MS Accounting at GMU Virginia: Fees Dates & Requirements

George Mason University Master of Science in Accounting is a 30-credit graduate degree completed in 11 months full-time on campus in Fairfax, Virginia, for Spring 2027 entry. Indian applicants need an equivalent bachelor’s degree, official transcripts and accounting foundations in Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Financial Accounting and Audit, plus virtual Data Camp when required. For this in-person route, 2026-27 tuition is US$33,600 (INR 32.06 Lakhs). The calculated Spring 2027 planning baseline is up to US$78,773 (INR 75.17 Lakhs).

The curriculum combines five required core courses with five accounting electives covering financial reporting, fraud examination, taxation, accounting analytics and the global accounting environment. It suits applicants seeking applied accounting depth and a compact full-time route, but the 11-month schedule leaves little room to recover from missing prerequisites.

• Students can add certificates in accounting analytics, forensic accounting, government accounting or government contracts.
• Required classes and electives can be taken face-to-face, online or through hybrid delivery, so the academic content can support different schedules.
• Costello career services provides accounting-specific advising, job-search support, interview preparation and salary negotiation guidance.

Also Check: George Mason University Accounting Admission

George Mason M.S. Accounting Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fees are confirmed for 2026-27 at the full-time out-of-state rate used for an Indian applicant on the Fairfax in-person route.

Mason’s annual tuition sheet assumes full-time enrollment, while the programme requires 30 credits across 10 courses, making the listed annual charge the relevant academic estimate.

Online Accounting Degrees and Certificates are listed at US$24,600 (INR 23.48 Lakhs) annually. This article uses the in-person route because the target reader needs an on-campus international study option.

Spring 2027 planning context: The table includes the confirmed tuition and listed ancillary charges for the full-time in-person route, with insurance shown by coverage period.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.4309 as of 14 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

• Tuition plus the mandatory fee totals US$37,656 (INR 35.94 Lakhs), before insurance, living costs and one-time charges.
• The US$500 deposit (INR 47,715) affects early cash flow but is applied toward tuition rather than added to the academic total.
• The two current insurance periods total US$4,032 (INR 3.85 Lakhs), so include coverage in the funding plan even when arranging housing separately.

Cost of Living in Fairfax for M.S. Accounting Students

Mason’s 2026-27 Certificate of Financial Responsibility gives a single graduate living estimate covering room, board, transportation and personal expenses.

It does not publish separate rent, food or transport components in the checked form, so the table keeps the official combined figure intact rather than inventing a Fairfax breakdown.

Unit note: The monthly figure below is calculated by dividing Mason’s annual estimate by 12, while the annual figure is the official estimate.

Using the fee table, official living estimate, published Spring/Summer insurance period and materials ceiling, the calculated Spring 2027 planning baseline is up to US$78,773 (INR 75.17 Lakhs). This baseline excludes any later insurance period that Mason has not yet published for the full 11-month schedule.

The calculation adds US$33,600 (INR 32.06 Lakhs) tuition, US$4,056 (INR 3.87 Lakhs) mandatory fee and US$2,500 (INR 2.39 Lakhs) Spring/Summer insurance. It also includes US$36,982 (INR 35.29 Lakhs) living costs, US$1,500 (INR 1.43 Lakhs) materials and US$135 (INR 12,883) in application and new student fees.

One-time charges are US$75 (INR 7,157) plus US$60 (INR 5,726), while materials are capped at US$1,500 (INR 1.43 Lakhs) for planning purposes.

Check Out: United States Cost of Living

Key insight: Tuition is only part of the budget, so Indian applicants should secure funding for housing, insurance and cash-flow charges before accepting the seat.

George Mason M.S. Accounting Admission 2027

Admission requires an earned baccalaureate or graduate degree from a recognized institution or international equivalent, verified through official transcripts. Mason’s current Accounting admissions page does not publish a minimum GPA, so transcript preparation and accounting coursework are central checks for Indian applicants.

The programme can accept applicants without an undergraduate accounting degree, but the foundation requirement still applies before enrolment can proceed. Compare your transcript with the named subjects before applying because missing preparation can add time and cost.

Academic Eligibility

The accounting foundation includes Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Financial Accounting and Audit, followed by six virtual Data Camp modules when required. Mason’s FAQ specifies two Principles courses, two Intermediate Financial Accounting courses and one Audit course for applicants without the accounting background.

Official transcripts are used to verify the degree and preparation, while unofficial transcripts support initial review. Indian applicants should keep course descriptions available when a transcript title does not clearly match Mason’s named foundation.

English Language Proficiency

English proficiency can be demonstrated through IELTS, TOEFL or the Duolingo English Test at the scores listed by Mason’s current graduate admissions page. A waiver is described for degrees from recognized U.S. institutions or eligible countries, so an Indian degree should not be assumed to qualify.

IELTS requires a 7.0 overall band with at least 6.5 in each subsection, while TOEFL requires 88 overall with at least 20 in every section. Mason currently publishes TOEFL on the 0 to 120 scale and lists institution code 5827 for score reporting.

• Start English preparation early because the IELTS subsection floor can remain unmet even when the overall band reaches 7.0.
• Use the TOEFL route only with Mason’s published 0 to 120 scale and report the result to institution code 5827.
• Ask graduate admissions to confirm any waiver before omitting an English test from an Indian application.

Tip for Indian students: The accounting foundation and English component floors are separate screens, so clear both before paying for document evaluation or beginning visa preparation.

George Mason M.S. Accounting Application 2027

For an Indian applicant seeking Spring 2027 entry, Mason lists 15 September 2026 as the priority and international student deadline. The current page does not publish decision dates, cutoff times or a deadline time zone. No IST conversion is available, so submit a complete file before the portal’s displayed cutoff.

Mason also publishes standard and final stages for Spring, while the Fall schedule is shown with month and day only. Use the international stage first because scholarship consideration and visa processing depend on a complete file rather than an unfinished submission.

Deadline context: The table separates the target Spring 2027 dates from Mason’s recurring Fall schedule, whose year is not printed on the checked page.

Application Components

The application includes a US$75 (INR 7,157) fee and requires the materials below, so a complete file means more than a transcript upload. The current requirements are listed on the Costello graduate admissions page.

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) scores are optional. Mason publishes separate benchmarks by test version, so do not compare the two GMAT scales as though they were identical.

• Submit the Spring 2027 file by 15 September 2026 when scholarship consideration and international processing are priorities.
• Use a version-labelled GMAT or GRE score only when the result meets Mason’s published benchmark and improves the evidence of readiness.
• Allow two to four business days for a submitted application to be processed before assuming the file is complete.

Application tip: The priority date supports funding consideration, but the complete-file rule makes transcript, recommendation and English-test preparation part of the deadline strategy.

George Mason M.S. Accounting Scholarships 2027

Costello reviews M.S. Accounting applicants for scholarships during the application process, but the current page does not publish a Spring 2027 award amount or separate scholarship deadline. The priority application date remains important because Mason connects priority review with scholarship and financial aid consideration.

The two current routes below are relevant to the target applicant profile, while the Deloitte award is shown only as prior-cycle context. Read the current Costello graduate scholarships page before submitting because award terms can change by intake.

Cycle context: Costello and Dean’s awards are current published routes without a target-cycle amount, while the Deloitte details belong to Fall 2026 and cannot fund-plan Spring 2027 entry.

• Submit by the 15 September 2026 Spring priority deadline when scholarship consideration is part of the funding plan.
• Do not convert an unpublished award into a tuition discount, so budget the full confirmed academic cost until Mason states the award in writing.
• Treat assistantships available after admission as a later possibility rather than as proof of pre-arrival funding.

Because the current Costello page does not state award amounts for the two relevant routes, the financial plan should work without scholarship relief. A written award offer is the point at which an applicant can revise the borrowing or deposit decision.

Read More: United States Scholarships

Scholarship reality: Mason offers automatic review routes, but unpublished values make the full Spring 2027 cost the safe planning baseline until an award letter confirms otherwise.

