The majority of the university's more than 24,000 students are from Virginia, with all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 114 countries well represented in the student body. George Mason welcomes qualified students with a wide range of interests and backgrounds. Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area George Mason University is a member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Full participating consortium members are American University, The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Marymount University, Trinity College, Southeastern University, University of the District of Columbia, and the University of Maryland-College Park. Eligible students have the opportunity to benefit from the academic offerings of member institutions and to enroll for courses at any of the participating institutions.
Students register and pay the tuition of their home institution for all consortium courses.
Accreditation George Mason University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, and is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States. Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, the DOE facility that ORAU operates, undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, and faculty enjoy access to a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Students can participate in programs covering a wide variety of disciplines including business, earth sciences, epidemiology, engineering, physics, geological sciences, pharmacology, ocean sciences, biomedical sciences, nuclear chemistry, and mathematics. Appointment and program lengths range from one month to four years. ORAU's Office of Partnership Development seeks opportunities for partnerships and alliances among ORAU's members, private industry, and major federal facilities.