Education Abroad Photo Contest

The contest is open to currently enrolled students at Georgia College & State University who have participated in an approved Georgia College education abroad program within the previous twelve months. Eligible programs include faculty-led programs, exchange programs, affiliate or partner programs, international internships, research experiences, and other education abroad opportunities approved by the International Education Center. Participants must be the original creator and copyright holder of each submitted photograph. All photographs must have been taken by the participant during their education abroad experience.

Participants may submit up to five photographs in total. Each photograph must be submitted to only one contest category and must include the location where the photo was taken, the name of the education abroad program, and a brief caption describing the image and its significance. 

Entries must be submitted through the official contest submission form before the stated submission deadline. Late or incomplete submissions may not be considered. Employees of the International Education Center who are directly involved in administering the contest are not eligible to participate.

Submitted photographs must be original images captured by the participant during their education abroad program. Images should accurately represent the moment photographed and should not be substantially altered or manipulated. Minor adjustments such as cropping, brightness correction, or color adjustment are permitted. Images that have been heavily edited, digitally manipulated to misrepresent the original scene, or generated using artificial intelligence are not permitted. Participants are expected to practice responsible and respectful photography while abroad. Photographs should respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and should not portray individuals or communities in ways that are exploitative, misleading, or disrespectful. When possible, participants should obtain permission before photographing identifiable individuals. Georgia College reserves the right to disqualify any image that violates these standards.

Entries will be reviewed by a judging panel composed of International Education Center staff, Georgia College faculty, and other invited campus representatives. Photographs will be evaluated based on several criteria, which may include visual impact, creativity and originality, storytelling and caption quality, representation of the education abroad experience, and relevance to the selected contest category. The judging panel will select a Best Overall Photo, Category Winners, and may designate Honorable Mentions at its discretion. Prize types and values may vary from year to year and will be announced by the International Education Center. All judging decisions are final.

By submitting an entry, participants grant Georgia College & State University a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, reproduce, publish, display, and distribute the submitted photographs for educational, promotional, and marketing purposes related to Georgia College programs. Such uses may include, but are not limited to, university websites, social media platforms, brochures and printed publications, presentations, digital displays, and campus exhibitions. Participants retain ownership of the copyright to their photographs. Whenever reasonably possible, Georgia College will credit the photographer when the image is used. Participants affirm that their submission does not infringe upon the rights of any other individual or organization and that they have obtained any necessary permissions for identifiable individuals appearing in the photograph.

Georgia College reserves the right to disqualify any submission that violates contest rules, contains inappropriate or unlawful content, or infringes upon the rights of others. The university also reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the contest if necessary due to administrative, technical, or other unforeseen circumstances. Submission of an entry constitutes the participant’s full acceptance of these Official Rules and Terms.