George Mason M.S. Accounting Salary 2027

Mason does not publish a course-cohort salary, offer rate or employment percentage on the current M.S. Accounting page. That absence means a course-specific payback period cannot be verified from official graduate outcomes.

The programme page names graduate destinations and provides accounting-specific career support, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics supplies broader occupational benchmarks. Those sources show market context and reported destinations, not a typical Mason graduate salary or placement probability.

The available salary figures below are external job-market benchmarks for accountants and auditors. They are labelled by geography and wage measure because neither figure represents the M.S. Accounting cohort.

Source: BLS accountant and auditor profile and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria wage data.

The calculated Spring 2027 planning baseline is up to US$78,773 (INR 75.17 Lakhs) before loan interest, any later insurance period and spending beyond Mason’s official living estimate. The financial decision therefore depends on funding, verified employment evidence and the work-authorisation window rather than on a single market statistic.

• Because Mason does not publish course-cohort employment or salary data, ask for current outcome evidence before borrowing against a projected payback.
• The BLS national median of US$81,680 (INR 77.95 Lakhs) covers all experience levels, so use it as market context and compare actual written offers.
• The Washington metro mean of US$113,640 (INR 1.08 Crore) reflects a full occupation and location, so use it to test geography assumptions rather than forecast graduate pay.
• The STEM designation can support up to 36 months of practical training for eligible graduates, which extends work-authorisation time but does not remove employer or visa risk.
• Reported employer destinations show access to named organisations, so build both a United States job-search plan and an India-return plan.

Career services can improve application quality and interview readiness, but Mason’s reported destinations do not establish a typical outcome for this course. Ask for the latest cohort evidence before treating a named employer as a likely destination.

Gross salary does not equal take-home pay because taxes, benefits, filing status and location affect net income. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator after a written offer rather than using a benchmark to set repayment capacity.

Read More: United States Post-Study Work Options

ROI reality: The programme has a STEM work-authorisation advantage and named destinations, but the missing course-cohort outcomes make funding and written-offer evidence the decisive financial checks.

United States Visa for Mason M.S. Accounting Students 2027

Indian applicants in the in-person route normally use an F-1 (full-time student) visa. Mason verifies funding and issues Form I-20, the school document used for study eligibility. The current visa application fee is US$185 (INR 17,655), while the I-901 SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee is US$350 (INR 33,401).

SEVIS records the student’s status and connects the school, visa and immigration process. Mason identifies this degree as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) designated, so eligible graduates may use standard OPT followed by a STEM extension.

Permanent residence has no fixed course-linked timeline because employment category, sponsorship and visa availability control it. The visa pathway therefore adds a work opportunity without creating a guaranteed job or settlement outcome.

• OPT (Optional Practical Training) can provide up to 12 months of work authorization related to the major after completion.
• Eligible STEM graduates may seek a 24-month extension, creating a possible 36-month work-authorisation window subject to timely filings and employer conditions.
• H-1B sponsorship has no single course-specific salary threshold because the employer must meet the higher actual-wage or prevailing-wage rule and selection requirements.
• F-2 status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but F-2 dependants are not employment-authorized.

Funding implication: Treat the 36-month window as a planning opportunity rather than a job guarantee, and retain funds for the programme if sponsorship does not materialise.

Check Out: United States Student Visa

Visa reality: The STEM designation can extend eligible work authorization to 36 months, but Indian applicants still need funding, timely filings and an employer pathway that supports the next status.

George Mason M.S. Accounting Ranking 2027

The current programme page reports a programme-specific U.S. News & World Report ranking for online accounting master’s programmes. Its online scope matters because the target option in this article is the Fairfax in-person route.

The ranking can inform academic visibility, but it does not measure Mason’s in-person employment outcomes, visa success or the cost of the Spring 2027 study plan. Use the scope beside the position when deciding whether online or campus delivery fits the intended experience.

For Indian applicants: The #22 position is relevant to the online programme scope. The in-person decision still turns on campus delivery, the 11-month schedule, confirmed cost and work-authorisation planning.

Honest take: The published #22 online accounting position is a useful programme signal. It should not be read as a Fairfax placement result or a substitute for course-specific outcomes.