Admissions and Financial Aid

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Undergraduate Admissions

The University accepts applications from qualified applicants from all cultural, racial, religious, and ethnic groups. Admissions standards are designed to identify students whose academic backgrounds indicate they are capable of successfully completing work at Georgia Southern University. (See Equal Opportunity Policy )

Applications for admission may be submitted online at GeorgiaSouthern.edu/admissions. Applications must be submitted prior to the application deadline.

Normally, all applicants who have applied or updated their applications prior to the application deadline for a specific term will be considered for admission. However, the University reserves the right to stop accepting applications at any time. Therefore, students are encouraged to apply or update well in advance of the application deadline.

The University reserves the right to examine any applicant by the use of psychological, achievement, and aptitude tests. Each applicant must give evidence of good moral character, promise for growth and development, seriousness of purpose, and a sense of social responsibility.

The University reserves the right to require additional biographical data and/or an interview before the applicant is accepted or denied admission. If an interview is required, the applicant will be notified.

The final decision of acceptance or denial will be made by the Director of Admissions subject to the applicant’s right to appeal as provided in the policies of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

An applicant who chooses not to enroll for the semester accepted must notify the Office of Admissions to update the term of application.

Acceptance may be deferred until additional information is received. An applicant who updates their intended term of entry must meet admissions requirements for the new term. Applications remain on file and are eligible for update for two years.

Beginning Freshmen

An applicant will be considered for admission upon compliance with the following requirements and conditions¹:

1. Graduation from an approved secondary school;
2. Satisfactory completion of the Required High School Curriculum, which should include the following units. Additional information regarding courses used to satisfy these requirements can be found on the Office of Admissions freshmen requirements website or in the Board of Regents Academic Student Affairs Handbook, section 3.1.1.1.

   4	Mathematics
   4	English
   4	Science
   3	Social Science
   2	Foreign Language

3. Submission of satisfactory scores on the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or America College Test (ACT) that meet the University System of Georgia minimum requirements for comprehensive universities. SAT minimums are: 480 Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and 440 Math on redesigned exam; ACT minimums are 17 English or Reading and 17 Math;
4. U.S. citizens or resident aliens for whom English is not the native language may be required to take the English Language Placement Exam upon arrival. Resident aliens must submit a copy of their green card;
5. Submission of an official high school transcript and a record of good conduct. Major or continued difficulty with the school or civil authorities may make an applicant ineligible regardless of academic qualifications.

Applicants are usually admitted prior to high school graduation, once they have completed their junior year of high school, and have submitted an official high school transcript. The transcript should include a satisfactory grade point average and a full listing of senior year courses yet to be completed. Satisfactory SAT or ACT scores must be requested from the testing agency and sent directly to the Office of Admissions by that testing agency.

Please note: Students applying to secondary admit programs must meet general admission requirements, as well as meet specific program requirements. An additional application to the program of choice is required. Admission to Georgia Southern University does not guarantee acceptance into secondary admit programs.

(GED holders - See Adult Student criteria)

¹ All requirements are subject to change. Please contact the Office of Admissions at (912) 478-5391 or at admissions.georgiasouthern.edu/ for current admission requirements.

Credit by Examination

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AICE, and CLEP

Academic credit can be awarded, per approval by the Deans at Georgia Southern University, for appropriate courses in the curriculum for successful completion of college-level curricula and standardized examinations offered by nationally recognized organizations, such as Advanced Placement Program (AP), the International Baccalaureate Program (IB), the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and DANTES Subject Standardized Test Program (DSST). SACSCOC Principle 9.4 states, “At least 25 percent of the credit hours required for an undergraduate degree are earned through instruction offered by the institution awarding the degree.” Beyond this requirement, there is no limit on the amount of semester credit hours that can be awarded for credit by exam. Approved academic credit listings will be maintained by the Office of Admissions and can be found on their website at admissions.georgiasouthern.edu/future/ap-ib-clep.

A student may opt not to accept credits. If a student believes that the assessment of their work from standardized examination and subsequent awarding of credits is in error, the student may file an appeal with the appropriate academic department office and request a re-assessment. As with other academic matters, if the issue is not satisfactorily resolved at the department level, the student may then appeal to the dean of the respective college, with a final appeal to the vice president for academic affairs, whose decision in the matter will be final.

Dual Enrollment at Georgia Southern

Dual Enrollment courses are primarily available for eligible 11th or 12th grade (in some limited cases 9th-10th grade) high school students who are sixteen years or older. Students may enroll full-time or part-time in approved credit-bearing college-level courses. The Dual Enrollment program is available to 11th and 12th grade students at public and private high schools in the state of Georgia, or students who attend an eligible home study program. There is no residency or citizenship requirement to participate in the Dual Enrollment program.

