Funding Resources
This site provides information on available funding resources as a function of the intended audience as well as the type of funding. Please note that, in most cases, applications for funding must be submitted well in advance of the date on which funding is required (an exception is the Stay Mason Student Support Fund, which is meant to cover student emergencies and therefore has a quick turnaround time).
This site is intended to feature resources available at the university itself. However, students are also encouraged to search online for resources external to the university. For instance, such a search might include the following keywords: diversity funding psychology graduate students. Such a search would bring up a variety of graduate student fellowships and other resources intended for dissertation support, other research endeavors, conference travel, and so forth. Similarly, several external resources are available to undergraduate students (here, as an alternative to the keyword “funding,” the keyword “scholarship” can also be helpful).
Please reach out to a committee member if you would like to suggest an addition to this website.
Primarily for Undergraduate Students
Mason’s financial aid website: https://www.gmu.edu/financial-aid
This website describes the various types of financial aid available to Mason students–for instance, grants, scholarships, work-study employment, and loans–and how to apply.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) scholarships website: https://chss.gmu.edu/scholarships
This website lists both need-based and merit-based scholarships available to students via the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) website
This website describes the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP), which is designed to give undergraduates a research, creative, or scholarly experience under the guidance of a mentor. Students may receive financial support and/or academic credit for their projects.
Undergraduate Student Travel Fund (USTF) website
This website describes Mason’s Undergraduate Student Travel Fund (USTF), which supports research and scholarly-related travel for undergraduates.
Federal Work-Study website: https://www.gmu.edu/financial-aid/types-aid/federal-work-study
The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program is a need-based program which provides part-time employment opportunities to eligible students to help meet the costs of post-secondary education. This website provides information to and resources for Mason students regarding topics such as how to apply for work-study positions at Mason and how to keep track of their hours worked. Answers to frequently asked questions are also provided.
Stay Mason Student Support Fund website: https://ssac.gmu.edu/staymasonstudentsupportfund/
This website describes emergency funding opportunities for students who experience unexpected financial challenges, emergencies, or sudden financial hardships. Eligibility criteria are also discussed.
Note: The psychology department has its own (separate from the university) student emergency fund. Please contact the psychology department’s Graduate Program Coordinator and/or Director of Operations and Strategic Planning.
Student Funding Board website: https://si.gmu.edu/sfb/
This website describes opportunities for financial support associated with various forms of student programming. For instance, students may obtain funds to cover catering/food, event supplies, vendor and performer fees, honoraria, flyers and social media ads, police protection, parking costs for non-Mason-affiliated guests, and so forth. The website also lists costs that are not covered (e.g., costs for closed events, gift cards, and insurance).
Primarily for Graduate Students
Note: Applicants who receive an offer of admission to a doctoral program in the psychology department receive a funding package at the time of their admission offer, unless they have already secured external funding in a few cases. Generally, this offer includes a stipend, a full waiver of tuition, and eligibility for university-paid health insurance. These packages are awarded for the first 4 years of a student’s doctoral program upon the contingency that the student fulfills the terms of the financial offer and continues Satisfactory Academic Progress within their program. Funding is not guaranteed for MA or MPS students admitted to the program and opportunities are available on a competitive basis. Students are made aware of these opportunities via the psyc-ma email listserv as they are announced. MA and MPS students looking for resources, as well as PhD students looking for additional resources, should utilize the links listed below. In addition, several opportunities for graduate funding are sent out by email; students should monitor their Mason email account for these opportunities.
The department will provide up to $400 to help cover the cost of dissertation research and up to $250 to cover the cost of master’s thesis research. These funds are to be used to assist in the collection of data, including payment to participants if the research requires a population not readily available at the University. All equipment, books, software, tests, etc. that are purchased with department funds becomes the property of the department. Keep good records of your expenses, including all receipts. Only original receipts (not photocopies) will be accepted.
Requests should be submitted to the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies with a copy to the Director of Operations and Strategic Planning. To apply, you must provide:
1. A copy of the signature sheet of your approved dissertation or thesis proposal.
2. A budget that specifies how you plan to spend the money. - The budget must be signed by your advisor.
3. A statement from your advisor that he/she does not have funds to support this research (e.g., from a grant).
4. Students may apply for thesis/dissertation support or travel support but not both.
https://graduate.gmu.edu/financial-support/graduate-funding-faqs
As this website notes: “Don’t be intimidated about the financial aid process. We’ll guide you through it and answer your questions.”
https://graduate.gmu.edu/financial-support/grants-fellowships-awards/internal
This website lists resources aimed at helping Mason graduate students earn their degrees and conduct research. Examples include (among others) dissertation completion grants, summer research fellowships, the Graduate Inclusion and Access Scholarship, and the Mentoring for Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (MARIE) program.
https://ulife.gmu.edu/students/graduate-students/graduate-assistantships/
This website lists GMU Graduate Professional Assistantships that are offered by the Division of University Life. Bookmark this website and check back frequently.
