self-catered (no meal plans) but all four campuses are equipped with restaurants, coffee shops, cafeterias and shops for added convenience. There are also meeting places and recreational facilities available.
The residences are fully furnished with equipped kitchens. Each residence comes with: fridge, stove, cutlery, crockery, bed, bedding, blankets, internet access, a study desk, and chair. Most residences have television rooms that are open 24 hours a day and equipped with satellite television. Most also have laundry facilities either on site or nearby.
Soweto Campus
- Three residences: one mixed, one all female, and one all male residence
Doornfontein Campus
- Eight residences: one senior and seven junior residences (two all female and five all male)
Auckland Park Bunting Road
- Five residences: two senior residences (mixed gender), three junior residences (two all female, one all male)
Auckland Park Kingsway
- Ten residences: one senior residence (mixed gender), thirteen junior residences (five all female, four all male)
- Four day houses: Two all female, two all male
Program Cost
This is a Bilateral Exchange Program. Students are enrolled as regular students at the partner university, pay Mason tuition to Mason, and pay room and board abroad. Students can use the budget sheets located at the top of this page to see what GEO estimates as expenses.
Program Payments
As this is a Bilateral Exchange Program, students will pay for their tuition as they normally do in PatriotWeb.
Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee of $200 for Mason students. This fee is paid online through the MasonAbroad application system.
Administrative Fee: A non-refundable administrative fee of $300 (for semester length programs) or $500 (for year-long programs) must be received in order to confirm your enrollment in the program. This fee is paid online through the MasonAbroad application system.
Financial Aid: Students using financial aid are encouraged to talk to their counselor regarding how their financial aid can transfer to their program.
Scholarships
GEO offers a number of need- and merit-based scholarships. All Mason students are welcome to apply:
Scholarships
Application Deadline:
Fall/Academic Year: TBD*
Spring/Calendar Year: TBD*
*See the bottom of this page for the exact deadlines for the upcoming term(s).
Visa Information
Once accepted into a program, it will be your responsibility to apply for a student visa and/or residence permit (if required, based on your citizenship). You will receive details on this with your acceptance letter. Do not apply for a visa until after you have been officially accepted. Visit the Embassy of Japan's website for further information.
Application requirements:*
Application fee: $200 for Mason students.
Official Transcripts: An official copy of your Mason transcript is required as well as copies of official transcripts from any other college or university you have attended.
Passport Status: If you do not have a valid passport, you should begin applying for one now.
Signature Documents: Read and electronically "sign" the documents.
Questionnaires: Read and complete the documents according to the instructions.
*Additional paperwork may be required for this program and can be viewed inside your application.
Application instructions: