Definition of a "Georgia Resident" for Purposes of Applying and Paying Fees

A student who is not a legal resident of the State of Georgia is charged out-of-state tuition. Hence, the determination of whether a student is classified in-state or out-of-state for tuition purposes is significant, and the applicant must indicate his or her classification on the application for admission. For more detailed information, see Regents' Policies Governing the Classification of Students.

Additionally, in accordance with Board of Regents Policy 4.3.4 Verification of Lawful Presence, all applicants who are accepted for admission or readmission to the institution for Fall 2011 or any academic semester thereafter, and who seek to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes, will be required to provide validation of residency and lawful presence in both the state of Georgia and the United States.

Graduate Admission Classification

A prospective student who plans to take course work beyond the baccalaureate degree must apply to the University and be admitted to a program under one of the following classifications:

Degree Admission

Students admitted to a program that leads to a graduate degree are classified as degree-seeking students. Degree-seeking students are placed into one of two categories.

1. Regular. Meets all requirements for admission and has been approved for admission by the graduate program and college/school in which he or she plans to study. See information in the Graduate Catalog about individual graduate programs for more details regarding admission.
2. Provisional Degree. Does not satisfy the full admission requirements to a degree program. Some programs allow Provisional Degree admission for an applicant who does not meet one or more of the standards required for admission as a Regular student or a UWG undergraduate-graduating senior (as explained in the section that follows after Non-Degree Admission). Provisional Degree admission is a temporary status that makes the applicant eligible for admittance under conditions specified at the time of admission by the Department Chair or Graduate Program Director and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the College or Tanner Health System School of Nursing. Provisional Degree status must be removed and Regular status achieved, per the conditions specified at the time of admission. Applicants are advised to communicate directly with the Department Chair or Graduate Program Director for more information, because some programs do not permit Provisional Degree admission. See information in the Graduate Studies Catalog about individual graduate programs for more details regarding Provisional Degree admission.

Non-Degree Admission

Students admitted under the non-degree category may earn credit in graduate courses without working toward a graduate degree. Some graduate programs permit students admitted in a non-degree category to later apply to a degree program. In this case, upon the advisor’s recommendation and approval of the Graduate Program Director and Director of Graduate Studies in the College/School, non-degree graduate courses may be included in the program of study should the student gain readmission as a Regular or Provisional Degree student. Non-degree admission categories include the following:

1. Transient. An applicant in good standing at a regionally accredited institution may be accepted as a Transient student provided an approved transient letter or transient form is obtained from the Registrar or appropriate Dean of the "home" school (the school where the student is currently enrolled). Enrollment as a Transient student is limited to one consecutive semester. A Transient student wishing to continue enrollment at UWG as a degree seeking transfer student must reapply as a transfer degree seeking student and fulfill all transfer admission requirements. Application as a transfer student and all required transfer admission documents must be received by the application and document deadline dates. Transfer credit into graduate programs is limited and may not be permitted by all programs.
2. Enrichment. Individuals who wish to take courses for personal or professional improvement may apply under this category. Some programs may permit a student who has taken courses for enrichment to apply them to a graduate program, provided that the applicant applies for admission, meets all regular admission requirements, and is admitted to the program. In this case, no more than nine (9) semester credit hours earned in the Enrichment non-degree status may be applied toward a graduate degree, provided that the Graduate Program Director and Director of Graduate Studies in the college/school approve the credits for the graduate degree. Because admission under the Enrichment category is dependent on a number of variables such as the applicant having completed relevant pre-requisite courses, applicants should communicate directly with the department that offers the enrichment course of interest to determine admissibility under the Enrichment category.
3. Provisional Non-Degree. Does not satisfy the full admission requirements to a non-degree program. Some programs allow Provisional Non-Degree admission for an applicant who does not meet one or more of the standards required for admission as a UWG Certificate student or Educator Certification student. Provisional Non-Degree admission is a temporary status that makes the applicant eligible for admittance under conditions specified at the time of admission by the Department Chair or Graduate Program Director and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the college or Tanner Health System School of Nursing. Provisional Non-Degree status must be removed and UWG Certificate or Educator Certification admission status achieved, per the conditions specified at the time of admission. Applicants are advised to communicate directly with the Department Chair or Graduate Program Director for more information, because some programs do not permit Provisional Non-Degree admission. See information in the Graduate Studies Catalog about individual graduate programs for more details regarding Provisional Non-Degree admission.
4. Educator Certification (Teacher, Service, or Leadership for PK-12 schools). An applicant with a bachelor’s degree who wants to earn teacher, service, or leadership certification through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission may, in some cases, be admitted as Educator Certification non-degree students and enroll in graduate courses. Note that admission in this category and completion of an educator certification program does not guarantee subsequent admission to a graduate degree program, which is a separate process with different admission criteria. Due to the complex nature of educator certification requirements, which are regulated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, applicants should contact the College of Education to access up-to-date, detailed information. Applicants will be directed to the appropriate advisor, whether in the College of Education or another college. Students enrolled in this admission category are not eligible for graduate assistant positions.
5. UWG Certificate (not educator certification). Some departments offer certificate programs that may be associated with a degree program or independent of a degree program. Awarded by the University of West Georgia, these certificates differ from certifications awarded by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for Georgia PK-12 educators. The student must apply through the Registrar's office for the certificate upon completion of all requirements. The following certificates can be earned at the University of West Georgia:

Admission as a UWG Undergraduate-Graduating Senior

A UWG undergraduate senior within 6 hours of completing requirements for a bachelor's degree may be permitted to enroll in courses for graduate credit provided that he or she meets the following conditions.

1. The UWG student must obtain the permission of the Department Chair and Graduate Program Director that schedule and/or provide advising for the graduate course/s. Permission must also be given by the Dean of the college or school of the undergraduate major.
2. The UWG student is qualified for admission to graduate study except for the award of the undergraduate degree.
3. The UWG student registers for no more than nine (9) semester credit hours. For example, a student who needs six (6) hours to complete the baccalaureate degree could register for those six (6) undergraduate hours plus an additional three (3) hours of graduate credit. The graduate credit would apply to a graduate degree, essentially accelerating the student’s completion of a master’s degree after admission to a UWG master’s program. Under no circumstances may a course be used for both graduate and undergraduate credit.

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