Fairfax

Welcome to Fairfax!

Everything you need to be prepared to live and study in Fairfax.

On-Campus Housing

There are different types of rooms:(singles/doubles/triples/quads/ apartments).

There are three neighborhoods: Shenandoah, Rappahannock, Aquia. You will have a choice between traditional style (floor shares a bathroom: each gender has one) or suite style (2-4 rooms share a private bathroom).

The Global Center is the housing location for international students although it is not mandatory

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Transportation

George Mason provides access to two types of public transportation: The Mason Shuttle and the CUE Bus.

The Mason Shuttle is a private GMU shuttle that takes students around campus, town, and to the other campuses.

The CUE bus is Fairfax city's bus system that GMU students can use for free with their Mason ID. This bus will take you to locations around the city of Fairfax

George Mason offers parking passes to students who have their own cars and wish to park on campus.

Traffic Hours on Route 123: 6:00 A.M.-8:00 A.M. (going to Fairfax), 4:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. (leaving Fairfax)

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Dining

There are 3 dining halls on campus students have access to with a meal plan: Ikes, Southside, and the Globe.

Meal Plans:

Independence Plans: Unlimited access to dining halls and one swipe per hour in Simply-to-Go.

Liberty Plans: Weekly number of dining hall swipes.

Patriot Plans: Purchase a fixed number of meals to be used at dining halls.

Freedom Plans: Dollar-for-dollar purchasing power in most locations on all three campuses.

There are many other restaurants on campus as well such as: Chipotle, Blaze Pizza, Panera, Subway, Panda Express, Wing Zone, Starbucks, Einstein Bagels, Chick-fil-a, and more.

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Off-Campus Housing

When researching check for options that partner with GMU.

https://och.gmu.edu/ is a great resource for off campus housing research

Things to consider: Rent in Fairfax is expensive. Groups can split the rent and live together. On-campus will be the most affordable housing in the area.

Be aware of the commute to and from. Fairfax has heavy traffic in the morning and evening that can cause hours of delay. Ensure that you have enough time to park and walk to class.
The student contemporary services is designed for off-campus students to ensure they have resources and access to campus events.

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Cell Phone

It is relatively easy to get a phone plan in the US although it may be expensive. Cheaper options such as pre-paid sim cards which can be found on amazon or in stores such as: T-mobile, walmart, verizon, etc.

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Money/Bank Account

Unlike Korea when you purchase things in the United States there will be taxes. Be prepared to pay a dollar or more than the listed price.
At restaurants you are expected to tip at least 20%.
Fairfax is pretty expensive compared to Korea and other cities, make sure you have a solid budget.
Citibank is a bank that operates in Korea and Fairfax. There are other banks in Fairfax such as BB&T and Wells Fargo.

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Amazon Prime Account

Students should register for a student Amazon Prime account to purchase things at a cheaper price.
Amazon prime usually arrives within two days after ordering. Students will have a mailbox to receive all mail.
It is recommended that students get as much as they can from Amazon.
Amazon offers a student Prime membership for $6.49 a month. Students receive a 6 month free trial.
With Amazon prime students can use Prime TV, Prime Music, Prime Storage and recieve special discounts

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