How to Apply as an International Student

Requirements to Apply for UNG Acceptance

• 16 or older before the first day of class.
• You must be a high school graduate. 
• You must prove English proficiency.
• International applicants who are considered as a traditional freshman (graduated from high school less than 5 years ago) or considered as a freshman/transfer (graduated from high school less than 5 years ago and have less than 30 transferable college hours) must submit official SAT or ACT scores and meet traditional freshman criteria.
• If transferring from a U.S. institution, applicants should have a least a 2.0 transferable/overall GPA if seeking an associate’s degree, and at least a 2.25 transferable/overall GPA if seeking a bachelor’s degree.
• If you are required to complete Accuplacer testing, please note that the Accuplacer testing will need to be completed before an admissions decision is made. If you are located close to a UNG campus – you can complete this testing at UNG’s Dahlonega, Gainesville or Oconee campus. If you are located outside of Georgia or the US, please contact UNG’s Testing Center to schedule a remote Accuplacer test.  

Requirements After Acceptance

• You will not qualify for U.S. financial aid. You must be able to prove that you have the equivalent of at least $41,000 USD in the bank to finance your education (tuition, fees, books, living expenses) if you are applying for a bachelor's degree, or $30,000 USD if applying for an associate degree.
  These amounts are estimates and subject to change without notice.
• The University System of Georgia (USG) requires every international student to have health insurance that conforms to their criteria. Therefore, you will automatically be billed for the United Healthcare Student Health Insurance Plan (ship). See below in the Notes section for further information.
• Dahlonega campus international students will be assessed an additional $200 as a one-time International Student fee. This fee covers airport pickup, early arrival dining, and transportation to local merchants to shop for necessities for residence hall rooms.

Students who are non-native speakers of English, who transfer from an institution of higher education outside the U.S. where English was not the language of instruction, are required to submit an English language proficiency exam score from one of the approved providers below along with their foreign credentials.

International applicants who are considered as a traditional freshman (graduated from high school less than five years ago) or considered as a freshman/transfer (graduated from high school less than five years ago and have less than 30 transferable college hours) must submit official SAT or ACT scores and meet traditional freshman criteria.

Associate Degree Pathway

• TOEFL iBT (includes computer-based, home edition, my best & paper edition) score of 69 
• IELTS (includes indicator version; indicator scores accepted through 2023) score of 6
• SAT Evidence Based Reading/Writing score of 480, or ACT English score of 17, or ACT reading score of 17
• EIKEN score of Pre-1
• MET (Michigan English Test) score of 55
• Cambridge English Scale Score – which can be demostrated in B2 First (First Certificate in English - FCE), C1 Advanced (Certificate in Advanced English - CAE) or C2 Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in English - CPE)
• Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) IGCSE and “O” Level “English” exams score of “D” or better
• UK GCSE “English” exam score of “C” or better
• UK GCE A-Level “English” exam score of “C” or better
• EdExcel International A-Levels and IGCSE English exams score of “D” or better
• Pearson (PTE) Academic conventional and online score of 53
• Completion of an approved USG campus-based ESL program of study
• A waiver of the English proficiency requirement can be applied to students who have successfully completed academic instruction in English. Successful completion can be demonstrated by one of the following methods: 1) Proof of degree at the secondary or collegiate level either outside or inside the U.S. where English is the official language of the academic instruction.  2) Proof of completion of the equivalent of English 1101 and /or 1102 with a grade of C or better in one or both courses, at an accredited U.S. institution.
• Students who submit scores below bachelor English Proficiency requirements but meet associate English Proficiency requirements are subject to ACCUPLACER testing in Reading and the UNG ESL WritePlacer exam. Effective 05/06/2020 there is a fee of $11.50 USD per Accuplacer test session.
• If one's English proficiency score is below the minimum required for admission to the associate degree pathway, the student may want to consider enrolling in an ESL program in UNG's Center for Language Education (CLE) to improve one's English proficiency. 

Bachelor's Degree

ONE of the following conditions must be met:

• TOEFL iBT (includes computer-based, home edition, my best & paper edition) score of 79 
• IELTS (includes indicator version; indicator scores accepted through 2023) score of 6.5
• SAT Evidence Based Reading/Writing score of 480, or ACT English score of 17, or ACT reading score of 17
• EIKEN score of Pre-1
• MET (Michigan English Test) score of 59
• Cambridge English Scale Score – which can be demostrated in B2 First (First Certificate in English - FCE), C1 Advanced (Certificate in Advanced English - CAE) or C2 Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in English - CPE)
• Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) IGCSE and “O” Level “English” exams score of “D” or better
• UK GCSE “English” exam score of “C” or better
• UK GCE A-Level “English” exam score of “C” or better
• EdExcel International A-Levels and IGCSE English exams score of “D” or better
• Pearson (PTE) Academic conventional and online score of 58
• Completion of an approved USG campus-based ESL program of study
• A waiver of the English proficiency requirement can be applied to students who have successfully completed academic instruction in English. Successful completion can be demonstrated by one of the following methods: 1) Proof of degree at the secondary or collegiate level either outside or inside the U.S. where English is the official language of the academic instruction. 2) Proof of completion of the equivalent of English 1101 and /or 1102 with a grade of C or better in one or both courses, at an accredited U.S. institution.
• If one's English Proficiency score is below the minimum required for admissions to the Bachelor's degree pathway, enroll in an ESL program in UNG's Center for Language Education (CLE) to improve one's English proficiency. 

