Orientation Checklists

• Activate your Patriot Pass
  • After paying your enrollment deposit, you will receive an email within 2-3 business days with instructions to claim your Patriot Pass and set up your account. You will use Patriot Pass to access PatriotWeb, view financial aid packages & transfer credits, and utilize our course registration system.
• Set Up Your George Mason Email
  • Once your Patriot Pass is activated, use it to complete your first George Mason email login before registering for Orientation. Check this inbox regularly, as all official communications from the university will be sent to you on this account.

• Learn about Orientation
  • There are two required parts of New Student Orientation: (1) On-Campus Orientation and (2) Virtual Advising & Registration. View the Orientation Overview page for details.
• Register for Orientation (REQUIRED): Opens Mid-November
  • Orientation Registration opens mid-November (Spring Admits) and mid-April (Fall Admits).
  • Once registration opens, you will receive an email invitation with a personalized registration link. Please give 3-5 business days after paying your deposit to receive this email.
    • You can also access your registration link in your Admissions Portal during registration time windows.
  • Currently, all freshmen are charged a $350 New Student Fee and all transfer are charged a $275 New Student Fee upon registering for their first semester of courses. There is no additional fee for students to attend Orientation.
• Complete Pre-Orientation Patriot Preview Modules (REQUIRED) 
  • After you’ve registered for Orientation, complete the Patriot Preview “Before Orientation” module prior to your orientation date. These modules are critical to complete to allow you to learn so you can have everything you need for your upcoming session.
  • Patriot Preview gives you essential information about George Mason to help inform your Orientation experience. You will need your Patriot Pass login information to gain access.
    • Patriot Preview will become available after you register for Orientation, and the link will be available in your email.
    • Set aside 2-3 hours to complete the modules before your Orientation date. Students can complete this in one-sitting or several.
  • *For Transfer students: Download your completion certificate after finishing the modules. This certificate is required if you plan to request pre-orientation advising before your Virtual Advising & Registration session.
• Connect with George Mason & Download the Mason 360 App 
  • Connect with us on social media using #Welcome2Mason and follow our Instagram (@MasonNSFP) and Facebook (Orientation@Mason)! We will be sharing useful tips about Mason and the student’s first year
  • Download Mason360, the new student engagement app – available on iOS and Android! Use this app to access additional resources for new students, meet fellow Patriots, discover events, and get involved in the #MasonNation. This will be your go-to app to find out what events are happening on-campus!

• Submit Your Mason ID Photo
  • Your Mason ID provides access to your residence hall, Mason Money for dining, library access, free entry to athletic games, and more.
  • The Mason Card Office offers online photo submissions, and we highly encourage you to submit your photo as soon as possible! This will save you time on your Orientation day and guarantee that you like your photo. If you are local and on-campus and would like to take your photo ahead of time, you can visit the Mason Card Office in SUB1, Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm.
  • To submit your photo and activate your Mason Mobile ID, follow the instructions on the Mason Card Office website. Once your photo has been approved, you can activate your Mason Mobile ID. Due to technical difficulties, physical Mason ID cards are currently not available.
• Submit Certificate of Immunization Form
  • Student Health Services must receive your immunization records by January 15 for Spring Semester start and August 1 for Fall semester start. Failure to turn in your immunization records before the deadline will result in a late fee charge and hold on your account, which will prevent you from registering for the next semester’s classes.
  • In order to avoid registration delays, download and submit a copy of the Certificate of Immunization form to Student Health Services.
• Review & Accept Financial Aid 
  • Access PatriotWeb to accept or decline your financial aid package. For more information, contact Financial Aid Services. This is only applicable for domestic students, international students can skip this step.
• Submit Final Transcripts and Scores
  • Be sure to submit official transcripts, AP and IB scores, and any other necessary documentation to Admissions. Select your student type for specific directions.
• Apply for On-Campus Housing or Submit Exemption
  • The Fall housing application will open mid-April. The Spring housing application becomes available in November. The George Mason Housing website outlines specific steps for freshmen, transfer, and off campus students to take when applying for on-campus housing, or for completing an exemption request. Learn more about On-Campus living at on the Housing and Residence Life website.

