Once you are enrolled at Georgia State, the One Stop Shop is your first stop — and possibly your only stop — for any questions or problems you may have regarding financial aid, registration, or student accounts The One Stop Shop is staffed with experts from these various offices who can quickly assess your problem or situation and either help you on the spot or refer you to the appropriate resource for more information or processing.
Please apply online at http://www.gsu.edu/admissions. If you are unable to pay online, then you may download the printable application, bring it to the University Cashiers’ window (bottom floor of Sparks Hall, end of the hallway near the library plaza) to pay in person. Submit the application with your receipt to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 200 Sparks Hall.
Please visit http://www.gsu.edu/housing for full details. You may visit the University Housing Office at 250 Student Center or call 404-413-1800 or e-mail housing@gsu.edu.
Please visit the PantherCard Office (part of Auxiliary & Support Services) on the second floor of the University Center (downstairs from the University Bookstore).
Panther Access to Web Services. PAWS incorporates the GoSOLAR system. Use PAWS to view your academic records, register for classes, view the status of your financial aid and your student account, and to request a certificate of enrollment verification or transcripts. Please visit http://paws.gsu.edu to log in.
Please contact the Information Systems & Technology (IS&T) Help Desk by phone at 404-413-HELP (404-413-4357) or by e-mail at help@gsu.edu. You can find more information and monitor the status of any help request tickets you submit at www.gsu.edu/help.
You can reach the Immunization Office at 404-413-1940 or on the first floor of the University Commons student housing complex. You may fax any needed documents to 404-413-1955. Forms and more detailed information are available at www.gsu.edu/health.
Final transcript holds generally take effect after the end of registration for your first semester at Georgia State. You can reach the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 404-413-2500 or 200 Sparks Hall or admissions@gsu.edu. To pay a balance on PAWS, first check to be sure which semester’s account has a balance by visiting the “Student Accounts” menu under the “One Stop Shop” tab and then selecting “Student Account History.” Be sure to check the Total Charges amount against the Total Payments amount for each semester to verify the Term Balances. To make a payment, select “Pay Tuition and Fees” and then follow the instructions. There is no extra charge for online check payment. There is a processing fee for credit card payments. Please note that Georgia State does not accept Visa but does accept MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, with a $2.75 credit card processing fee. To pay in person, please visit the University Cashier’s window on the bottom floor of Sparks Hall at the end of the hallway near the library plaza. Please note that the cashiers can accept payments by cash, check or money order only.
If you have questions regarding your Student Account, then please contact the One Stop Shop. If you have paid all balances due and have a hold persisting more than two business days, then you may contact the One Stop Shop at 404-413-2600, 227/228 Sparks Hall, or onestopshop@gsu.edu.
uLearn is the system most commonly used to provide online course content. uLearn formerly was called WebCT Vista. To log in, visit www.gsu.edu and click on the uLearn button at the top of the page. Use the same log-in information as you do for PAWS. If you have problems accessing uLearn please contact the IS&T Help Desk at 404-413-4357.
Your GPA is simply your total quality points divided by the number of credit hours for which you have letter grades. Please visit the advisement site for an online GPA calculator or download this GPA worksheet in Excel format.
To apply for most types of financial aid complete the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
To apply for the HOPE complete the Georgia College 411 application (GSFAPPS) online at http://www.GAcollege411.org.
To apply for other GSU scholarships, please visit http://gsu.edu/scholarships. The scholarship office is located in 255 Sparks Hall, in the Student Advisement Center. You may e-mail an Office of Undergraduate Studies scholarship specialist at scholarships@gsu.edu to make an appointment.
Fall — April 1
Spring — October 1
Summer — March 1
Please note that these deadlines are to have a complete file at Georgia State, not simply to submit the FAFSA. To meet these deadlines it is best to submit the FAFSA six to eight (6 – 8) weeks ahead of the deadline and then monitor your financial aid status on PAWS closely.
Please visit the Financial Aid site for more details.
