Post Admission
A registration hold prevents a student from registering for classes for the upcoming semester. Registration holds can be placed on a student for various reasons by Student Financial Services, the Student Health Center, or other authorized individuals.
There are 4 main registration holds that I will cover here:
Students with holds on their record will not be permitted to register until holds have been cleared. Holds can be viewed in the registration system within Athena.
To view holds,
- Go to Athena
- Login with UGA MyID and password
- Click Student
- Click Student & Registration (If you can't find this the option is in the menu bar at the top left )
- Click Student Profile
- In upper right corner of the Student Profile page, click Holds.
There are 4 main registration holds that I will cover here:
- Transcript and Degree Certificate - Provide original transcripts to university - Transcript
- Immunization Hold - Provide Vaccination details - Immunization
- Student Acknowledegment Hold: Steps to clear hold with images
Link to ATHENA - ATHENA - LawFul Verification - This hold will be removed after you enter the US, no need to worry about this now.
If you are unable to register to classes due to hold 4 - contact the department
You need to send the Transcripts to the university. You will have a hold on registration until you submit them
- You may have already submitted the unofficial transcript. This is the pdf copy you uploaded while submitting your applicaion
- The university, however, needs you to submit the official transcript to the university via post. They need the physical copy of the transcripts
- Official transcripts may be mailed to the university from your school, mailed to the university by you, or else brought to the university in person.
- Official transcripts must remain sealed in the issuing institution's envelope to be considered official.
- You can request your current university where you are doing/did the master to send you the transcript and courier it to UGA
- The address to send your transcript:
UGA Graduate Admissions
Brooks Hall 335
310 Herty Drive
Athens, GA 30602-6254
- You may also need to provide your degree certificate (You can inquire about this after your transcripts are submitted)
You can find more details here: Transcript details
The university needs to see your immunization records which includes the list of vaccines that are required before enrolling. You might also need to do TB testing depending. You can find more details and list of required vaccinations here: Immunization requirements
There are various vaccines you might have taken at the age 1-5. You can find these in your health card.
The list of vaccines which are mandatory:
- MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
- Varicella (Chicken Pox)
- Tetanus/Diptheria (Tdap) - If you have taken this vaccine more than 10 years ago, you will have to take it again
- Hepatitis B
- TB (Tuberculosis screening)
If you go to this link - Immunization requirements you can find the required as well as recommended vaccines. Before that you can find Immunizations Packet link which is a pdf that you need to submit as proof.
You can find PDF here: Immunization Packet PDF
If the above pdf link is invalid you can find the link to pdf as mentioned above
Now that you have downloaded the PDF let's go through it. This PDF has to be filled by your doctor. You can print the document to fill the details.
Page 1
- If you have already taken these vaccines your doctor needs to add the dates corresponding to when you took the vaccine.
- If you have taken TDAP more than 10 years ago, you need to take it again.
- You may have/need to take/taken the Hepatitis B vaccine, it is mandatory only for students who are < 18 years old.
- The Meningococcol vaccine is not mandatory. It is strongly recommended for those who are < 22 years old. You can send a mail to RHI@uhs.uga.edu if you have any query regarding any vaccinations.
- The above image shows the recommended vaccines, these are not mandatory if you don't wish to take.
- You doctor needs to fill their details in the given fields such as name, address, phone number and signature
Page 2
- The second page contains a questionare to check whether are required to take the TB Test.
- For example, if you are from INDIA then you need to take the test as it is mentioned in the list of countries
- Make sure to provide your signature here
Page 3
- The third page asks you whether you had a positive TB skin test and whether you have taken the BCG vaccine.
- Now there are two test you can take if any of the answers to the quesitons in page 2 was yes
- One is TST and other is IGRA
- If you are from India, you most likely have taken the BCG vaccine. If this is the case I recommend you to take IGRA instead of TST
- Your doctor is the one who is filling this form, so you can ask them about the proceedure
- If you took the TST, then you need to fill the result details in this page. If you took IGRA, then you can skip the TST fields
- The results of IGRA should be filled in page 4
Page 4
- This is the final page where in you fill the IGRA test results.
- If the results are positive, you need to take a chest X ray. If they are negative, you do not need to take the X-ray
- Your doctor will help you with the Part 3 of this form. In most cases you will not need this section
- Finally, you doctor needs to fill in their details again. Make sure your doctor also stamps their seal over this part
- Fill out the details on top of each page of the pdf.
