Virtual Global Internships

3 credits (6 may be possible on a case-by-case basis)
 

The internship component involves students working part-time at an international organization or company. Once accepted by GEO, students will work closely with one of our partner organization's placement officers to identify areas of interest, and to secure an internship. After being accepted by our partners, students are guaranteed an internship in one of the 2-3 fields the partner will ask them to rank. For virtual internships, a student and the company supervisor will determine together the timing of the internship, especially considering time differences and class schedules. Students will likely have an independent project or task to complete during their available time, to account for time differences, and the nature of virtual work. However, they would have scheduled meetings with their supervisor about once a week, in addition to receiving email guidance throughout the week. This may differ slightly based on the company, the type of work, and the student's availability.

Students may inquire about the type of internship opportunities in their area of study as well as about the complete support services offered during the program to their GEO Program Administrator. Within your inquiry, please include your major, career goals, and what knowledge you wish to gain from the internship experience. 

To lean more about the internship placement timeline, click here. 

Program Cost 

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: A $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 Application Deposit you will have already paid.
 
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:
•Complete the Financial Aid questionnaire item in your application.
• Schedule an appointment with your financial aid officer.
 
* 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.
 
VA Benefits: This program is ineligible for VA Benefits.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy: All participants are bound by the Mason GEO Withdrawal and Refund Policy.

Spring 2023: November 10

Rolling Admissions! Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis when complete. Receive an application update within two weeks after completing. See below for current application cycle deadlines and program dates.

Eligibility:

This program is open to all students who meet the GPA requirement, have a strong application, are in Good Standing status with GMU, and whose career fields are available with the partner they select. Students from all universities are eligible to participate. Applicants must be able to complete tasks remotely while meeting the partner’s deadlines

International Students: You are advised to meet with the Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) to discuss how participating in a virtual internship program relates to USCIS policies. If you do an international virtual internship while you are physically in the U.S., the internship will be with a foreign company with an international address. As a result, the program is not eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) status. OIPS can advise on what doing this program means for your current or future visa statuses. This does not apply to you if you will be not be in the U.S. during the virtual internship.