Approved courses for dual enrollment are listed in the Approved Course Directory. Approved classes may include degree level or non-degree level courses in the five main academic areas (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language), as well as electives.

The Dual Enrollment program covers 100% of tuition for approved courses, all mandatory, non-course related fees, and textbooks for approved courses. Students may incur expenses for course-related fees and supplies required for a particular course, or optional fees such as parking, housing, and dining. Dual Enrollment is available during fall, spring, and summer semesters.

Students must apply by submitting an application for admission to Georgia Southern (no application fee required), high school transcript, and SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER scores. The Georgia Department of Education (DOE) has produced and provided to the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) a directory of eligible public high school courses that can be substituted with college level coursework and applied toward high school graduation requirements for dual credit students. Georgia Student Finance Commission contact information - (770) 724-9000 or https://gsfc.georgia.gov/.

Questions regarding this program should be directed to the student’s high school counselor or the Office of Admissions. Students should confer with their high school counselor to determine which courses are necessary for satisfying high school graduation requirements. Placement in these courses cannot be guaranteed.

Dual Enrollment is a state-funded program for high school (public, private, and approved home-study) students that provides dual enrollment tuition assistance in Georgia. The program offers the opportunity to earn dual credit, satisfying high school and college Required High School Curriculum.

Note: All Dual Enrollment state policies are subject to change at any time per the State of Georgia Legislature and Georgia Student Finance Commission.

Admission Requirements for Dual Enrollment

To be admitted to the Dual Enrollment Program at Georgia Southern University, the student must satisfy the following¹:

1. Earn an academic grade point average of at least a 3.0 (85 on numeric scale) as recalculated by the Office of Admissions;
2. Submit SAT scores of at least 1050 total (Evidence-Based Reading & Writing + Math on redesigned exam) or ACT scores of at least 20 Composite or ACCUPLACER² scores of at least 237 Reading, 258 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, Statistics and 4 WritePlacer;
3. Meet all other regular (non-provisional) admission requirements.

Students who participate in Dual Enrollment during high school with a college or university other than Georgia Southern University must meet the University System of Georgia’s dual enrollment requirements before credit will be awarded in transfer to Georgia Southern.

Dual Enrollment students will only receive letter grades from Georgia Southern University. Numeric grades are not provided to the high schools.

¹ Admission requirements are subject to change.

² ACCUPLACER scores cannot be used for freshmen admission.

International Student Admission

Georgia Southern subscribes to the principles of international education and to the concept that education and diversity can promote respect, appreciation, understanding, and tolerance of other cultures.

International students, permanent residents, and naturalized citizens graduating from U.S. high schools must meet requirements and conditions set forth under the heading of “Beginning Freshmen” in the Admissions section of this catalog. This includes completion of college preparatory subjects, submission of satisfactory scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT), and satisfactory grade point average. Students transferring from U.S. colleges or universities must meet the same requirements set forth in the “Transfer Admission” section of this catalog.

Applicants graduating or transferring from schools outside the United States will be considered for admission upon compliance with the following requirements:

1. Transfer students may be required to submit an evaluation of international transcripts completed by a professional evaluation agency.
2. Submission of original or official secondary school and higher education records including exam results, certificates, degrees, diplomas, and/or transcripts in the native language. The grade point average must be above average in academic work.
3. Submission of all educational documents translated into English; must be official translations.
4. Non-native English speakers must submit satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). International students whose native language is not English, but whose secondary instruction was exclusively in English, must submit Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT scores) or American College Test (ACT) scores. Native speakers of English will be required to submit satisfactory scores on the SAT or ACT.
5. Applicants who require an F-1 student visa must submit a SEVIS Data Form and official documentation from a financial institution showing a minimum of one year’s educational and living expenses. The University assumes no financial responsibility for the student. Without this financial evidence, the University cannot issue the required I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status. Continuation of enrollment into a new program of study, such as a master’s degree, requires additional financial documentation.
6. If the student is in the United States or has a U.S. visa, they must submit a copy of the visa, I-94, and passport information.

Students in F-1 visa status are responsible for making sure they comply with all laws regulating their visa status. To assist students with maintaining their visa status, a summary of the visa laws are sent with the I-20 and are provided at the International Orientation session after arrival on campus. In addition, handouts are available in the Office of International Student Admissions and Programs. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of International Student Admissions and Programs for information and assistance at (912) 478-0154 or on the web at http:// GeorgiaSouthern.edu/international.

