First-Year Student

Early Action is an accelerated college application process in which students must complete their application by October 15. Early action decisions are non-binding and applications are reviewed through the holistic admissions process. 

For Early Action admission, the application, $50 application fee, official high school transcript, and personal essay response are due by October 15. We will continue to accept ACT/SAT/CLT scores (both self-reported and official score reports) and optional materials (resume and recommendation letters) through October 25 for Early Action admission.

Students who apply during early action are considered for Georgia College's most prestigious President's Scholarship Competition held in early December where over $200,000 worth of scholarships are awarded. 

Rolling Decision (aka Regular Decision) provides applicants an opportunity to be reviewed at a later date in Georgia College's holistic admissions process. This gives students time to submit test scores taken after the Early Action timeline, include grades from their first semester of senior year, and gives a student more time to work on their application. 

If your file is Complete and Ready for Review by the date(s) below, a decision will be entered on the noted decision date:

October 15 (Early Action)*

*Early Action decisions will be posted by late November. Check our social media accounts and emails for more information about when decisions will be available. Students will be notified via email that there has been an update to their admissions application status.

Beginning in January (after the early action deadline), decisions will be released on a monthly basis.

Please note: Completed and Ready for Review status means that ALL required application materials along with the Undergraduate Application have been received to the Office of Admissions.

Georgia College & State University is one of the three most selective public universities in the state, and we use a holistic review process that is focused on reading every student's application in-full to determine a well-rounded fit. Therefore, GCSU is not included in Georgia Match. Students must complete a traditional application and essay on Common App to be considered for admission at GCSU.

OUR FALL 2027 FRESHMAN APPLICATION OPENS SOON

Apply to Georgia College & State University through Common App beginning August 1.

The Undergraduate application is used to apply as a first-year student. Please note that Common App will require you to create an account before you can access our online application.

*Currently enrolled Georgia College dual enrollment students are only required to submit an Undergraduate Update Form and an essay. Please note: Dual enrollment students will go through the same freshman admission review process and must meet the admission deadlines for all required admission materials.

 COMMON APPLICATION

As part of our mission to provide students with a liberal arts education, Georgia College strives to create an atmosphere that instills in students exceptional qualities of mind and character including respect for individuality. Georgia College is dedicated to extending learning beyond the classroom to foster critical thinking skills and help students develop the tools necessary to not only consume knowledge but also produce knowledge. With this educational style in mind, Georgia College requires the submission of one essay prompt with your application via Common App.

The essay is a requirement to submit your application to Georgia College and each year’s essay prompts are released early via Common App to give students time to prepare for their application. Please choose only one essay prompt to submit.

Essay prompts

GCSU Admissions Statement on AI:
AI tools can be powerful and helpful when used responsibly and thoughtfully. AI based writing assistance programs should be treated like any other form of assistance, whether it is a parent, counselor, or teacher. Using such resources to brainstorm and to refine ideas is appropriate. Cutting and pasting is not. Ultimately, the writing you submit on your application must be your own. The essay prompts help us to better understand you as a person, your goals and what you will contribute to the GCSU community. You are the only person who can authentically communicate this information.

*Currently enrolled Georgia College dual enrollment students are required to submit essay responses. Please pick one essay prompt from the Common App prompts in the button above to submit.

Application Fee: The $50 (non-refundable) online application fee is payable at the time of application for first-year applicants. The paper application fee is $50 (non-refundable). If you submitted your application without paying the fee, you may do so through our payment portal. 

Fee Waiver

First-year application processing fee is NOT required of students who:

• Previously applied to Dual Enrollment at Georgia College
• Received an application fee waiver
• In an effort to alleviate some of the burden of applying for college after a natural disaster, students who reside in a FEMA Declared Disaster Area may request a fee waiver from GCSU.
  • To claim your waiver follow the steps below::
    • Login to the Common Application site
    • Click "My Colleges" tab and click on "Georgia College & State University"
    • Go to the college information tab and select the "Questions" section below Application
    • Find question: "Do you intend to use one of these school-specific fee waivers?" and select "I live in a U.S. county that was added to the FEMA Declared Disasters list."

Students who receive a testing fee waiver will automatically receive College Application Fee Waivers from the test agency to use when applying to college. Students must send one of their official College Application Fee Waivers (not the test fee waiver) to the Georgia College Office of Admissions for the waiver to be accepted. Note: Waivers must be signed by the student and mailed or emailed.