Please allow four to six (4 – 6) weeks for verification documents such as Quality Assurance Verification Worksheets and tax returns to be reviewed.
Please allow up to four (4) weeks for a loan application (such as a student Loan Change Form or a parent PLUS Loan Signature Page) to be processed.
Please allow four to six (4 – 6) weeks processing for a HOPE application (once we have received all required documents) to be reviewed.
Visit the Financial Aid site for details on For details on maintaining financial aid and requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress. For Hope and State program requirements, download: http://www.gsfc.org/Main/publishing/pdf/2004/hope_maintain.pdf
To check your financial aid status in PAWS, first click the One Stop Shop tab, then visit the Financial Aid menu, select Eligibility, and then select Student Requirements and choose the appropriate academic year. This screen will let you know what applications and forms have been received and what other documents are still needed. If your file is selected for verification, in most cases you may print the required form directly from that screen.
Once your file has been completed, you can check the status of your financial aid award offer under the Financial Aid menu by selecting Award Information and then Award by Term.
For the verification process, you will need to submit a signed copy of your federal tax return. Dependent students must also submit a signed copy of the parent federal tax return. The most common form is the IRS 1040 (two pages). Some filers may use a 1040A (two pages) or a 1040EZ (one page). Make sure the tax filer (you or your parent) has signed at the bottom in the box “Your Signature.”
If you do not have a copy of your 1040 or cannot get one from your tax preparer, then you may request a transcript of your tax return from the IRS. Be sure to request a tax return transcript and not an account transcript. Even though there is not a signature line, be sure to put your signature on your tax return transcript before submitting it to the One Stop Shop. Also, be sure to include your Panther Number on all documents you submit.
If you filed an amendment to your tax return, then you must submit both your original return (the 1040) along with the amendment (the 1040X).
You can contact the IRS at 1-800-TAX-1040 (1-800-829-1040) or at http://www.irs.gov. You can view a blank copy of the 1040 at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf?portlet=3 and you can search for other forms at http://www.irs.gov.
Once your file has been completed, you can check the status of financial aid award offer under the Financial Aid menu by selecting Award Information and then Award by Term.
Go to the One Stop Shop tab, select Financial Aid, select Award Information Menu, select Award by Aid Year, select the aid year, and then click on the Accept Award Offer tab for instructions.
Both of these can be completed online. You will need your FAFSA PIN to sign the MPN. Please refer to the following links for detailed information.
Loan Entrance Counseling: https://www.dl.ed.gov/borrower/EntrCounselingPage.do?cmd=doStart
Master Promissory Note: https://dlenote.ed.gov/empn/index.jsp
You must accept your Work-Study award offer on PAWS in the same manner you would accept a student loan. Go to the One Stop Shop tab, select Financial Aid, select Award Information Menu, select Award by Aid Year, select the aid year, and then click on the Accept Award Offer tab for instructions.
After accepting the Work-Study award offer in PAWS, an information packet will be emailed to your Georgia State e-mail address. Please note that work-study differs from other financial aid in that it does not post as a payment to your student account. You must work to receive a biweekly paycheck.
To find the available positions, you must have an active Panther Career Net account through University career services. Visit http://www.gsu.edu/career for information on activating your Panther Career Net account. You can also follow the steps at http://www.gsu.edu/jobs/instructions_for_panther_career_net.html.
Upon being hired for a position, your supervisor will complete a Personnel Action Form (PAF) [available at http://www.gsu.edu/images/HR/PAFForm.doc (MS Word) and http://www.gsu.edu/images/HR/PAFForm.pdf (Adobe Acrobat)] and send it to the Office of Student Financial Aid, which will verify your award status and then send the PAF to Human Resources for processing.
First, please log in to PAWS, click on the “One Stop Shop” tab, select “Student Records” under the “GoSOLAR” menu, and then select “View Academic Evaluation.” Then, click on “Generate New Evaluation.”