Two basic aspects of maintaining status involve employment and full-time enrollment. F1-visa law allows students to work on campus for a maximum of 20 hours a week. During summer semesters (if not enrolled) and official breaks, students are permitted to work on campus full-time. Off-campus work is NOT permitted without specific authorization from Georgia Southern’s Office of International Student Admissions and Programs and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. F-1 visa law requires students to carry a FULL course of study during fall and spring semesters. Summer semesters are recognized as vacation terms and enrollment is not required. For international students in F-1 status, no more than one online class per semester may be counted toward the full course of study requirement.

Full-time enrollment is as follows:

12 credit hours per semester = Undergraduate

Georgia Southern will only admit students who are academically qualified.

The University System of Georgia requires all international students to have adequate health insurance. A mandatory insurance plan is available through United Healthcare. The current cost is approximately $2,500 per year for undergraduate students and is paid in two installments. The August premium (payment) covers fall semester and the January premium covers spring and summer semesters.  Insurance is also available for dependents. Additional information on the international health insurance plan can be obtained directly from United Healthcare Student Resources.

Post-Baccalaureate Admission

Applicants who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution are expected to meet general admission requirements established for enrollment in undergraduate programs.

In addition to the application for admission and application fee, applicants are required to submit an official transcript from the institution in which they received their undergraduate degree. If the applicant is seeking an additional degree, official transcripts from all previous institutions will be required.

Individuals enrolled as post-baccalaureate students are eligible to take undergraduate level courses only.

Proficiency Exams

Georgia Southern offers undergraduate students an opportunity to obtain credit by a local proficiency examination. The procedure is as follows:

1. To access the Proficiency Examination form, please visit the Forms for Students page on the Office of the Registrar website and find the form under “Online Forms”. You will need to complete the information on the form and click ‘Submit’ (you will need to submit one form for each course that you are requesting proficiency credit for).
2. Undergraduate student eligibility must be determined by the Office of the Registrar. Once you have submitted the form, it will be routed to the Office of the Registrar for review.
3. If the form is approved by the Office of the Registrar, the form is routed to the department head of the subject area for approval and examination information.
4. The student and the examiner will decide the date and time of the examination.
5. If your proficiency request is approved by both offices, you will receive an email requesting that you pay a test fee of $15 (one test fee for each course requested) on Georgia Southern Marketplace. Once the test fee is paid, please attach the receipt of payment to the form noted in the email.
6. Once the student has complete the examination, the examiner will enter the results on the electronic form.
7. Credit obtained by the proficiency examination will be considered as transfer credit.
8. The proficiency exam score must be at least a “C” to award credit by exam. The Office of the Registrar will enter a grade of “KT” on the student’s academic record showing credit hours were earned by proficiency examination.

Readmission Policy

The following students must fill out an undergraduate former student application (FSA):

1. Students who do not attend the University for one calendar year.
2. Students whose most recent academic standing was suspension.
3. Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from Georgia Southern who wish to enroll in additional undergraduate courses.
4. Students who wish to return as a transient student to Georgia Southern.

For more information, visit https://admissions.georgiasouthern.edu/requirements/former-georgia-southern-student/.

Note: Students who are not required to file an application for readmission who have attended another institution while away from Georgia Southern should contact that school and have an official transcript sent to the Georgia Southern Office of Admissions.

The transcript must indicate that the student is in good academic standing at the last school attended. Failure to submit this transcript by the midpoint of the first semester after returning to Georgia Southern University will prevent registration for future terms.

Required High School Curriculum

The following required high school curriculum (RHSC) is required of students who plan to enroll in regular college programs leading to the baccalaureate degree in institutions of the University System of Georgia:

• Mathematics: Four units of mathematics to include:
  • One unit of Coordinate Algebra or Algebra I or the equivalent;
  • One unit of Analytic Geometry or Geometry or the equivalent;
  • One unit of Advanced Algebra or Algebra II or the equivalent; and,
  • One additional approved fourth mathematics unit.
  • Georgia Southern does not accept Mathematics Support or Mathematics of Finance.
• English: Four units of English which have as their emphasis grammar and usage, literature (American, English, World), and advanced composition skills.
• Science: Four units of science with at least one laboratory course from the life sciences and one laboratory course from the physical sciences. The four units shall include the following for Georgia Public high school graduates:
  • One unit of Biology I or the equivalent;
  • One unit of Physical Science or Physics or the equivalent;
  • One unit of Chemistry, Earth Systems, Environmental Science, or an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate science course or the equivalent; and,
  • One additional approved science unit.
• Social Science: Three units of social science, with at least one unit focusing on United States studies and one unit focusing on world studies.
• Foreign Language: Two units of the same foreign language emphasizing speaking, listening and writing, or 2 units of American Sign Language, or 2 units of computer science emphasizing coding and programming.

