GRADUATE STUDENTS
As a graduate student, you come to UGA ready to EXCEL in your area of study by dedicating your time and energy toward earning a graduate degree. We encourage you to tap into the resources available at UGA to support you as you continue your educational journey as a member of the Bulldog Nation!
Visit the Graduate School to learn more about the graduate admissions process at the University of Georgia.
If you are admitted, Student Transitions will meet you at the Graduate School’s Welcome Fair in the fall or at the New Student Welcome in the spring!
The Graduate School offers a robust library of online resources designed to facilitate a smooth transition into graduate school. While some highlights are listed below, we encourage you to explore their entire website to see how they support your transition!
- New Campus-Based Student To-Do List
- New Student FAQ
- GradFIRST
- New Online Student To-Do List
- Graduate School – Office of Student Success & Well-Being
The Department of Student Transitions is also here to help you have a supportive and meaningful graduate school experience by helping you get connected to resources across campus that support your well-being and success!
- The Interactive Transition Guide will introduce you to the many opportunities and resources available to you as a student.
- The Grad Student Bucket List contains some actions you can take to begin making the most of your UGA experience!
GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT
Starting graduate school can be an exciting yet challenging transition. Here are some key concerns that students often face during this transition and some corresponding resources to support you through the transition.
- The Graduate Peer Support Network is open to all graduate students and serves to connect students to campus resources and to each other.
- The Involvement Network is a great place to begin looking for community on campus.
- An excellent starting point is the Graduate and Professional Student organizations, which include groups specifically tailored to graduate students as well as those that comprise of both graduate and undergraduate students.
- From movie nights in the Tate Theatre to service opportunities at local nonprofits in Athens, there are events for everyone. You won’t want to miss out on these opportunities to connect, engage, and make lasting memories.
- Welcome UGA occurs during the first several weeks of both fall and spring semesters. Filled with exciting events across campus for both new and returning students, you won’t want to miss out!
- International Student Life can help you get connected to the international student community at UGA. They host several programs and events throughout each semester and have a wealth of resources tailored to international students on their website.
- Most new graduate students will be required to complete a GradFIRST seminar, a 1-credit course taught by UGA graduate program faculty to help students thrive in their graduate studies and beyond.
- The Office for Student Success and Achievement (OSSA) offers several resources and services for UGA’s graduate students. Whether you need writing assistance or are looking for ways to connect with other graduate students in a small group workshop, OSSA is ready to support all graduate students at UGA.
- They also offer a robust online on-demand library of resources for academic success at Georgia and strategies for elevating your academics.
- The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing will meet you wherever you are in your writing process (from brainstorming stages to the final version) and provide professional feedback on how to improve the current draft and/or your writing in general. Book an appointment here.
- Write@UGA is an online hub for information on UGA’s writing programs, courses, resources, and events. Check out the resources they have curated for graduate students.
- Beyond the Blank Page Writing Workshop is offered through the Graduate Peer Support Network and is designed to provide graduate students with practical advice and useful tips for help in the writing process. Check out upcoming sessions here.
- The Statistical Consulting Center (SCC) provides collaborative research assistance to students in all departments of the University of Georgia. Schedule a free initial meeting here.
- UGA Libraries provides resources for Research, Teaching, and Graduate Students.
- Your graduate program faculty will often become your mentors. The Graduate School has curated resources to help you navigate the mentoring relationship.
- Attend a Peer Support Workshop through the Graduate Peer Support Network. These topical workshops, led by graduate students, can help you navigate the myriad of questions and challenges that may arise during graduate school. Check out upcoming workshops here.
- Attend a Graduate Student Group Coaching for Writing Productivity hosted by the University Health Center to connect with peers, stay motivated, and share strategies for time management and work/life balance. You will need to log into the Involvement Network using your MyID and password to view upcoming wellness coaching events.
- Learn how to cook healthy and affordable meals by participating in a Graduate Student Cooking Class in the Nutrition Kitchen.
- Explore the broad range of clinical and non-clinical resources that promote your well-being and success by visiting well-being.uga.edu.
- The Career Center offers a robust selection of career development resources tailored to graduate and professional students.
- The UGA Mentor Program helps you build your network by connecting you with faculty, staff, and alumni to cultivate meaningful relationships and conversations. Any student is eligible to join this free program.
- The Career Center tailored this Career Guide to the professional development needs of graduate students.
- From Career Fairs to Arch Ready Workshops, the Career Center offers several events throughout the semester to support your professional development.
- Access a variety of online platforms tailored to graduate student career development through the Career Center.
- The Financial Wellness Series is designed to provide graduate students with a greater understanding of core financial concepts. Videos of past sessions and current topics can be accessed here.
- The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) Peer Financial Counseling Program offers webinars on various financial literacy topics and virtual one-on-one appointments for financial literacy inquiries.
- Looking for a job or internship? Handshake is the University of Georgia’s online job/internship posting and campus recruiting system. It contains listings posted by prospective employers on- and off-campus. The Career Center also hosts Career Fairs each semester to connect students with employment opportunities.
- UGA offers affordable software for use on your personal computer. For a complete list of available software and current prices, log on to USG Technology Store with your UGA MyID.
- Planning to present your research poster at an academic conference or professional society meeting? The Graduate School will help mitigate the printing costs by printing your poster for FREE! Submit your poster printing request here.
- The Love and Money Center can assist you with developing goals and strategies to improve your financial well-being at no cost to you.
- Here are quick links to financial aid resources for graduate students:
GRAD STUDENT FAQs
Assistantships require a graduate student to work anywhere from 13-20 hours per week, depending on the assignment. Assistantships provide a monthly stipend and carry a tuition waiver, reducing tuition to $25/semester. However, all activity fees and health insurance must be paid for by students. Assistantships vary by department, assignment, type of work, and award. For more information, consult your academic department or Assistantships page.
Log into Athena, click the Student Account tab, and click “Access Student Account”. From there, you will see options to view/print your bill and options to pay your bill. You can also choose to add individuals to your account as authorized users. Adding an authorized user is your written consent that an individual may view your account information and make payments on your behalf. Please note that authorized users DO NOT have access to your stored payment methods, academic records, or other personal information.
UGA Family & Graduate Housing has unfurnished apartment units available each year to rent.
Graduate Students with Families »
If you would prefer to live off campus or are unable to secure an apartment on campus, consider reviewing the resources available through The Red & Black.
Parking can be unique at UGA, but luckily, UGA Transportation and Parking Services provides a guide for navigating the permit registration process. Another option is looking into Park & Ride, a lower-rate parking option serviced by the UGA Buses and the Athens Transit. Deck parking is also an option, but some decks require the purchase of a pass (i.e., Hull Street Deck) while others charge hourly (e.g., Tate Student Center Deck).
Several meal plan options are available to students at different price points! UGA Dining offers customized meal plans. Their meal plan builder can help you determine the best plan. You can then add the plan you want on UGA Dining’s website.
It is recommended that all UGA students be covered by health insurance either with an individual student policy or through their family policy. For international students and some graduate students, carrying health insurance is mandatory. Complete information about student health insurance requirements and policies can be found on the UGA Human Resources website.
Located on the east side of campus, the University Health Center provides a variety of medical and counseling services, including urgent care, a dental clinic, physical therapy, and an allergy clinic, in addition to other medical services. Students are also assigned to a primary care provider on a medical team to ensure each patient can return to the same group of clinicians for their continuity of care. Log into the Patient Portal with your MyID to find out your PCP or to schedule an appointment online.
Your UGA OneCard is your primary form of identification on campus and has many uses. For example, it allows you to access many buildings on campus, such as libraries, labs, residence halls, and other secured facilities. Many offices, such as the University Health Center and University Testing Center, may require you to present your UGACard. While both Ramsey Center for Student Physical Activities and the Dining Halls use Iris Recognition Technology for entry, your UGACard can help verify your identity if needed. You should always have your UGACard on you if you are on campus!
Yes! The UGA Transit system utilizes several routes to move members of the campus community from every corner of campus in a timely manner. Every ride is free. Visit Transportation & Parking Services website for more information and availability dates and times. We also encourage you to download the UGA Mobile App to track the buses on and off campus from your mobile device.
As a UGA student, you are eligible for home, away, and neutral site football tickets if you take at least 12 credit hours. Football ticket applications generally open in August. Visit the Georgia Dogs website for complete information about the football ticket process.
Tickets to baseball games, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and gymnastics are automatically loaded to your UGA ID Card. Visit the Georgia Dogs website for complete information on student seating for these athletic events.
The Graduate School has compiled a list of academic resources for graduate students.
UGA offers in-person programs and virtual/digital resources to support your well-being. Explore them all by visiting well-being.uga.edu.
Handshake is the web platform UGA uses to post job advertisements for both on and off-campus jobs. Your Handshake account will automatically be created for you after the drop/add period of your first semester at UGA, so you do not need to create one yourself! The UGA Career Center offers many resources, programs, and events to help you navigate your search, including the part-time job and internship fair each fall semester.
The Involvement Network is the University’s online home of hundreds of campus organizations. Log in and view all the organizations the campus has to offer! Engagement, Leadership, and Service also hosts Engagement Fairs at the beginning of both fall and spring semesters and Mini Engagement Fairs throughout both semesters also allow you to explore the many opportunities available to you!
Please check out the Graduate School’s New Student FAQs. If you still have questions, please reach out to us at transitions@uga.edu.