Admission Policies

Priority Admission Deadlines

Admission Policy

It is the policy of Georgia Gwinnett College to create admissions requirements that fulfill the stated mission of the college, by encouraging students of diverse levels of preparation, ethnicity and age to attend this institution and develop their full potential. These requirements are in keeping with Georgia Gwinnett College’s strong commitment to student success.  Georgia Gwinnett College complies with the access mission institution admission standards established under University System of Georgia Board of Regents policies and is committed to ensuring that the admissions procedures support these standards. 

Definitions:

Applicant: A person who applies for admission to Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC).

Application: The process by which individuals apply to gain admission to GGC. 

Freshman: Applicants who have never attended other colleges or who have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester hours from previous colleges.

Transfer: Applicants with 30 or more transfer hours of college credit

General Admission Requirements:

Admission requirements are determined annually in conjunction with USG policy, the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Institutional Research/Chief Enrollment Management Officer, and the President. The current admission requirements and deadlines can be found on the GGC website. Several programs of study such as Nursing and Education have an additional application process for program admission. Information on a particular degree program or major may be found on the Academics Degrees and Programs website.

Admission Services reviews and evaluates applications and required documents submitted by applicants when the application file is complete and ready for review. An application file is considered complete when GGC Admissions Services has received the following:

1. A completed application for admission to Georgia Gwinnett College submitted online with a nonrefundable application processing fee.
2. Official high school and college transcripts from all colleges previously attended, regardless of transferable credit sent directly from those institutions through an approved electronic service or delivered in a sealed institutional envelope to GGC.
3. Official test scores must be sent directly from the testing service to GGC for student types required to submit test scores for admission.
4. Applicants who indicate that they have a criminal conviction or charges pending, or charged with disciplinary action or misconduct must provide supplemental information. Failure to provide this information may impact the applicant’s eligibility for admission.

The mailing address for submission of all documents (except the electronic admissions applications) is:

                        Georgia Gwinnett College

                        Admissions Services

                        1000 University Center Lane

                        Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

 Applicants create a Grizzly Profile Account to check their application status. A final decision on acceptance into the College is made after all application materials have been received.

English Language Proficiency Requirement:

All non-native speakers of English must demonstrate satisfactory English language proficiency as defined by the BOR Academic & Student Affairs Handbook Section 3.1.1.2

Admissions Requirements for Freshmen Students

High School Diploma and Required High School Curriculum

1. reshmen must have a diploma from a high school accredited by a regional accrediting association (such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (“SACSCASI”)), or University System of Georgia recognized accrediting bodies or from a public school regulated by a school system and state department of education. Certificates of attendance or special education diplomas are not acceptable. High school students with a general diploma must have a minimum 2.00 grade point average calculated by GGC based on the grades in the 17 units of Required High School Curriculum (“RHSC”) as defined by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
2. As part of the admission process, each student will be evaluated to determine satisfactory completion of the following 17 units of the University System of Georgia 3.1.1.1 Required High School Curriculum.

• MATHEMATICS:  Four (4) Carnegie units of college preparatory mathematics, including Algebra I/Coordinate Algebra, Algebra II/Advanced Algebra, Geometry/Analytic Geometry, and a 4^th unit of advanced math, or equivalent courses. 
• ENGLISH:  Four (4) Carnegie units of college preparatory English.  Literature (American, English, World) integrated with grammar, usage and advanced composition skills.
• SCIENCE:  Four (4) Carnegie units of college preparatory science, which should two courses with a laboratory component. Georgia public high school students should have at least one (1) unit of biology, one (1) unit of physical science or physics, and one (1) unit of chemistry, earth systems, environmental science, or an advanced placement course, and a 4^th science. 
• SOCIAL SCIENCE:  Three (3) Carnegie units of college preparatory social science, which must include at least one (1) unit focusing on United States studies and one (1) unit focusing on world studies.
• FOREIGN LANGUAGE/ AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE/ COMPUTER SCIENCE:  Two (2) Carnegie units of the same foreign language emphasizing speaking, listening, reading, and writing or two (2) units of American Sign Language or two (2) units of Computer Science. The two (2) units of computer science must have a coding and programming emphasis. 

For the most updated information and specific course requirements, see:

https://www.usg.edu/student_affairs/assets/student_affairs/documents/Staying_on_Course.pdf

For information on addressing RHSC deficiencies see:

Academic & Student Affairs Handbook | 3.1 Undergraduate Admission | University System of Georgia (usg.edu)

Test Scores

Test scores are not required for freshman admission to Georgia Gwinnett College.

Applicants with Fewer than 30 Transfer Hours of College Credit

The college transcripts of students who have attended other colleges (but earned fewer than 30 semester hours of eligible transfer credit) will be considered as part of the admissions process. If a student meets the freshman requirements listed above and their cumulative combined GPA from previous college work is at or above a 2.00, the candidate will be admitted without condition; those who fail to meet both these requirements will be denied admission.

An applicant who has fewer than 30 semester hours of college credit will be admitted on Academic Probation, if one of the following two conditions occur:  

1. The student meets the freshman admission requirements listed above but has a combined GPA from previous college work below a 2.00 or
2. The student does not meet the freshman admission requirements listed above but has a combined GPA from previous college work above a 2.00. Furthermore, students will be required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by their academic classification in order to be placed in good academic standing at Georgia Gwinnett College.

Home School Applicants

Applicants graduating from non-accredited home schools or high schools must meet the admission criteria required of other applicants and criteria set forth in the GGC Home School Portfolio.

All home school and non-accredited high school applicants must demonstrate equivalent RHSC competence as required by Board of Regents policy.  Home school applicants who receive credit from accredited institutions and curriculum providers can demonstrate compliance by submitting official transcripts from these providers. These transcripts will be evaluated for RHSC completion based on the general RHSC requirements detailed in Freshman Requirements. 

The Admissions Services Committee will review the GGC Home School portfolio for RHSC compliance, and at its sole discretion can recommend that an applicant has met some, all, or none of the RHSC requirements. Applicants who do not satisfy these requirements may still be admitted following an Admissions Appeal Committee review.

Home School Portfolio Admissions Appeals Committee Review. 

The committee will review the applicant’s portfolio with the primary goal of determining the applicant’s potential for success at the college level. If the committee is not satisfied with the material submitted in the portfolio, it will seek additional information from the applicant for further admission review. If the committee’s review is not satisfactory, the applicant will be denied admission.  

Admission Appeals

Any applicant denied admission to Georgia Gwinnett College may appeal the decision by submitting a written Request for Admissions Appeal to the Admissions Committee. The Committee will review an appeal to determine the applicant’s potential for college-level academic work; an interview with the applicant may also be required. If an appeal is approved the applicant will be admitted conditionally with a probationary status and must complete any prescribed conditions as specified by the Committee. Any exceptions to this policy must be appealed to the Vice President for for Enrollment Management and Institutional Research.

The letter must be typed and include the applicant’s electronic or handwritten signature, and it should be delivered to Admissions Services.

The letter should provide details that will help the Committee make an informed decision to help the student achieve success at the College.  Such information may include:

• Reasons why the applicant’s previous academic work may have suffered
• How the applicant intends to perform better academically
• The applicant’s weekly work and/or family commitments
• Any other information the applicant would like the committee to consider

Limited Admissions Category

In recognition of the fact that a limited number of applicants do not meet established standards but do demonstrate special potential for success, Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) grants admission to a limited number of such students. Multiple measures are used whenever possible, such as interviews, portfolios, and records of experiential achievements, for applicants being considered for Limited Admission. The number of applicants who may be granted Limited Admissions is restricted and cannot exceed 33%.

Applicants who enter under the Limited Admissions category (including Presidential Exceptions as described below) must make up any Required High School Curriculum unit deficiencies in accordance with University System of Georgia procedures. They must also be screened, as applicable, for placement in Learning Support courses based on their standardized test scores and must meet University System of Georgia criteria for exemption or exit of Learning Support in reading, English, and mathematics.

Presidential Exceptions 

The President of GGC is authorized by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to grant Presidential Exceptions to the Required High School Curriculum units and requirements for Limited Admissions if the student shows promise for academic success in college and has at least a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED), Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) approved by the Board of Regents. College officials are required to report to the University System of Georgia chief academic officer on those students granted Presidential Exceptions. Presidential Exceptions must be included as part of GGC’s maximum percentage for Limited Admissions.

General Educational Development (GED), HiSet, or TASC

Persons over 18 years of age (or whose class has already graduated from high school) whose secondary schooling was interrupted may be admitted by presenting an official General Educational Development (GED), HiSet, or TASC score report. Official GED test score reports must be mailed directly from the Technical College System of Georgia Office of Adult Literacy/GED Testing Service to the Georgia Gwinnett College Admissions Office. GED, HiSet, or TASC applicants are required to take either the College Board Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), the American College Test (ACT) or Next Generation Accuplacer, the results of which will be made part of the applicant’s portfolio. GED applications may be reviewed by the Admissions Committee, and an interview with the candidate may be required.

Admissions Requirements for Transfer Students

1. Applicants who have attended other colleges are required to submit an official transcript(s) from each college previously attended, regardless  of whether or not the applicant receives transfer credit. Documents must be sent directly from the sending institution to GGC’s Admissions Services office through an approved delivery method.
2. Transfer applicants must present a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or above (based on a 4.00 scale) on all work attempted and must be in good academic standing at the last institution attended in order to be admitted to Georgia Gwinnett College in good academic standing. Transfer applicants with a GPA below 2.00 will be denied with the option to appeal their decision.
3. Dismissals from Other Institutions. If an applicant has been permanently suspended from another institution, the Admissions Appeals Committee will process the application like any other transfer student who appeals the denial of admission to Georgia Gwinnett College. Any exceptions to this policy must be appealed to the VP for Enrollment Management.

Transfer of Credit

Evaluations of transfer credit are available for admitted students  by viewing  the Grizzly Den within  Banner upon completion of the admissions process and attendance at an orientation session.

Credit earned in regionally accredited colleges may be transferred to Georgia Gwinnett College provided the course content is comparable to that of a course offered by Georgia Gwinnett College. Non-comparable courses that satisfy the guidelines of the University System of Georgia may also be transferred.

Transfer students are required to earn a grade of “C” or better in ENGL 1101, and ENGL 1102, MATH 1001, MATH 1101*, MATH 1111, or equivalents in order for those courses to transfer to Georgia Gwinnett College. In addition, a grade of “C” or better is required in all courses used in Area F and in the major.

Other courses earned at regionally accredited institutions may be permitted to transfer with grades of “D,” to the extent that the grades on all credits accepted for transfer average to at least 2.00.

The transfer grade-point-average (GPA) will not be included in the applicant’s institutional GPA at Georgia Gwinnett College but will be included in the total GPA used to determine academic honors and used by certain financial aid sources (i.e., HOPE scholarship).

The total number of combined hours through military experiences shall not exceed 15 semester hours. In order to determine military credit, the student must submit discharge paperwork (DD-214) or a military course transcript (AARTS, SMART, CCAF, etc.).

Transfer credit from colleges and universities outside the United States must be evaluated by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) evaluation service.  The student must submit transcripts to an evaluation service and request that an appropriate course by course evaluation be submitted to the Georgia Gwinnett College Admissions Office.

Transfer students must complete requirements in United States History and Constitution as well as Georgia History and Constitution prior to graduation. Completion of American History and American Government at a previous University System of Georgia institution will transfer to Georgia Gwinnett College. Completion of American History and American Government at a non-University System of Georgia institution (including out-of-state institutions) will satisfy the U.S. History and Constitution requirement upon transfer, but not the Georgia History and Constitution requirement. A proficiency examination in these legislative requirements is available for the student to complete prior to graduation. See the Testing Center for additional information.

Admissions Requirements for Non-Traditional Students

Non-Traditional Freshmen

Non-traditional freshmen are defined as individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

1. Have been out of high school at least five (5) years and whose high school class graduated at least five (5) years ago;
2. Hold a high school diploma from an accredited or approved high school as specified in the High School Diploma/Required High School Curriculum Section  of this Policy Manual or have satisfactorily completed the GED; and,
3. Have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester credit hours

Admissions Services will make the decision on non-traditional applications without going to the Admissions Committee based on the following criteria:

1. H.S. GPA of 2.0 or greater - regular admissions
2. H.S. GPA between 2.0 and 1.50 - conditional admission up to 14 hours
3. H.S. GPA less than 1.50 - applications still reviewed by the committee.

All non-traditional freshmen will be evaluated for learning support status in English (reading/writing) and mathematics using GGC placement criteria.  In order to possibly avoid placement in Learning Support, applicants are encouraged to submit SAT/ACT scores if exam date is within seven years or Next-Gen Accuplacer scores for Write Placer, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics.

Non-Traditional Transfers

Non-traditional transfer students are defined as individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

1. Have been out of high school at least five years or whose high school class graduated at least five (5) years ago; and,
2. Have earned thirty (30) or more transferable hours of college credit.

Placement evaluation for English and Mathematics will be completed if students have not yet completed these requirements.

Persons Aged 62 or Over

Persons 62 years of age or older may be admitted to GGC. . To be eligible for enrollment, applicants:

1. Be a resident of Georgia, 62 years of age or older at the time of registration, and shall present a birth certificate or other comparable written documentation of age to enable the institution to determine eligibility.
2. May enroll as a regular or auditing student in courses offered for resident credit on a “space available” basis without payment of fees, except for supplies, laboratory, or shop fees.
3. Meet all University System of Georgia and GGC undergraduate admission requirements.
4. Must meet all GGC and legislated degree requirements if they are degree-seeking students.

Course Credits for International Baccalaureate Diploma Completion

System-wide Implementation Guidelines:

In recognition of the fact that a strong predictor of college success is a rigorous high school curriculum, USG institutions will award academic credit for appropriate courses in the USG core curriculum for corresponding subject areas in a completed International Baccalaureate (“IB”) Diploma Program in which the student obtained designated end of course assessment scores.

Both Standard Level (college preparatory) and Higher Level (college comparable) courses will be considered for credit in a completed Diploma Program, as the program does not allow students to take all Higher Level courses. Higher Level end- of-course assessment scores of four or more and Standard Level scores of five or better suggests that the IB Program work is comparable to a college course.

The course credit schema in the table below will be used system-wide, with allowances made for variable credits in each category to account for labs and on occasion, for depth of material covered in the IB Program subject area that may be comparable to more than one college level course.

The particular courses for which students receive college credit may vary from institution to institution, depending on what courses the institution offers. Determinations of course comparability will be made by the respective departments. Institutions shall, however, attempt to have consistency across the USG on common numbered core courses.

The total college course credits awarded for IB assessments may not exceed 24.

All institutions shall have a widely disseminated policy governing the award of course credits for IB assessments. The policy will apply to both resident and non-resident students.

Institutions will collect data on IB students, analyze the data and recommend revisions to the policy if warranted. A student may opt not to accept credits if he/she sees that acceptance of credits may disadvantage him/her. Further, if a student believes that the assessment of his/her work from the IB Diploma Program and subsequent awarding of credits for such is in error, he/she may file an appeal with the appropriate department chair 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.

Individual Institution Implementation Guidelines: Along with the system-wide policy, individual institutions may choose to offer additional benefits. After the appropriate core courses are credited, if the student (diploma completer) has additional acceptable IB assessment scores (4 or better for HL, 5 or better for SL) that have not been awarded course credits, individual institutions may award credit for other lower-division courses outside of the core for up to a maximum of 24 credits (total).

Institutions may choose to award other benefits to diploma completers as well (e.g. early registration, parking pass, etc.). If that is the case, details will be available on the institution’s website.

Institutions may choose to award credit to students who did not complete the diploma program but were awarded a certificate for completion of a specific subject area for Higher Level courses with an assessment score of 4 or better.

Notes about Admission

1. An applicant may be declared eligible for admission, registration, enrollment or re-enrollment at University System institution only after satisfying all requirements established by the University System of Georgia and the institution concerned. The institution shall have the right to examine and appraise the character, personality and qualifications of the applicant. In order that this examination and appraisal may be made, the applicant shall furnish to the institution such biographical and other information, including references, as may be required. Each unit of the University System reserves the right to refuse admission to a non-resident of Georgia, to an applicant whose admission would cause the institution to exceed its maximum capacity, to an applicant whose request for admission is only to a program that is already filled, to an applicant whose transcript(s) are from unaccredited institution or who is otherwise ineligible for admission. Applicants seeking additional information on referral of students to other institutions, right to limit admissions, limited admissions/Presidential exceptions, or the use of social security numbers, should refer to the Board of Regent’s manual: www.usg.edu.

All enrolled students must satisfy immunization verification requirements. For more details on document submission and specific immunizations required for enrollment, consult the the Health Services Immunization Requirement website.

Readmission

Students who must apply for readmission include students who have not been enrolled for 12 consecutive months (3 terms) as well as students changing classification. If the student does not enroll, the process must be repeated. The application for readmission is online at https://start.ggc.edu/Datatel.ERecruiting.Web.External/Pages/Welcome.aspx. The readmission application must be submitted along with the non-refundable processing fee and any required supporting credentials fees by the deadline for the term of the desired re-enrollment. 

Academic Credit for Prior Learning

Georgia Gwinnett College accepts college credit by examination through the United States military, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, and the International Baccalaureate (IB). For information regarding testing, please refer to Testing Service’s website. For additional information regarding experiential learning credit, please refer to the AP-CLEP link on the Registrar’s website. The following rules govern the awarding of credit by examination:

1. The maximum credit that can be earned by any alternative credit is limited to 30 semester hours (15 military, 24 IB).
2. A student who is currently enrolled in the course or has earned a grade other than a W in the course may not earn CLEP credit for the course.
3. CLEP, AP, IB, and military credits carry no academic grade and are not computed into the grade point average (GPA).
4. Credits earned through CLEP may be transferred from other institutions in the University System of Georgia upon verification that CLEP scores are equal to or higher than those required by Georgia Gwinnett College. Students are responsible for verifying the score by having the College Board send an official score to Georgia Gwinnett College.
5. Students who failed to achieve the CLEP score necessary to receive credit must wait six months before being allowed to re-test.

Information about specific test scores may be found on the Testing Services Website, at GGC Testing Services, or in the Registrar’s Office.

The process for determining if credit should be awarded is:

1. Faculty members in the academic discipline will review the topic areas covered in the test and compare those with corresponding GGC courses. Based on this comparison, they will identify an appropriate test score for which credit will be awarded and then recommend those test scores to the dean of the school.
2. The dean will review the faculty recommendations and approve or disapprove the recommendation.
3. If the courses impacted are general education courses, the General Education Committee will also review the recommendation.
4. If approved by the dean and the General Education Committee (if necessary), the recommended test scores will be forwarded to the Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs/Provost for review and final decision.
5. If approved by the Provost, the test scores will be forwarded to the Executive Director of Enrollment Management for inclusion in the policy for Alternative Credit Options and credit will be given.

The process of approving credit for military experience will include a review of the student’s SMART, AARTS or CCAF transcript or the DD 214.

Auditors

Students who submit evidence of graduation from a high school or a GED certificate may register to audit a course as space in the course permits. Under extraordinary circumstances, the president may waive the requirement of high school diploma or equivalent. Students registered as auditors shall be required to pay the regular tuition and fees for enrollment.

Non-Degree Students

Students may enroll as non-degree students for a maximum of 18 semester credit hours (including institutional credit). Students may not enroll in any course for which there is a learning support prerequisite unless they have been screened for and have exempted the relevant learning support course.  

Georgia Gwinnett College will not allow students to apply under this status, but will permit the Director of Admissions to allow students to be admitted under this category on an as needed basis.

Post-Baccalaureate Students

Students who have earned the baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution may enroll as non-degree students in courses with no limitation on the number of hours of undergraduate credit these students can earn.

Transient Students

Transient Students from Other Institutions

A student enrolled in a degree program at another accredited college or university may apply to Georgia Gwinnett College for transient status. Such a student is one who expects to return to the college or university where previously enrolled and must have the permission of the home institution to attend Georgia Gwinnett College. The applicant who desires transient status must submit an application and a transient letter from the home institution. Transient students are admitted on a semester basis only. Georgia Gwinnett College does not guarantee that a transient student will be able to secure the courses desired, nor is Georgia Gwinnett College responsible for advising a transient student of courses that are applicable to their program of study at the home institution. Transcripts are not automatically forwarded to the home institution. Transient students must submit a written request to have a transcript sent back to the home institution.

Dual Enrollment

The dual enrollment program provides eligible high school students with the opportunity to take college courses to satisfy high school graduation or home study completion requirements while earning college credit.

Dual Enrollment Applicants must meet the following criteria for admission to program:

1. Satisfy age requirement of 16 or older by first day of the term of enrollment
2. Be classified as a high school junior or senior by the first day of the term of enrollment
3. Be on track for completing all high school graduation requirements
4. Meet the minimum 3.25 grade point average (GPA) * GPA is calculated based on the grades in the 17-units of Required High School Curriculum (RHSC)
5. Be on track for completing RHSC course units on schedule

GGC is test-optional for admission into the dual enrollment program.

The Accuplacer Next Generation exams (Write Placer, Reading Comprehension, and Math (Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)) may only be taken twice per academic year for course placement assessment.

Home schooled students may be considered if they are enrolled in non-traditional educational centers that are recognized by GAPSAC or by state departments of education. Students attending non-accredited home school programs or non-accredited high schools must submit a GGC Home School Portfolio (PDF) for admission eligibility review.

See listing of eligible approved dual enrollment courses at Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) dual enrollment course directory

Parent/guardian consent agreement and funding application must be submitted via the Georgia Student Finance Commission’s (GSFC) Dual Enrollment Funding Application.

Out-of-State Enrollment

See Board of Regents Policy Manual Section 4.3.1

Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes

See Board of Regents Policy Manual Section 4.3.2

Tuition Differential Waivers

See Board of Regents Policy Manual Section 4.3.3

Verification of Lawful Presence

Georgia Gwinnett College admits all applicants to the college who meet the admission requirements, regardless of immigration status.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) policy requires Georgia Gwinnett College to verify United States lawful presence for every admitted student seeking in-state tuition or an out-of-state tuition waiver. This policy requirement also applies to students seeking readmission to GGC and transient students. If a student’s status cannot be verified, GGC cannot offer in-state billing of tuition and fees, regardless of established domicile in Georgia.

Although lawful presence is required for in-state tuition, being verified lawfully present does not necessarily mean a student is eligible for in-state tuition. USG tuition classification policy conditions must also be met. Students classified as nonresident and out-of-state for tuition purposes, will need to submit additional  documentation if they wish to be reviewed for reclassification. Questions regarding tuition classification should be sent to tuitionclassification@ggc.edu.

Lawful presence and tuition classification requirements are detailed in the following Board of Regents policies:

• Policy 4.3.4 Verification of Lawful Presence
• Policy 4.3.2 Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes

International Students

International student: 

At GGC, an international student is an individual who meets one of the following criteria:

• Currently living outside the U.S. and will require an F-1 or a J-1 visa to study in the U.S.
• Not a U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident and is currently in the U.S. on an F-1 visa
• Currently in the U.S. on another non-immigrant visa classification which permits part-time or full-time study

Admission of Degree-Seeking International Students

All international students must meet GGC admission requirements, which can be found in APM 4.2.

Freshman Students

International applicants who have never attended other colleges or who have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester hours from a regionally accredited college or university are classified as freshman students. The following requirements are in effect for international freshman applicants.

1. Freshman applicants educated outside of the United States shall demonstrate academic preparation comparable to that required of applicants completing high school within the United States.
2. English Language Proficiency Requirement.
   • Completion of a test of English language proficiency is required of all applicants. Please refer to the USG English proficiency chart for approved exams and minimum standards or some other USG-approved evaluation of English. GGC’s minimum required English proficiency scores are as follows: TOEFL IBT 69, IELTS 6, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section Score 480, ACT English 17, or Accuplacer Reading Comprehension 237 and WritePlacer 4.
   • For a full list of approved exams and minimum standards, see BOR Academic and Student Affairs Handbook 3.1.1.2 International Freshman Requirements.
3. Foreign Credentials. Students must submit official records from secondary school and all college(s) attended. Transcripts from foreign institutions must be evaluated by a NACES-approved evaluation service such as Josef Silny and Associates; World Education Services; or Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. or other BOR-approved internal/external services.  Students must submit transcripts to an evaluation service and request that an appropriate evaluation with GPA be submitted directly to Georgia Gwinnett College, International Student Services. A minimum 2.00 Grade Point Average is required. In lieu of GPA, freshman applicants may submit SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer scores.
4. Some non-postsecondary credit and/or examinations may be considered for college credit and may require a course-by-course evaluation for college level credit to be awarded.

TrTransfer Students

1. Applicants who have earned 30 or more transferable semester hours from a regionally accredited college or university are classified as transfer students. Students admitted from other colleges are required to meet all general requirements and application deadlines. See GGC Transfer Admission.
2. Transfer students who are non-native speakers of English and who transfer from an institution of higher education outside the U.S. where English was not the language of instruction must submit proof of English proficiency as listed in the BOR Academic and Student Affairs Handbook section 3.1.1.6 International Transfer Requirements. Foreign credentials must be evaluated through an approved evaluation service.

Presidential Exceptions

International students may also be admitted as Presidential Exceptions. See APM 4.2.1.2 Exceptions to Freshman Admissions Requirements for Special Groups of Students for more information.

Admission of International Students for Undergraduate Programs Not Leading to the Baccalaureate Degree

International students who want to be admitted but are not seeking a degree must comply with the criteria found in APM 4.2.2.

Financial Requirements

International students requesting the Form I-20 or DS-2019 from Georgia Gwinnett College must provide documentation showing sufficient resources to cover tuition, room and board, health insurance and other living expenses. In accordance with the payment policy of the College, students agree to pay all tuition and fees when due to Georgia Gwinnett College (including, but not limited to, tuition, mandatory student fees, and College Housing fees). Failure to pay a student account in full by the published deadline may result in a student being dropped from classes, which could jeopardize the student’s ability to maintain valid immigration status.

Health Insurance

International students holding F or J visas are required to have student health insurance that meets the minimum standards set by the University System of Georgia. Students in these categories who are not covered by a policy held by a parent, spouse, employer or if the policy does not meet the minimum standards will be charged for a USG Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) policy. Students who are already covered by an insurance policy (i.e., through parent plans, family plans or employer-sponsored plans) can opt out of the plan. Once the information has been verified, the requirement for SHIP health insurance will be waived and the moneys paid to Georgia Gwinnett College for insurance will be refunded. Students must apply for the waiver each semester for which they are enrolled in classes, and this must be done during the waiver period. Students who do not apply for and receive the waivers during the enrollment period will be responsible for the insurance fees. Students who fail to submit comparable health insurance information by the end of the waiver period will automatically be enrolled in the SHIP insurance plan. Students should not purchase insurance from their home country until they have reviewed information on the insurance waiver policy and are sure they will qualify for a waiver. Students should verify that the insurance policy they are considering meets the waiver minimums before they purchase it. Additional information is available through this website.

Housing for International Students

On-campus housing is not available year round. If students choose not to return home during semester breaks, they must make alternative off-campus living arrangements.

Related Regulations, Statutes, Policies, and Procedures

University System of Georgia International Student Resources, Handbooks, and Forms