The Board of Regents provides a listing of specific qualifying college preparatory and academic courses in the Student Affairs Handbook, Section 3.1.1.1. It is available online in the USG Academic Affairs Handbook. The Office of Student Affairs for the University System of Georgia maintains a complete list of courses that can be used to satisfy the RHSC requirements in the Staying on Course document that can also be found online in the USG Academic Affairs Handbook.

Students who have completed the Required High School Curriculum and who meet all other admission requirements will be considered for admission to Georgia Southern University as regularly admitted students.

Special Admission for Adult and Non-Traditional Students

Adult and non-traditional students are those who have been out of high school for at least five years or whose high school class graduated at least five years ago.

Applicants applying for admission as an adult or non-traditional student must meet the following requirements:

Adult Non-Traditional Freshmen

1. Have been out of high school at least five years or high school class graduated at least five years ago.
2. Hold a high school diploma from an accredited or approved high school as specified in the Board of Regents policy section 4.2.1.8 or have satisfactorily completed the GED, HiSET, or TASC.
3. Have earned between zero (0) and 29 transferable semester credit hours.
4. Have a 2.0 or higher on all attempted college work.

Upon admission, students may be required to take the ACCUPLACER placement test prior to enrollment.

Adult Non-Traditional Transfers

1. Have been out of high school at least five years or high school class graduated at least five years ago.
2. Hold a high school diploma from an accredited or approved high school as specified in the Board of Regents policy section 4.2.1.8 or have satisfactorily completed the GED, HiSET, or TASC.
3. Have earned 30+ transferable semester credit hours.
4. Have a 2.0 or higher on all attempted college work.

Additional information can be found at admissions.georgiasouthern.edu/non-traditional-students/.

Special Admission for Students Age 62 and Older

Georgia citizens who are 62 years of age or older have the option, as granted by Amendment 23 of the Georgia Constitution, of enrolling in the University without the payment of tuition and fees subject to the following conditions:

• Must be a legal resident of Georgia;
• Must be 62 years of age or older and present proof of age before registration;
• Must enroll as a regular student to audit or take courses offered for resident credit;
• Must pay for books, supplies, laboratory and/or miscellaneous fees.

An eligible student may petition for the Senior Citizen Fee Waiver by visiting the below website: https://em.georgiasouthern.edu/registrar/students/petitionforinstatetuitionfeewaivers/

Individuals who do not qualify as mature/non-traditional students (see section on “Special Admission for Adult & Non-Traditional Students”) must also satisfy the following:

• Must meet all Georgia Southern and University System of Georgia admission requirements including high school graduation, SAT or ACT scores, and participation in Learning Support if required;
• If the applicant has previously attended another college or university, they must satisfy transfer admission requirements;
• If a course of study is pursued to degree, all institutional, system, and state-legislated degree requirements must be met (see Graduation Requirements ) in the Academic Resources Section).

Transfer Admission

Transfer admission policies are subject to change. Interested applicants should contact the Office of Admissions. Additional information can be found at GeorgiaSouthern.edu/transfer.

Regular Transfer Admission

To be considered for regular transfer admission, students should:

1. Have earned a minimum 30 transferable semester hours (45 quarter hours) from regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s)
2. Hold a cumulative college GPA 2.0+ (On all transferable work attempted)
3. Be eligible to return to their current school

Conditional Transfer Admissions

To be considered for conditional transfer admission, students should:

1. Have earned at least 15 transferable semester hours (22.5 quarter hours) from regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s)
2. Hold a cumulative college GPA 2.0+ (On all transferable work attempted)
3. Prove with a course schedule that they are on track to have at least 30 transferable semester hours (45 quarter hours) completed from regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s) by the time they enter Georgia Southern.
4. Be eligible to return to their current school

Freshmen Transfer Admissions

To be eligible for freshman transfer admission, students should:

1. Have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester hours (45 quarter hours) from regionally accredited post-secondary institution(s)
2. Meet regular freshmen admission criteria (SAT/ACT*, High School GPA and Required High School Curriculum)
3. Hold a cumulative college GPA 2.0+ (On all transferable work attempted)
4. Be eligible to return to their current school

*SAT/ACT scores taken after a student has been enrolled in college level credit in a college/university (after high school graduation) cannot be used for admission consideration. Old SAT scores will be converted to Redesigned SAT scores for consideration. SAT scores are only valid for five years after the test date.
 

Students are required to send official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions where they have attempted work. All transcripts must be received before an admissions file will be reviewed.