- If you have taken any vaccine again, attach the proof at the end
- If you have taken the TST or IGRA attach the results at the end
- Once all these steps are complete you can send the documents via email here - RHI@uhs.uga.edu. Don't forget to provide your UGA ID in the email.
If the documents are up to the mark you will recieve confirmation email. In 1-4 working days your hold will also be cleared - which you can check on the status portal
To begin the issuance of I20 process, you must have received an email from the department or the immigration department. If you didn't recieve any, you can reach out to your department for details.
In the email you will get the limited Access Pin which is required for logging into the portal.
You will also receive the link to the portal in the email.
- If you satisfy the prerequisites, then you might have the link to compass portal.
- You need:
- University ID (starts with 81 or TEMP)
- Date of Birth
- Limited Access PIN
- To login with the PIN click on - Login with PIN (New Student/Scholar Login) option inside the blue box
- Fill in the required details and click on login
- Once logged in, from the menu, click on "Student Admission and Orientation"
- Here you can find - "International Student Request for an I-20 form" option.
- Click on this. It has 2 required and 3 optional forms you need to fill. I will go throught the required forms
- Fill in your name as per your passport
- If you wish to be addressed by any other name click yes and give your preference, otherwise click no
- Provide all the other basic details
- Make sure to fill all details according to passport and also cross check after entering
- Provide your current address in home country address and if this the address where you wish to receive your immigration documents then keep the mailing address the same
- Upload scanned copy of passport
- Once all fields are filled you can submit or you could save as draft for now and submit later
This form is where you provide documents for your funding and also the details about the program you are choosing to attend at UGA
- In Academic level, if you are doing MS which comes under graduate: Select the option - Graduate, Unspecified
- In Expected Major fill in the course you have enrolled for - for example: Computer Science or Food Science whichever course you have the offer letter for
- Now you need to upload the offer letter
- Choose the degree program
- After selecting this you will be able to see the minimum amount you need to show to receive your I20
- For example at the time of writing this (March 22) the amount shown is - $42,287.00 which is equivalent to 32,06,050.22 INR at the time. You need documents that shows you have this much amount minimum with you. You can provide multiple documents like - your income statement, your parent's income or any other source. All of that together should cover this amount.
- The campus you are going to enroll, mostly, would be Athens
- If you do not have any personal funding (personal funding doesn't include your parents' funds either) - the put 0 in the field
- Fill in the other fields accordingly. If your parents or reatives are funding your education then it comes under family funding.
- Now if you have added family funding, select "yes" for this question - Is some of your funding coming from a family member or other individual?
- Here you need to upload a consent letter that contains the signature of the person funding your education. - Upload all the other financial documents and then submit or save as draft to submit later
- If while submitting, the form says to provide correct values under any of your documents, just re-upload the document again as it is and then submit.
- If you get an Internal Server Error message after clicking submit, it is likely because your file uploads are too large. Try reducing the size of your files and re-upload.
You can find the sponsor letter in the page if you scroll above to the section mentioned in the image below:
At the end you can find a link in red, which is a word document. This doument has template, the member who is funding your education has to fill this and sign the document. You can take print out and sign, then upload the scanned copy in the option below where it was asking for this document.
At the end you can find a link in red, which is a word document. This doument has template, the member who is funding your education has to fill this and sign the document. You can take print out and sign, then upload the scanned copy in the option below where it was asking for this document.
Check your UGA email to receive notifications of approval. You can also visit the portal to check the status.
After you recieve I20 you can take print out or even request the I20 to be received via post
Teaching Assistanceship will help you finance your education. A teaching assistantship position is largely invaluable due to the academic/practical work experience and the networking benefits you'll gain.
There are certain criteria that needs to be met in order to be eligible for a TA ship.
You can apply for TAship even before you enter US. If you are enrolling to Fall semester you can apply for TA ship any time before April 30 and you will recieve the confirmation between May-July.
Even if you do not get a TAship in the first semester, you can still apply for the later semester when the application is available.
