University of Georgia

UGA is selective but not a reach for strong students: it admitted about 34.3% of applicants in the most recent cycle, from a pool of roughly 47,464 applications that yielded around 6,195 enrolled first-years. Admission has grown more competitive over time, and the rigor of your high school course load is weighed as a very important factor alongside grades.

Out-of-state applicants are admitted at a lower rate than Georgia residents: UGA admitted about 31.1% of out-of-state applicants (6,878 admitted of 22,113) versus 47.0% of in-state applicants (8,946 of 19,041) in the Fall 2024 cycle; international applicants were admitted at roughly 20.9%. That said, UGA formally lists state residency and geographical residence as factors it does not consider in its holistic review, so your file is evaluated on academic and personal merits. Strong course rigor and GPA remain the most important factors regardless of where you live.

Admitted first-years at UGA carry an average high school GPA of about 4.17 on a weighted scale, meaning most enrolling students earned mostly A's in a demanding course load. There is no published hard cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your high school record are both rated very important in UGA's admissions review.

A 1400 is competitive at UGA, landing near the top of the middle-50% range of enrolled first-years, who scored between 1250 and 1420 on the SAT (27–33 on the ACT). About 32% of enrolled students scored 1400 or above, so a 1400 puts you in strong position alongside a high GPA and rigorous coursework.

Yes. UGA requires an SAT or ACT score for first-year admission — it is not test-optional. Scores are rated an important factor, just below GPA and course rigor, and the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1250–1420 on the SAT or 27–33 on the ACT.

Annual tuition and required fees run about $11,492 for Georgia residents and $32,336 for out-of-state students, a gap that makes UGA an exceptional value for in-state families. About 28% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, with an average need-based package near $17,230, and UGA meets roughly 78% of demonstrated need on average.

Business and marketing is by far the most popular area at about 30% of bachelor's degrees, anchored by UGA's Terry College of Business. The sciences (16%), social sciences (14%), and communication (7%) round out the most-awarded fields.

It helps, but it is not decisive: UGA rates the application essay as a factor it considers, below academic GPA, course rigor, and test scores in its holistic review. With admission this competitive, a specific, well-revised essay is a low-cost way to add context to an already strong academic file.

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