1115 General Admission Policy

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Georgia State University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, gender, disability, national origin or immigration status. Admission is based on a number of factors, depending upon level of entry and previous educational experience. Admission and placement decisions are made by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions using criteria approved by the University Senate and developed in accordance with policies of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Admission decisions are based on factors such as, but not limited to, an applicant’s academic record, test scores, optional essay and letter of recommendation, circumstances, good conduct and character. Georgia State guarantees admission to all qualified applicants by Board of Regents standards.

Applications received after the deadline for the term of application or received without a designated term will be processed for the next available term. The application fee is non-refundable. Completed applications submitted to the university are valid for 3 terms (the next available term plus the 2 consecutive terms that follow). To be considered during the second or third consecutive term after submitting an application, applicants need only submit a reactivation form, together with any required credentials, by the application deadline date for that particular term. An offer of admission by the university is valid only for the term specified by the university at the time of acceptance and does not constitute approval for any term not so specified.

Applicants with a criminal and/or disciplinary history who are determined to be otherwise admissible for a respective term based on their academic record and other credentials are required to complete a disciplinary/criminal review process before an admission decision is made by the university. Instructions for completing that review process are communicated to the applicant after the university has determined that the applicant is otherwise admissible for that term.

Absent extenuating circumstances, good disciplinary standing at previously attended high schools, colleges and universities is a condition of admission for all applicants. For purposes of admission, good disciplinary standing means that the applicant has no pending disciplinary charges, outstanding disciplinary sanctions or disciplinary issues that would prevent the applicant from re-enrolling at the previously attended institution.

Omissions or misrepresentations on an application for admission are grounds for automatically invalidating consideration by, acceptance to and continuation at Georgia State. Applicants have a duty to update their application with Georgia State when information changes after application submission.

All materials submitted as part of an application for admission become and remain the property of the university and will not be returned to the applicant, duplicated, or transferred to another institution.

*Applicants are required to answer the following background questions on the Georgia State University admissions application:

1. Are you ineligible to enroll at any previously attended institution?

2. Are you currently on or have you even been placed on academic probation, suspension, exclusion or any other type of academic warning at any previously attended institution?

3. Are you currently charged with, or have been found guilty of, any violation of academic honesty, honor code, or conduct regulations of a previously attended institution?

4. Have you left a previous institution while there were pending charges of any violation of academic honest, honor code, or conduct regulation?

5. Have you been found guilty of any violation of a federal, state, or municipal law, regulation or ordinance (other than for minor traffic violations, or convictions subsequently discharged, expunged, or otherwise ordered by the court to be removed from the applicant’s criminal record, including offenses for which any type of first offender status was offered but subsequently revoked for failure to successfully complete program requirements)?

6. Have you ever entered a plea of guilty, no contest, nolo contendere, an Alford plea, or otherwise accepted responsibility for the commission of a crime?

7. Have you received any type of discharge from military service other than an honorable discharge?

Any changes in a student’s record prior to enrollment will necessitate a new review of the application. Any omissions or misrepresentations on a student’s application for admission will automatically invalidate consideration by, acceptance to and continuation at Georgia State.

All credentials submitted with the application for admission become and remain the property of the university and will not be returned to the student, duplicated, or transferred to another institution.

Admission to Perimeter College or re-entry approval does not imply admission to a specific pathway or professional program.

• Prospective applicants who are interested in Dental Hygiene or Nursing should contact that department for information on additional departmental application procedures, requirements, and deadlines.

Admission to Georgia State University’s downtown campus or re-entry approval does not imply admission to a specific major or professional program.

• Students who wish to take 3000 or 4000 level teacher education courses (designated by a “TE” in the course description) or who wish to enter one of the teacher education programs must be approved by the College of Education or the College of Arts and Sciences, depending on the student’s teaching field major (see 1600 Educator Preparation ).
• Prospective applicants who are interested in the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions and have completed preparation to enter the professional or clinical program of their major should contact that school for information on additional departmental application procedures, requirements, and deadlines.
• Students who wish to apply for admission to the School of Music should contact the School of Music office to request separate application materials and to make an appointment for an audition.
• Students who declare a major or pre-major, but fail to meet program requirements of the major (including GPA, minimum course grades or admittance through an application process) and who have no opportunity to progress in that academic program, will have their major administratively changed to exploratory. Students must declare another major after one semester in an exploratory major.

1115.05 Lawful Presence for In-State Tuition

Georgia State University admits all academically qualified undergraduate students, regardless of immigration status.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia requires all students applying to Georgia State University to provide verification of their lawful presence in the United States to be granted the in-state tuition rate.

This requirement is detailed in the following Board of Regents policies:

• Policy 4.3.4 Verification of Lawful Presence

Students may be verified through one of the following options below:

1. Verification through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
   If you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or eligible non-citizen (this does not apply to international students on a visa) who has completed and submitted a FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education will verify your lawful presence. If you cannot be confirmed as lawfully present, the Office of Financial Aid will follow up with you for additional documentation.
2. Submission of one of the following documents:
   • Current Georgia driver’s license issued by the state of Georgia after January 1, 2008*
   • Current Georgia State ID Card issued by the state of Georgia after January 1, 2008*
   • Current driver’s license or state issued ID card issued by any of the USG approved states (see chart below). Licenses/ID cards must be valid and meet USG requirements.*
   • Current U.S. Passport *
   • An original or certified Birth Certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority, or territory of the United States bearing an official seal* (Copy can be submitted by mail or electronically. The copy must very clearly show the raised or written seal to be acceptable. Copies that are not clear or do not show the seal cannot be accepted.)
   • Permanent Resident Card (front and back copy)*
   • U.S. Certificate of Naturalization *
   • U.S. Certificate of Citizenship *
   • U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad*
   • Military ID (must be verified in person)

​​*Copies of these documents are acceptable.
Temporary/interim driver’s licenses and IDs (paper copy provided until the official DL/ID card is generated) cannot be accepted.
Submit documents directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in person or through the document upload. Please allow 5-7 business days for the hold to be removed.

3. Verification through SEVIS (Student and Exchange Information System)
   If you have or are applying for an F or J visa, we will verify your lawful presence through SEVIS. As this is already part of the immigration process, there are no additional steps required to have your Citizenship Verification Hold removed. Simply comply with the requirements outlined by our Office of International Student and Scholar Services before you arrive at Georgia State University.
4. Verification through SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements)
   All nonresident alien students on some sort of visa will need to submit immigration documents verifying their lawful status to the Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS). Such documents may include an I-94 card, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) approval notice or receipt notice, or other documentation confirming the student is in lawful visa status.

This includes students who have been previously enrolled at Georgia State or Perimeter College and are either returning (re-entry) to a degree program or applying for a new degree program. Transient students must also be verified.

USG Approved List of Out of State Driver’s license and ID cards:

1115.10 Special Talent Admission Policy

Students with special talents who do not meet the university admission standards are considered through a special admissions review process. Applications for students in this category are reviewed by a subcommittee of the University Senate on Admissions and Standards which makes a recommendation to the Provost. In their determinations, the committee will review grade point average, test scores, grades and other relevant factors.

The committee members will recommend to the Provost those students whom they determine have a reasonable chance of academic success at Georgia State University. Recommendations include the committee’s rationale for each student.

Special Talent Admission Appeals

Decisions to deny admission to special talent applicants by the Office of Admissions may be appealed by the chair of an academic department or the Athletic Director to the Provost for Academic Affairs.