Dear Colleagues,
As you know, our international students are an integral part of George Mason, bringing diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences that enrich our academic community and foster a global learning environment. For more than a decade, George Mason has worked with INTO University Partnerships (INTO) to create pathways for international students to succeed at our university.
In recent years, however, there have been significant changes in the international education landscape. Enrollment associated with INTO’s programming at George Mason has consistently been declining, leading to unsustainable financial challenges that necessitate a shift in our partnership with INTO. George Mason and INTO have agreed that the best path forward is to restructure how we work together. In this new model, INTO will continue to provide international recruiting services for George Mason, however, our joint venture, INTO Mason, LLC, will conclude at the end of 2025.
What does that mean for the university? Looking forward, George Mason will establish a new center that will offer English language and culture programs, continuing to support international students who are pursuing these educational offerings. INTO will remain a trusted partner, recruiting international students for direct entry and for our new language center. Current students will complete their programs under the same conditions they started with, and the spring 2026 semester will continue as planned.
We acknowledge that there are still questions about this transition that are unanswered. In the coming days, our team will work with INTO Mason faculty and staff to discuss this transition. And, over the next year we’ll be working to fully design this new model and will share information as decisions are made. As always, transparency is a top priority.
We want to reaffirm George Mason’s deep commitment to our international students. This is not an end, but an evolution of the partnership we’ve had with INTO, and we look forward to moving forward in a way that supports both our students and the people who serve them.
Sincerely,
James Antony
Provost and Executive Vice President
Janette Muir
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs