FAQ

We recognize you may occasionally need to cancel your registration. If you wish to receive a refund or credit toward a future course, we must receive your cancellation request in your student portal no less than five business days prior to the course start date. All course registration cancellations are subject to a non-refundable $125.00 administrative fee. Cancellation requests received four or fewer business days before the published course start date forfeit the entire course registration fee.

If you have requested a cancellation and are entitled to a refund, please note: refunds for check payments may take up to six weeks or longer, as refunds are processed through the Commonwealth of Virginia. Payments will be refunded to the person or company that issued the original check to George Mason University. Refunds for credit card payments will be made only to the credit card used for the original payment. Processing time will vary based on your financial institution.

Please note that additional refund restrictions may apply based on the unique nature of certain seminars, courses, or certificate programs. Please see the individual seminar, course, and certificate program pages for information about additional refund elements.

For Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-Being policies and procedures, click here.

Continuing and Professional Education reserves the right to cancel any program, in which case a full refund of fees or a transfer will be offered.

To receive a certificate, your attendance must adhere to the published attendance policy of your course, found in course confirmation communication as well as on each course/program description. Certificates may take up to two weeks to process once all program requirements have been met.

Transfer requests must be made, in writing, no less than five business days prior to the course start date. Unfortunately, if we do not receive your request at least 5 business days prior to your course start date, there will be a $125.00 fee assessed for the transfer. Please note that the first transfer request, if received five or more business days prior to the course start date, is at no charge to the student. Each subsequent transfer will be assessed a $125.00 fee. Please also note that students will not receive a transfer if a transfer request is received on or after the start date of a course. Transfer requests received on or after the start date of a course forfeit the entire course registration fee.

Registration fee credits must be used within one year.

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a nationally recognized unit of measurement for participation in non-credit continuing education programs. Adults who successfully complete George Mason University's approved programs will be awarded continuing education units. A permanent record of CEUs awarded will be maintained in the university database and will be easily accessible for certification and verification purposes.

One CEU is defined as ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience. A CEU can be awarded in whole units or fractions of a unit (one-tenth unit) for each additional contact hour.

Continuing and Professional Education sponsors open enrollment courses, workshops, and seminars that are designed to enhance the skills of all participants. Continuing and Professional Education manages the review of programs to determine if they qualify for CEUs. To make these determinations, Continuing and Professional Education uses guidelines and criteria for awarding CEUs, and compares courses to national measurement standards. Continuing and Professional Education also is responsible for awarding CEUs to all students who successfully complete course requirements for CEU approved courses. For more information about the CEU Approval Program or to verify a CEU award, please contact 703-993-2109.

Students enrolled in credit courses at George Mason University will automatically be sent the 1098-T form. Questions related to the credit course forms should be addressed to University Fiscal Services Front Office at 703-993-2580. Students in non-credit courses must request their tuition payment history from George Mason University Continuing and Professional Education at 703-993-2109.

George Mason University maintains a permanent record of your successful completion of Mason-sponsored, non-credit learning activities. These activities include workshops, seminars, and certificate programs that you have successfully completed. George Mason University programs that have been approved by George Mason University Continuing and Professional Education to award Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs) will be included in your student record. Your records will include the name and date of the event, as well as the number of CEUs awarded.

To request an official non-credit student record, please complete the request form. Please note that fax and paper mail requests are not being accepted at this time due to COVID; therefore, please email your request to the Office of the University Registrar at regsite@gmu.edu.

Under the Code of Virginia § 23.1-640, Virginia residents 60 years or older may register for and enroll in up to three non-credit continuing education courses per academic term (July 1 through June 30) without payment of instruction-related fees if space is available. This exemption does not apply to out-of-pocket expenses such as food and course materials or lab fees associated with non-credit continuing education programs. There is an administrative fee of $125 per course. Likewise, this exemption does not apply to programs specifically targeted for or attended by senior citizens. Exemption is not available for all certificate programs. Please call for more information.

Interested seniors should select "other form of payment" when checking out and an enrollment team member will reach out to them for the following information:

• A completed Request for Waiver form
• A copy of your Virginia Driver's License (Please note: According to the Senior Citizen's Higher Education Act: "Senior Citizen means any person who, before the beginning of any term, semester or quarter in which such person claims entitlement to the benefits of this chapter, (i) has reached 60 years of age, and (ii) has had a legal domicile in this Commonwealth for one year" (Code of VA 23-38.55).

George Mason University Continuing and Professional Education courses are not available for traditional Veterans' educational assistance benefits. However, students who qualify for vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits through the VA may be eligible to use their benefits. Contact 703-993-2109 for more information and qualification guidelines.

At this time George Mason University Continuing and Professional Education does not provide job placement services. We do encourage students to contact their local employment office for assistance.

Continuing and Professional Education's classrooms are available for rent and may be reserved for your meeting, workshop or seminar. For more information and room availability please call 703-993-2109 or email cpeinfo@gmu.edu.