Empowering Educators: Fund your Future

Empowering Educators: Fund your Future Image

Financial Support for Virginia Educators

Focused on helping teachers advance their knowledge, capabilities, and fulfill criteria for salary growth and recertification, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at George Mason University is pleased to offer two financial support options to qualified CHSS graduate degree and non-degree seeking students who are also Virginia educators.

Dual Enrollment Credentialing

Considering certification to teach Dual Enrollment courses? If you're a licensed teacher in Virginia, completing six courses from a master’s program will fulfill the 18-credit requirement set by Northern Virginia Community College for teaching Dual Enrollment courses. You can enroll as a graduate non-degree student or pursue a master’s or graduate certificate program in your content area.

For Fiscal Year 2025, the Virginia General Assembly allocated funding to support the costs for teachers to become qualified to teach Dual Enrollment and industry credential courses in local school divisions. Eligibility for Dual Enrollment Tuition Scholarship Awards will be determined through an application process. School divisions must submit a completed and signed Nomination Form to the Virginia Department of Education. Teachers must work with their school district’s grant administrator to apply for the scholarship. For more information, please refer to the Fiscal Year 2026 VDOE Grant Application Memo. 

Students applying for the VDOE grant must also submit the CHSS Grant Approval Form after registering each semester. The form should be emailed to chssgrad@gmu.edu by the following deadlines:

  • Fall semester: August 15
  • Spring semester: January 15

CHSS Grant Approval Form

For tuition and fees, visit the Student Accounts Office website.

Programs to Elevate Your Career

We offer innovative programs that empower educators to advance their knowledge, skills and professional development. The following programs may qualify for the VDOE Grant:

Continuing Education

Not interested in Dual Enrollment credentialing but still want to enroll in a graduate program? You may be eligible for a scholarship. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a tuition discount to Virginia educators who are in-state tuition eligible and enrolled in graduate coursework, regardless of whether they are pursuing a degree program.

The scholarship provides a $500 discount per course for up to two classes at a time, for a total of 18 credits, for in-state graduate students (see current rate information here). The discount is applied directly to tuition costs only; fees are excluded.

Eligibility for this scholarship requires you to meet the following criteria:

  • Be a licensed teacher
  • Be a Virginia state resident
  • Be enrolled in a CHSS graduate degree-seeking program or non-degree coursework

To apply for the discount, complete the "Tuition Discount for Virginia Educators" online form. Be sure to submit the form by the deadline to take advantage of this opportunity!

Tuition Discount for Virginia Educators Form

Deadline to Apply:

The tuition discount application must be received by the last day to add in each semester of enrollment. The discount will be applied after you have registered for courses. If you have any questions about the Tuition Discount for Virginia Educators, contact us at chssgrad@gmu.edu.

Programs to Elevate Your Career

We offer innovative programs that empower educators to advance their knowledge, skills and professional development. The following programs may qualify for the CHSS Tuition Discount if the VDOE Grant is not already being used:

Teaching excellence starts here at CHSS. We invite you to reach out to us if you have any questions at chssgrad@gmu.edu or through chat.