Admission Requirements

A freshman is an applicant who has never been enrolled in a regionally-accredited college or university, with the exception of joint enrollment while in high school. Georgia State calculates admissibility through consideration of two factors: a student’s grade point average (GPA) in the College Prep Curriculum high school courses and official SAT and/or ACT scores. The average ranges for admissible freshmen are as follows:

High School Core GPA	3.0 – 3.32
SAT  (Verbal + Math only)	990-1080
ACT  (Composite)	21-23

If your high school is not accredited, please visit our home-school information. If you are interested in taking college courses while still in high school, please visit our joint-enrollment page. If you have been out of school for at least five years, please view our non-traditional information.

• Georgia State requires completion of the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) course units. Please refer to the table above for the average GPA range of accepted students.

SUBJECT:	UNITS:	COURSES:
ENGLISH	4	Any 4 English/Language Arts
MATH	4	Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry & 1 Higher Level Math
NATURAL SCIENCE	3	1 Life Science/Lab, 1 Physical Science/Lab, & 1 Science Elective *The graduating Class of 2012 and beyond will be required to complete 2 science electives, in addition to the life & physical sciences, which will be a total of 4 science units.
SOCIAL SCIENCE	3	1 U.S. History, 1 World History & 1 Social Science Elective
FOREIGN LANGUAGE	2	Both units must be the same language. American Sign Language is acceptable.

 

• Georgia State requires freshmen applicants to submit SATor ACT scores. Please refer to the table above for the average test ranges of accepted GSU students. All test scores must be submitted electronically directly from the appropriate testing agency.  Georgia State will not review any application based on test scores received on a high school transcript, nor will we consider paper rush reports. 

In addition to meeting our test score ranges above, all applicants must meet the individual score section requirements mandated by the Board of Regents, regardless of the total overall score, which include:

• SAT:  430 verbal/critical reading and 400 mathematics score
• ACT:  17 English and 17 math

Meeting these individual test section minimums does not qualify an applicant for admission; it simply means your application will be processed. Applicants are encouraged to meet the ranges posted above and to note that admissibility is dependent upon size and competition of the applicant pool.

• If you are a high-school student who’s interested in taking college courses now, please visit joint enrollment.
• Home-schooled students and students graduating from non-accredited schools must follow admissions requirements and process here.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

In addition to meeting all other applicable requirements for admission, non-native speakers of English must demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. This may be demonstrated by any of the following:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores of: 
  • 550 or better (paper test)
  • 213 or better (computer test)
  • 79-80 (internet-based test)
• Georgia State Test of English Proficiency (GSTEP) score of 6.
• Successful completion of Georgia State University’s Intensive English Program.
• For transfer applicants, completion of a college-level English composition course with a grade of “C” or better at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
• For freshmen applicants, SAT Critical Reading score of 430 or better or ACT English score of 17 or better. 

Placement

The Georgia State Test of English Proficiency (GSTEP) is a diagnostic test given to all non-native speakers of English entering Georgia State.  The GSTEP is given to all incoming international students during International Student Orientation and is a prerequisite for registration in classes.  If you took the GSTEP as part of your application process, you are not required to take it again for placement purposes. If you do not meet the minimum language proficiency requirements, you will be referred to the Intensive English Program. You may find out more about the GSTEP by contacting the Department of Applied Linguistics and ESL at 404-413-5200. 

Conditional Admission—F1 Visa Applicants Only

Non-native speakers of English who meet all admission requirements except the English language proficiency may be granted conditional admission.

To be eligible for Conditional Admission, applicants meet one of the following:
• TOEFL score of either:
o 480 or better (paper test)
o 157 or better (computer test)
o 54-55 (internet-based test)
Students granted conditional admission will be required to take certain courses in the Intensive English Program (IEP) before taking other courses at Georgia State.
A student may remain on conditional admission status for no more than three semesters.
Financial Aid is typically not available to IEP students. 

Evaluation Services

Evaluation of high school and post-secondary school transcripts for students having graduated outside the U.S.

Students mingle in the plaza outside the library.