• Learn the Registration System
  • Watch Registration Web Tutorials before Orientation to understand how to search and register for classes in PatriotWeb.
• Complete Placement Tests
  • The Math Placement Test is required for students taking Math 105, 108, 113, 123, 125, and CS 112 ONLY. Any student who does not need those classes for their major should NOT take the math placement test.
    • All students are strongly encouraged to complete testing ASAP upon committing to George Mason to prevent any delays for class registration.
    • The Math Placement Test can be taken virtually or walk-in on-campus in advance of your Orientation session.
      • Virtual testing sign up options will open in Patriot Connect, and are only for students who are outside of a 50 mile radius of GMU. Click here to schedule a Virtual Math Placement Test. If you have any issues in scheduling, please email [email protected] for support.
  • The Foreign Language Placement Exam requirements are also connected to your field of study and should be taken as soon as possible. Please see the Department of Modern and Classical Languages website for in-person testing schedule or to register for remote testing.
  • Please review the New Student Advising website and information sent via email from advisors to determine which tests are applicable to you.
• (Transfer Students Only) Request Optional Pre-Orientation Advising  
  • Available November 17 for Spring Admits and May 1 for Fall Admits: Transfer students have the additional option to participate in a pre-orientation advising appointment with their academic college. This is not required, but serves as additional support and advising prior to your Virtual Advising and Registration session. 
  • IMPORTANT: Participating in pre-orientation advising does NOT replace your required On-Campus Orientation or Virtual Advising & Registration sessions. All transfer students must complete both required sessions to complete Orientation requirements.
  • To participate, you must: 
    1. Register for your 2 Orientation sessions: (1) Virtual Advising and Registration and (2) On-Campus Orientation.
    2. Complete Patriot Preview “Before Orientation” AND “Before Classes Start” Modules and download your completion certificate from the platform. 
    3. Schedule a pre-orientation advising appointment with an advisor in your college through Patriot Connect. You can find information about your Academic Advisor and available programs here.
    4. **Please Note: Academic colleges and schools will begin fielding pre-orientation advising requests on November 17 for Spring start and May 1 for Fall start. You will need your completion certificate from Patriot Preview to book your appointment. Remember, ONLY Transfer Students will be able to participate in Pre-Orientation Advising
• International Students
• MOL Students

• Verify Mason Email & Patriot Pass Access
  • Ensure our accounts are active and functioning. Visit Mason’s Information Technology Services (ITS) “Knowledge Base” for Office 365 Set-Up or additional support.
• Review Course Schedule
  • Finalize your course schedule and verify the delivery method of each course on Patriot Web.
• Finalize Required Immunizations Submission
  • Submit your Certificate of Immunization form to Student Health Services by the start of the semester. Find more information at shs.gmu.edu/immunizations.
• Submit Final Transcripts & Test Scores
  • Submit your final transcripts and test scores to the Office of Admissions at admissions.gmu.edu.
• Plan Your Logistics
  • Purchase a Parking Permit at transportation.gmu.edu, if needed. Find more information on this process at the Parking Services website.
  • Plan for your Move-In Day, if applicable. Find more information at housing.gmu.edu. Find off-campus housing at och.gmu.edu.
  • Get your Mason ID and Meal Plan, if needed. Find more information on these processes at masonid.gmu.edu and gmustudentlink.atriumcampus.com.
  • Reserve copies of your textbooks to rent or own through the campus bookstore at gmu.bncollege.com.

• Attend Preamble – REQUIRED 
  • Preamble takes place each fall prior to the start of classes for all incoming freshmen and transfer students. We have planned a number of fun and informative events throughout the Preamble designed to get you acquainted with campus and the Fairfax area! The updated Preamble schedule will be here when ready: welcome2mason.gmu.edu/thepreamble
• Explore Welcome2Mason Events 
  • Plan your Welcome2Mason schedule. For a list of events and a calendar, visit welcome2mason.gmu.edu or use the Mason 360 app.
• Complete Perspectives: Constructive Dialogue Institute
  • The week of July 7, you will receive an invitation to your GMU email inbox called “You have been invited to the course Perspectives” from no- [email protected] > viathoughtindustries.com. Click on the link in the email and create an account using your GMU email. Just make sure to complete Perspectives before August 21 and you will be entered into a raffle to win exciting prizes (e.g., parking passes, meal vouchers, iPads, etc.) 
  • Frequently Asked Questions about the Perspectives Course
• Get Connected with First Year Connections
  • First-Year Programs are designed to facilitate meaningful connections among first-year students, faculty, staff, and campus resources. View available programs to engage with via fyc.gmu.edu.

For help in navigating any steps, feel free to contact New Student and Family Programs at [email protected] or 703-993-2475.