GMU Human Resources Job Search
This is the GMU Human Resources career opportunities website. If you narrow the job category to Part-Time/Hourly, you will find currently available on-campus employment opportunities. Bookmark this page as well and check back frequently.
https://gmu.joinhandshake.com/login
Connect with GMU Handshake for career specific experience.
https://graduate.gmu.edu/financial-support/grants-fellowships-awards/external
This website lists funding opportunities for graduate students from sources such as government programs, professional organizations, or private foundations.
Funding Search Tools | Graduate Education (gmu.edu)
There are various database searches available on this website to assist with finding external funding opportunities. Many search tools allow the user to narrow their search by award type, subject, and academic level to find more relevant funding.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) funding resources website: https://chss.gmu.edu/graduate/funding
This website lists various funding resources available to graduate students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences–for instance, Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs), Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs), Tuition Waivers, and Fellowships.
Mason’s Research Development Services website: https://resdev.gmu.edu/
This website provides support to faculty, students and staff in identifying and seeking funding to increase George Mason’s funded research base (e.g., funding-related seminars/workshops and limited submission grant opportunities in which the funding agency limits the number of proposals from a single institution).
Mason’s Graduate Student Travel Fund (GSTF) website: https://graduate.gmu.edu/financial-support/conference-travel-funding
This website provides information about how graduate students can seek financial support from the university to attend professional conferences. Currently, Mason’s Graduate Student Travel Fund (GSTF) is restricted to students who are actually presenting at conferences. GSTF applications must be submitted by the student well in advance of their actual conference dates, then approved by their faculty advisor (and department chair for international conferences). For details on deadlines and how to apply, click on "How to Apply" on the left-hand sidebar. To log in to the application website, click here.
Stay Mason Student Support Fund website: https://ssac.gmu.edu/staymasonstudentsupportfund/
This website describes emergency funding opportunities for students who experience unexpected financial challenges, emergencies, or sudden financial hardships. Eligibility criteria are also discussed.
Note: The psychology department has its own (separate from the university) student emergency fund. Please contact the psychology department’s Graduate Program Coordinator and/or Director of Operations and Strategic Planning.
Student Funding Board website: https://si.gmu.edu/sfb/
This website describes opportunities for financial support associated with various forms of student programming. For instance, students may obtain funds to cover catering/food, event supplies, vendor and performer fees, honoraria, flyers and social media ads, police protection, parking costs for non-Mason-affiliated guests, and so forth. The website also lists costs that are not covered (e.g., costs for closed events, gift cards, and insurance).
Funding Resources Primarily for Faculty
Mason Funding Resources site: https://resdev.gmu.edu/funding-opportunities/
This website provides both internal (to the university; e.g., seed funding opportunities associated with Mason’s Office of Research Innovation and Economic Impact and Mason’s Anti-Racism & Inclusive Excellence initiative) and external (e.g., the federal government’s Grants.gov website) funding opportunities.
Mason’s Research Development Services website: https://resdev.gmu.edu/
This website provides support to faculty, students and staff in identifying and seeking funding to increase George Mason’s funded research base (e.g., funding-related seminars/workshops and limited submission grant opportunities in which the funding agency limits the number of proposals from a single institution).
Mason Impact website: https://provost.gmu.edu/academics/undergraduate-education/mason-impact/mason-impact-faculty
Faculty in the Mason Impact program provide their students with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle global questions and challenges by: teaching Mason Impact courses, mentoring students who are interested in tackling global problems, and designing innovative multidisciplinary curriculum. A variety of Mason Impact grants are available to faculty: for instance, grants pertaining to materials, supplies, class trips or other expenses; the summer term specifically; the development of multidisciplinary curricula; and a focus on anti-racist and inclusive course content and/or assignments.
Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, in conjunction with the Anti-Racist and Inclusive Excellence Task Force (ARIE), with the office of Community Engaged and Civic Learning (home of the QEP for Transformative Education through Anti-Racist Community Engagement), and with Mason colleges and schools creating Inclusive Excellence Plans, is pleased to provide support and opportunities for faculty to improve curriculum design, teaching strategies, and pedagogical resources supporting anti-racist and inclusive teaching.