Use this link to get information:TA requirements
You can also check this PDF: Guide to demonstrating Language proficiency
There are three requirements:
- Take the TA orientation quiz - this you can take before or after you get TA ship. If you just got admission the you can take this in first semester
- Take the course: GSRC 7770 - same condition as TA orientation
- Language Profieciency - This is needed for internation student. Details are given below:
| # | Test Name | Minimum Score Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TOEFL Speaking | >=26 |
| 2 | IELTS Speaking | >=8.0 |
| 3 | Duolingo Overall Score | >=135 |
The above requirement may change in future. These are according to the year 2022. To check the details - use this link: TA POLICY
- You only need to provide results of one of the above tests even if you took multiple tests.
- If you meet at least one requirement, you are considered in placement level 4
- If you do not meet requirement, don't worry, there is still a few steps which I will discuss further
- Give the ITA-TEP exam conducted by the university.
- Give the duolingo test instead of ITA-TEP with the video interview and submit (This option is if the application confirmation deadline is over - April 30 for Fall admissions)
By now if you followed all steps above you know, you are eligible or not. If you are, let's apply via the TA form
The form can be found in this link (scroll down to 2.DEPARTMENTAL TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS and you can find the link) -TA form page
The form can only be filled once and once submitted, if you try to fill again, it will discard the duplicate entries.
The first page of the form covers the requirements we already discussed
Page 1
- Fill the date and choose the TA option as shown in image
Page 2
- If you are a new student, chances are you didn't take TA orientation or the other courses
- If you satisfy the English proficiency requirements, then select I satisfy only the English proficiency requirement and the 3rd option
- If you are at placement level 3, then you should also select : I still need LLED 7769 option
Page 3
- Upload required certificate in Q5 (TOEFL/IELTS/DUOLINGO)
- Q6 is not required for students with placement level 4. For placement level 3, upload the required document
Page 4
- If you are level 4 choose NA (if you haven't taken the CLT test and are still lvl 4 due to the Language Profieciency score)
- Others choose the respective option
Page 5
- Skip Q11 as you might be a new student.
- In Q12, select the option shown in image ("upcoming semester")
Page 6
- Mark Q13 as shown in the image
- In Q14, If you are placement level 4, select: I do not need LLED option
- If you are placement level 2 or 3, select: I have not taken LLED 7769
- If you are placement level 1, select: I have not taken LLED 7769 and 7768
Page 7
- If you are from India, the Answer will be No
- If you were required to give TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo, the answer will be no because even though your institution might be accredited, you country is not identified as English speaking country by UGA (which I guess you already knew)
Page 8
- The form I provided is specific to Computer Science, you can check with University to get the link for other courses. The rest of the steps will remain same
Page 9
- International Students - Foreign National
- Choose your race | country: India - race: Asian
Page 10
- Q23 - None
- For Q24, List the subjects you have experience in, check the course bulletin to see list of courses (If you are unsure of this, mail the university)
- Q25 - 0 for new students
Visit this link and scroll down to 3) RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS to apply for RA ship - RA ship
Research Assistanceship depends on the professor. If you like the a research a professor is working on, then you can reach out to them and prove your interest.
The key here is to reach out to the professors that are working on projects you are interested in.You need to have a resume and also show your interest.
Check this question out - In order to apply for Computer Science RA ship, please provide a one page letter (PDF) giving qualifications and interest and indicate the term of interest.
| # | Apartment | General Pricing | Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steeplechase Apartments | $$$ | Link | Walking distance to campus & downtown |
| 2 | 909 Broad Apartments | $$$ | NA | Walking distance to campus & downtown |
| 3 | River Mill | $$ | Link | Walking distance to campus & downtown. Has 6 month leasing options |
| 4 | The Mark | $$$ | Link | Walking distance to campus & downtown |
| 5 | Eclipse on Broad | $$$ | Link | Walking distance to campus & downtown |
| 6 | WaterFord Place | $$ | Link | Walking distance to campus & downtown |
| 7 | The Flats | $$ | NA | Walking distance to campus |
| # | Apartment | General Pricing | Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polo Club Athens Apartments | $ | Link | On Athens Transit Line |
| 2 | IKON at Athens | $ | Link | On Athens Transit Line. Weekend downtown shuttle |
| 3 | Woodlands of Athens | $$$ | Link | On Athens Transit Line |
| 4 | The Reserve at Athens | $ | Link | On Athens Transit Line. |
| 5 | Cambridge Apartments | $$$ | Link | Walking distance to Publix |
| 6 | Shoal Creek | $$ | Link | On Athens Transit Line. |
| # | Apartment | General Pricing | Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanyard Condominiums | $$$ | Link | Walking distance to campus. Close access to UGA Transit system |
| 2 | Towne Club | $$ | Link | Walking distance to campus. Close access to UGA Transit system |
| 3 | Bromsgrove Apartments | $$ | Link | Walking distance to campus. Close access to UGA Transit system |
| 4 | University Garden Apartments | $$ | Link | Walking distance to campus |
| # | Apartment | General Pricing | Link | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bluffs at Epps Bridge | $$ | Link | On Athens Transit Line |
According to all of us, while choosing the residence, along with RENT following things should be considered in order (of priority from high to low, may differ from individual perspective).:
- Transport. ( If you don't have own vehicle).
- Utilities (Electricity, Water, Internet). (Majority has basic House appliances like Refrigerator, Induction Stove + Oven Unit, Washer+Dryer)
- Distance from Campus (Check for your respective campus buildings and nearby stop) * / Grocery stores/ Restaurants(even fast food).
- Community.
- Furniture (Bed, Mattress, Tables, Chairs, Microwave, Couch, TV, etc.)
- Amenities such as Recreational activities, Surroundings. (Least concerned).
Based on Above we give our opinion for following few apartments where most of Indians are currently staying.
Furnished - ✅
Campus Bus- RSM (5 mins walk, depends on Building)
Athens Transit- #14 (Comes inside the community, variable walk duration based on buildings)
20 mins
5.4Kms
4BHK/2Bath | 2BHK/1Bath
- Rent Includes Water+Internet
- You'll find most of the Indian students living here
- 20 mins walk to University Village(UV) and Indian Grocery store
- Bus service only till 6 PM and no transit on Weekends
- Pests (If kept uncleaned)
Furnished - ❌
Campus Bus- UV, Intersession UV during sem breaks, Night campus during nights, Weekenders during weekends (One bus stop for all, 6-7 mins walk)
Athens Transit- #9 (5-6 mins walk), #14(4-5 mins walk)
15- 20 mins for UV, 30 mins for Route 14 and 1 hour for route 9
4.3kms
- 3 min Walk to Indian Grocery Store and 6 mins to University Village(UV)
- Individual Rooms and Bathrooms
- Close to Campus
- Poor Maintenance
- Rent does not include any utilities
Furnished - ✅
2BHK/2 Bath | 3BHK/3Bath | 4BHK/2Bath
Campus Bus - NA
Athens Transit- #9 (Bus stops on highway, variable walk duration based on buildings)
1 hour
5.9Kms
- Individual Rooms and Bathrooms
- Spacious outdoors
- Roommate Matching
- Rent Includes Water+Internet
- Maintenance is done within a day
- Athens Transit is one hour once
- Bus service till 6:30 PM on weekdays and no service on weekends
- 30 mins walk to UV
Furnished - ❌
1BHK,1 Bath | 2BHK,1Bath
Campus Bus - UV, (Intersession UV during sem breaks, Night campus during nights, Weekenders during weekends) (stops in front of most buildings)
Athens Transit - #14 (Depends on Building
15-20 mins
3.8Kms
- On campus bus network, so no worries for commutation
- Maintenance is done within a day
- Roommate Matching
- Rent Includes Water+Internet+Electricity
- University Maintained
- Leasing available on semester basis
- Too Costly as compared to other places with same features
- Rooms are small
- Less spacious surroundings (Like College Hostels)
- No recreational areas (But University recreational complex is nearby, again depends on building)
Furnished - ❌
2BHK,1Bath
Campus Bus - RSM
Athens Transit - #12
20 mins
4.4Kms
- spacious rooms
- Small kitchen and bathroom
- Bus service only till 6 PM and no transit on Weekends
Furnished - ✅
2BHK/2 Bath | 4BHK/4Bath
Campus Bus - RSM
Athens Transit - #25
40 mins - 1 hour
5.8Kms
- spacious rooms
- Near to Krogers and Walmart
- Bus service only till 6 PM and no transit on Weekends
- Pests ( If not clean)
- Maintenance is not good
Student Orientation occurs in the few weeks (maybe 2) before your course start date. It is a nice event which you can take part in to get to know your fellow collegues.
You can find more information about student orientation here - Info
You can also check out - Indian Student Association (ISA)