If you have under 42 total earned hours or have not declared a major, then your advisement is through the Student Advisement Center, 255 Sparks Hall. You can e-mail them at sacadvise@gsu.edu or call 404-413-2300.
If you have at least 42 earned hours, then your advisement is through the Office of Academic Assistance in your college. Please visit www.gsu.edu/advisement for more information.
Refer to the online Semester Calendars on the Registrar's site for registration dates, semester starting and ending dates, midpoints, and important academic event dates.
To obtain step-by-step instructions on how to add/drop/withdraw courses, read the Registration Guide.
Students who are eligible to register will be given a registration time-ticket assignment. Approximately one week before registration begins students can find their registration time-ticket assignments by accessing PAWS. A student’s time-ticket assignment is valid beginning at the student’s assigned time and continues through the last day of late registration.
Time-tickets are assigned with priority to students scheduled to graduate for the upcoming registration term and then to continuing students according to the total credit hours earned. Therefore, time ticket assignments cannot be changed. Once a student is allowed access, the student can adjust his or her schedule on a first-come, first-served basis during the remaining registration period. Many classes fill up quickly. It is to the student’s advantage to attempt to register as soon as he or she is allowed access to the registration system.
Students who are admitted to Georgia State with freshman level class standing (under 30 accepted transfer credits) are required to attend Incept orientation. A first semester freshman will be given a registration time-ticket assignment once he/she signs-up for an Incept orientation conference. For Incept dates and detailed information, visit http://www.gsu.edu/incept.
Georgia State University students may enroll in courses offered by member institutions of the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE) under a cross registration agreement. Students who wish to cross register must meet all eligibility requirements under the ARCH agreement and the University. Courses taken through cross registration count as residence credit and grades are included in the Georgia State grade point average. Students may learn more about cross registration or obtain an ARCHE Cross Registration Application on the Registrar's site.
Students are not allowed to register for courses if they have a financial hold, immunization requirement hold, emergency contact hold, or an academic standing or requirement that prevents registration. Students must satisfy all financial obligations and fulfill all academic requirements before registration is permitted.
All course requirements and restrictions can be found in the University’s online catalogs. If you feel that you have met the requirements listed for a specific course, but you are still prevented from adding the course to your registration schedule, check the Status column on your PAWS’ Add/ Drop/ Withdraw registration page and refer to the chart below:
Common Registration Errors:
During the registration (add/drop) period, a student may drop a course. When a course is dropped, no grade is recorded and no record of the student’s enrollment in the class appears on the student’s transcript. The Registration (add/drop) period ends at 5 p.m. on the first Friday of the term.
After registration period ends, a student may “withdraw” from a course when he/she decides to stop attending. Withdrawing from a course prior to the midpoint of the term makes the student eligible for a grade of W (Note: Undergraduate students will receive a grade of W if they have not exceeded their limit of withdrawals and a grade of WF if they have). This grade is reflected on the student’s official record. After the midpoint of the term, withdrawals are not allowed. The Registration (add/drop) and Withdrawal periods are indicated on the online Semester Calendars.
There is limit on withdrawals for undergraduate degree-seeking students. Undergraduate students are allowed to withdraw with a grade of W a maximum of six times in their undergraduate careers at Georgia State. There is no withdrawal limit for graduate and non-degree seeking students (i.e., post-baccalaureate and transients). Visit the Registrar's site for more information regarding withdrawals.
To obtain step-by-step instructions on how to withdraw a course, visit the Registrar's site.
Enrollment verifications can be obtained and printed from the National Student Clearinghouse via PAWS on or after the 15th business day after the start of classes each semester. Processing of manual enrollment verification requests takes up to seven business days. Certificates of enrollment verification will not be provided for students who have outstanding financial obligations to the university.
Transcripts can be ordered via PAWS and can be picked up in 292 Kell Hall in three to five business days with a photo ID. If an attachment is required with the transcript, then the request must be made in person at the One Stop Shop and processing can take up to seven business days. Students may receive up to five free transcripts lifetime; after the fifth one, the cost is $10 each. Transcripts will not be provided for students who have outstanding financial obligations to the university.
