I. Scope
This policy defines a student’s location for purposes specific to state authorization and professional licensure program disclosures and describes requirements regarding state authorization and professional licensure program disclosures. It applies to all professional licensure programs, regardless of modality.
II. Policy Statement
George Mason University will comply with federal regulations for professional licensure or certification program disclosures. To meet these requirements:
A. For each professional licensure program, George Mason will publish a list of all states and U.S. territories in which the university’s program meets that state’s/territory’s educational requirements for licensure (https://provost.gmu.edu/academics/accreditation/professional-licensure-and-certification).
B. A student wishing to enroll in a professional licensure program at George Mason, but whose location at the time of initial enrollment is a state in which the program does not meet that state’s educational requirements for licensure, cannot be enrolled in that program, except in cases where the student attests that they intend to seek licensure and employment in a state in which George Mason’s program meets the state’s educational requirements for licensure.
C. Students wishing to enroll in one of George Mason’s professional licensure programs and who attest that they intend to seek employment in a state in which the program does not meet that state’s applicable educational requirements for licensure cannot be enrolled in that professional licensure program.
D. George Mason will provide direct, written notice, prior to a student’s enrollment in a professional licensure program if the program in question does not meet the educational requirements for licensure in the student’s state prior to initial enrollment.
E. For each of its professional licensure programs, George Mason will provide direct, written notice regarding changes in determinations relating to whether the program meets a state’s educational requirements for licensure, within 14 calendar days of making such a determination, to students from that state who are currently enrolled in that professional licensure program.
F. For each state identified as a student’s location at initial enrollment and from which a student is enrolled, George Mason will comply with all state laws related to closure, including record retention, teach-out plans, and tuition recovery funds or surety bonds.
III. Definitions
Direct disclosures: Emails, notices provided in online application or enrollment forms that require student acknowledgement, and/or other forms of direct written communication to students constitute direct disclosures.
Distance education: See University Policy 3014: Distance Education for the university’s definition of distance education.
Distance education student: For purposes of this policy and consistent with the May 18, 2023, Dear Colleague Letter, a distance education student is a student who enrolls in at least one course offered through distance education.
Enrollment: The time or point of enrollment is the first day of classes of a given semester/term.
General disclosures: A published list of all states in which the university’s professional licensure programs meet or do not meet the applicable educational requirements for licensure in the states.
Initial Enrollment: The time or point of initial enrollment is the first day of classes of the first semester in which a student enrolls in a degree or certificate program.
Professional licensure program: A professional licensure or certification program is “an educational program [that] is designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation, or is advertised as meeting such requirements,” as defined in 34 C.F.R. 668.43(a)(5)(v).
Prospective student: A person who has submitted an application for admission to a degree program at George Mason University.
State Authorization: Approval or authorization for an institution to offer certain distance education programs and activities in a given State or U.S. territory.
Student: Any person registered for at least one (1) credit at George Mason University.
Student location at initial enrollment: For purposes of this policy, a student’s location at initial enrollment:
- for a distance education student is the state identified by the student during the application process as the U.S. state/territory or other international location in which they anticipate being located on their first day of classes, and
- for all other students (who are therefore enrolled in on-campus programs and are enrolled in no online courses during their first semester) is the U.S. state/territory or other international location in which the student’s classes are physically offered on the first day of classes.
IV. Compliance
A. Students must provide or confirm their current location at the beginning of each term.
B. For each professional licensure program offered at George Mason, deans’ offices for each academic unit (college/school) in which one or more such programs are located must research the educational requirements for licensure in each state and U.S. territory and provide to the Office of the Provost’s Director of Accreditation lists of all states for which:
a. George Mason’s licensure program meets that state’s educational requirements for licensure/certification; and
b. George Mason’s licensure program does not meet that state’s educational requirements for licensure/certification.
c. For states/territories where determinations cannot be made, the program shall be identified as not meeting the educational requirements for licensure in that state/territory.
C. Updates to education requirements will be researched and reported by the dean’s offices to the Office of the Provost’s Director of Accreditation by April 1 annually.
a. At any time, should a new determination be made that a licensure program no longer meets the educational requirements for licensure in a state in which the program is currently reported by George Mason as meeting those requirements, deans’ offices must immediately notify the Director of Accreditation and must send direct disclosures to affected students within 14 calendar days of making such a determination.
b. Upon receipt of such notification, the Director of Accreditation shall update relevant general disclosures on the general disclosures website.
D. Emails and/or other forms of direct written communication to students constitute direct disclosures.
V. Timetable for Review
This policy, and any related procedures, shall be reviewed triennially and as needed.
VI. Amendments
Amendments will be approved by the Provost and Executive Vice President.
VII. Dates
Approved and Effective: March 2, 2026.
Page last updated: March 2, 2026