Accepted application fee waivers: NACAC, College Board (SAT), ACT

If you are exempt from paying the application fee, please select “Fee Waiver” option on your application to avoid paying the application fee. 

Please note: Applicants are responsible for submitting their official fee waivers to the Office of Admissions.

Applicants are required to submit official high school transcripts to the GCSU Office of Admissions. Students who attended multiple high schools may be required to submit official transcripts from all schools (particularly if not all high school courses appear on the student's current high school transcript). 

If admitted, dual enrollment transcripts are required if any courses were taken at an institution/college while the student attended high school. For information about course equivalency and how courses taken at another institution transfer to Georgia College, please visit our Transfer Equivalency page. 

Official formats for receiving transcripts include:

College: Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, Mail
High School: GAfutures, Parchment, CommonApp, Naviance, and Mail

Mailed transcripts should be sent in an unopened envelope that was sealed by the school. 

Faxed documents and copies provided by the student are NOT considered official and will not be used for admission purposes. Courses from one institution that are listed on another high school and/or college transcript will not substitute for an official transcript. Prior educational experience may not be omitted from an application package.

Georgia College has a holistic review process for admissions applicants, focusing on academics, rigor, activities and leadership. Admissions decisions are based on the total student portfolio and demonstrated potential for contribution to the university and probability for success in the unique environment of the GCSU community.

Self-Reported Test Scores
In an effort to expedite the application completion process, Georgia College will allow self-reported test scores for initial admission review. You have two avenues to self-report your standardized test scores:

• Self-reported scores listed in the Common Application testing section
• Self-reported Score Form, which can be found in your admission portal after you have submitted your application

Please note: We will not use scores received on your high school transcript or via email, fax, or postal service. Additionally, GCSU cannot request scores on your behalf.

Submit your official SAT or ACT scores to school code 5252 or 0828, respectively, or submit Classic Learning Test (CLT) scores at cltexam.com. GCSU will allow self-reported test scores for initial admissions review. Students admitted using self-reported scores must submit official test results by April 1.

To learn more about how we use test scores, click the button below.

GCSU TEST SCORE INFORMATION

• One to two letters of recommendation from teacher or counselor
• Resume of co-curricular activities

Since Georgia College utilizes a holistic review process, letters of recommendation and resumes may be included on the application for admission, upload in student portal, mailed to Campus Box 23, Milledgeville, GA 31061, or emailed as a Microsoft Word document/ PDF format to admissions@gcsu.edu. Please include the applicant’s full name and birth date when sending the recommended items to ensure materials are updated to the correct application. Please note: Georgia College does not utilize a specific teacher recommendation form.

The successful first-year applicant will demonstrate his or her potential for success by completing a rigorous Required High School Curriculum with a competitive grade point average, show strong SAT or ACT score results and provide a well developed personal essay. 

ANNUAL SECURITY AND FIRE SAFETY REPORT  

The Georgia College & State University (GCSU) Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes crime statistics for the three previous calendar years of reported crimes that occurred on campus; in or on certain non-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by GCSU; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and fire safety policies and statistics. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is published annually by October 1 and is available online at: https://www.gcsu.edu/asfsr. You may request a paper copy of the report by emailing clery@gcsu.edu.

TITLE IX

As required by Title IX, Georgia College & State University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any of its education programs or activities, including in admissions and employment. Inquiries concerning application of Title IX can be directed to GCSU's Title IX Coordinator or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. Please visit Georgia College & State University’s Title IX webpage for more information. 

USG STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (USG). The Board of Regents prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from the participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any USG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except that preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law. Please visit Georgia College & State University's statement of non-discrimination for more information. 

The form must be submitted for students who meet the criteria below.

• Dual Enrollment students currently enrolled at Georgia College
• GC students who attend another school as a transient for either the Fall or Spring semester (the student needs to send an official transcript to the Admissions Office once their final grade is posted)
• Students who withdraw and receive a full refund for a Fall or Spring semester
• Non-Degree Seeking students  (must update every semester)
• Non-Degree Seeking, Amendment 23 students (must update every semester)
• Students who wish to attend/return to GCSU and applied or were enrolled less than a year ago (If more than a year has passed, the student needs to submit a new application)

UPDATE YOUR UNDERGRADUATE APPLICATION