The amount you pay is based on several factors — your residency status (tuition classification), your degree program, the number of semester hours for which you are enrolled, and any financial aid you may receive. You can view and print your student account information in PAWS.
For tuition and fee rates, please visit the Student Accounts website.
Ideally, you should be prepared to pay at the same time you register for classes. Otherwise, your payment must be received in the Office of Student Accounts by the fee payment deadline of the semester in which you register. Failure to pay tuition and fees by the deadline could result in both financial and academic consequences.
Please view the Semester Calendars for specific dates.
Accepted payment methods include cash, check, money order, and credit card (MasterCard, American Express, and Discover only). It is the responsibility of the student to be informed of, and to observe, all regulations and procedures regarding payment of tuition and fees, which are detailed in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.
Online, you can pay on PAWS under the Student Accounts menu link Pay Tuition and Fees. Be sure to select the correct semester for which you owe the balance. There is no extra charge for payments made by electronic check. There is a processing fee for credit card payments (2.75% or $3.00 minimum). Please note that Georgia State University does not accept Visa for tuition payment, but we do accept MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
In person, you can pay at the University Cashier window, first floor of Sparks Hall at the end of the hallway near the library plaza. In person, we accept cash, check, or money order only; credit cards are not accepted.
Payments may be mailed to Georgia State University, Office of Student Accounts, and P.O. Box 4029, Atlanta, GA 30302-4029. More detail is available on the Student Accounts website.
Note: Scholarship checks should be mailed to Office of Student Financial Aid, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 4040, Atlanta, GA 30302-4040.
Log into PAWS, go to the One Stop Shop tab, go to the Student Accounts menu, and then select Student Account History.
Bring your sponsor’s letter of authorization/voucher to the Office of Student Accounts, room 100 Sparks Hall. More information is available on the Student Accounts website.
Georgia State University offers the service of delivering refunds more quickly by direct deposit to a checking or savings account. Direct deposit is free. An e-mail notification is sent to the student’s Georgia State issued e-mail address each time a direct deposit is made to the student’s checking or savings account. To sign up for direct deposit, simply log in to PAWS and to go to the One Stop Shop tab and then to GoSOLAR block, select the Student Accounts Menu and select Enroll/Change Direct Deposit.
Students who do not sign up for direct deposit will receive refunds by check and will be mailed to the address on the student’s PAWS account. Students are responsible for ensuring their address is current. Receiving a refund by check generally takes longer than direct deposit; therefore students are encouraged to use the direct deposit option.
Please visit the Student Accounts menu on PAWS and select the last link: Enroll/Change Direct Deposit.
Please check your PAWS account on the Student Accounts menu and select Account Statement by Term. If you have a negative balance (if your total payments exceed your total charges), or if your anticipated financial aid payment exceeds your total charges, then generally you can expect a refund for the difference after the drop/add period of the semester.
Please refer to the Refund Status option in the Student Accounts menu of your PAWS account. Any recent refund issued to a student will be reflected here. Any refunds in progress will not be visible until the process is complete.
As an eligible educational institution, Georgia State University is required to file a Form 1098-T for students who are enrolled in degree-seeking programs. Following is a brief explanation of the fields on the form.
The University cannot provide tax advice concerning income taxes or the applicability of TRA97 to individual situations. Please contact a tax professional or the IRS for any tax questions. For more information, please visit the IRS Web site at: www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040.
If you are eligible to receive a 1098-T, it will be made available in PAWS. You access it online at https://paws.gsu.edu
A bad debt write-off is a balance owed by the student that has been considered non-collectable. When an account has been written-off as a bad debt, this does not excuse the student from the balance due. The student may make payments on his/her account by accessing his/her PAWS account, cashier’s window, or mail payment directly to the Office of Student Accounts.