Transfer and spring/fall transient students who have taken remedial, learning support, and/or required high school curriculum make-up courses in college must:

1. Exit those courses successfully
2. Earn credit for Area A equivalent courses that correspond to the mandated remedial/learning support courses with a “C” or higher
3. Accumulate 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours beyond those courses

Remedial and learning support courses do not count towards transfer hours or the transfer GPA.

Transfer Credit/Military Credit

Accepted applicants who have attended any college or university may be granted advanced standing according to the following policies:

1. Transfer credit may be accepted from degree-granting institutions that are fully accredited at the collegiate level by their appropriate regional accrediting agency. The regional accrediting agencies are: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Colleges and Schools. Provisions may be considered when an institution appeals the policy. However, should the quality of the educational program of the institution attended appear to be mediocre or unsatisfactory, the Director of Admissions has the prerogative not to accept all or any part of previously earned credits.
2. The amount of academic credit accepted in transfer may not exceed the normal amount of credit that could have been earned at Georgia Southern University during that time.
3. All degree requirements for a transferable academic associate’s degree must be completed at a transferable regionally-accredited institution. Georgia Southern will not accept credit in transfer from any non-accredited college.
4. Credit will be allowed for completed college courses which are parallel in nature. Below college level (remedial or learning support) courses cannot be accepted in transfer.
5. The Academic Unit responsible for the course will make judgments concerning satisfying requirements for areas A1-E of the Core Curriculum.
6. Transfer students who have a transferable academic associate’s degree are granted core curriculum credit as follows:
   1. A University System of Georgia transfer will get credit for completion of core areas A1-F, provided they have not changed their intended major from the transferring school. A student who changes majors will have to complete Area F at Georgia Southern University (Academic Affairs Handbook, University System of Georgia, 2.04.04).
   2. Students who do not hold an associates degree from a USG institution will be granted transfer credit for core courses on a course-by-course basis.
7. Credits accepted in transfer by Georgia Southern University may not necessarily apply as credit hours toward graduation. Final determination will be made by the appropriate Department and College.
8. Transfers who have earned 30 or more credit hours are exempt from First-Year Seminar (FYE 1220 ). Transfer students with fewer than 30 credit hours may seek a waiver of the First-Year Seminar (FYE 1220 ) requirement through their academic advisors if they meet either of the following criteria:
   1. they were full-time college students for two semesters at a previous institution; or
   2. they earned credit hours for a two or three hour FYE course at a previous institution that has similar learning outcomes to First-Year Seminar (FYE 1220 ).

Credit Awarded by Military Service

SACSCOC Principle 9.4 states, “At least 25 percent of the credit hours required for an undergraduate degree are earned through instruction offered by the institution awarding the degree.” Beyond this requirement, there is no limit on the amount of semester credit hours that can be awarded for military service/experience. Joint Service Transcript (JST), DD-214, or transcripts from the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS), Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), Coast Guard Institute (CGI), and other appropriate transcripts will be reviewed for possible credit based on recommendations by the American Council on Education (ACE) and course approvals by the Deans at Georgia Southern University.

Transient Admission

Subject to the availability of faculty, space, and facilities, a regular undergraduate student in good standing at another accredited institution may be permitted to enroll one semester at Georgia Southern University in order to complete work to be transferred back to the parent institution. The transient applicant should:

1. Submit the undergraduate application and application fee.
2. Present a transient permission form or letter of good standing from the home institution. The letter must indicate that the student has permission to enroll at Georgia Southern University for the term in which the student is applying.

Graduate Admissions and Aid

The College of Graduate Studies invites applications from qualified applicants from all cultural, racial, religious and ethnic groups. Admissions standards are designed to identify students whose academic backgrounds indicate they are capable of successfully completing graduate study at Georgia Southern University. (See Equal Opportunity Policy )

Applications for admission may be submitted online at http://cogs.georgiasouthern.edu/admission. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted prior to the application deadline.

Normally, all applicants who have applied by the application deadline for a specific semester will be considered for admission. However, the University reserves the right to stop accepting applications at any time. Therefore, students are encouraged to apply well in advance of the application deadline. Not all graduate programs have the same application deadlines and some programs do not admit students every semester.

The College of Graduate Studies reserves the right to require additional indicators demonstrating the applicant’s ability to successfully complete graduate study prior to rendering an admission decision.

• Admission Requirements  
• Graduate Assistantships  
• Graduate Full-Time Status Exception  
• How to Apply  
• International Students  
• Other Outside Sources of Financial Aid  
• Transfer Credit  
• Graduate Student Organization