• Associate pathways are not offered on the Dahlonega campus.
• If your primary campus is Cumming, Gainesville or Oconee, please do not secure off-campus housing until after you have registered for New Student Orientation. Please view our off-campus housing resources.
• UNG provides campus shuttle services for the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses.
• You may choose to start in an associate degree program on our Cumming, Gainesville or Oconee campus, or in a bachelor's degree program on any campus. However, bachelor's degrees can only be completed on the Dahlonega or Gainesville campuses. 
• Not all degree programs are offered on all campuses. Please refer to the Degrees & Programs Listing to see which degrees are offered on which campus. You may need to take classes on other campuses or internally transfer to another campus to complete your degree.
• You are not guaranteed a class schedule at particular times or locations.
• Not sure of which major you should choose?  Use these tools to help you determine a career interest and what major is best for you.
  • My Next Move
  • Career Cluster Interest Survey
  • Sokanu

How do I apply?

Apply for admission online using GAFutures.  If you cannot apply online, download a paper application (PDF).  You will pay a non-refundable $40 USD application fee whether you apply online or on paper.

*Prices/fees are subject to change without notice

I wish to attend UNG on the Gainesville, Cumming or Oconee campuses. What housing options are available to me?

UNG’s Gainesville, Cumming and Oconee campuses do not offer on-campus housing. You will need to make arrangements for your housing. Our Dean of Students Office keeps a list of off-campus housing options for your convenience. It is extremely important for you to know that you are responsible for having transportation to get you to school. Some off-campus housing options have UNG shuttle services, but some do not. Do not choose an off-campus apartment that is not on the shuttle route if you do not plan to purchase a car.

Does UNG recommend a specific organization for document evaluation?

The credential evaluation needs to be completed by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Service, Inc. (NACES) UNG does not recommend one NACES organization over another. The NACES organizations are all highly qualified to provide you with an evaluation required by UNG.

If my first language is not English, do I need to submit English Proficiency scores?

Yes, you are required to submit official English Proficiency Score reports. Most students complete the TOEFL, IELTS, SAT or ACT to satisfy this requirement. Scores must be received by UNG directly from the testing organization – scores cannot be emailed to UNG by the student.

I have submitted my English proficiency scores; will I need to complete further testing?

You may be required to complete an Accuplacer test in math. If you do not have access to a UNG campus to complete this testing, you can contact our Testing Center to schedule a remote Accuplacer session.

How much will I pay in tuition and fees each semester to attend the University of North Georgia?

Please see the UNG Tuition estimator for current tuition and fees based on academic level and campus.  Remember that UNG encourages all students to enroll in 15 hours/semester and F-1 student must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours to be considered a full-time student. Please note that these costs do not include housing, meal plans, international student insurance, transportation, books, personal items, etc., and are subject to change at any time.

Does UNG have scholarships specifically for international students?

Yes, after you have been academically admitted to UNG, you will receive information about the International Student Scholarship. The scholarship reduces UNG tuition to the in-state rate and the approximate total of the award per semester is $3,000.

I am already in F-1 status at a US institution; do I need to get a new I-20 from UNG?

Yes, once you are academically accepted to UNG, the Center for Global Engagement will provide you an F-1 Transfer Clearance Form that you and your current international advisor will complete and return to UNG. Using the information indicated on the form, UNG will transfer your SEVIS record and generate a new UNG I-20.

I have just been accepted, what do I do now?

You will need to confirm your acceptance by going to the Admissions Check Application Status page – there is a block for you to click to confirm that you will be attending UNG. Your next step would be to complete the New Student Checklist which can be found on the right-hand side of the page.

Also, the Center for Global Engagement will send pre-arrival information and instructions for issuance of the I-20 for F-1 status to your UNG email account. Please read and act on that information in order to receive your I-20 in a timely fashion.

Why am I being assessed International Student Health Insurance? Can I opt out of this requirement?

Health insurance is a requirement for all international students, and you will be automatically enrolled for UnitedHealthcare international student health insurance. If you already have health insurance and want to waive out of the mandatory insurance, you will need to complete a waiver. All accepted students will receive information via their UNG email account regarding the waiver process. This email is sent several weeks prior to the start of the semester. If you are denied, the UnitedHeathcare fee will remain on your BANNER invoice. If you are enrolled for UnitedHeathcare, you will need to create an account in order to access your insurance card.  See the Center for Global Engagement site for further information on international health insurance.

Can I take online classes as an F-1 student?

F-1 visa holders are not allowed to take a full course load of on-line courses. The Center for Global Engagement will be instructing all new international students on the most recent guidance regarding enrollment.

1. We need SAT or ACT scores if your native language is English. Scores must come directly from the testing agency, personal copies and photocopies will NOT be accepted.  SAT and ACT test registration deadlines are usually 6-8 weeks before the actual test date, and it can take a month or more after you take the test for us to receive your scores.  Please make sure you take the test in enough time so that we receive your scores before the application deadline.  Please use school code 5497 to have SAT or TOEFL scores, or school code 0848 to have ACT scores sent to the University of North Georgia.
   
   If your school does not have SAT registration forms please contact:

2. EducationUSA centers are the U.S. State Department‘s network of more than 400 advising centers in 170 countries designed to assist local students find the appropriate college or university in the United States.
3. The University System of Georgia (USG) requires every international student to have health insurance that conforms to their criteria. Visit the Center for Global Engagement for more information on health insurance options.