FAQ

One Stop Shop

What is the One Stop Shop?

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.

Admissions

How do I apply for admission to Georgia State University?

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.

Housing

Where can I get information on housing?

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.

Basics

Where do I get my student ID card?

Please visit the PantherCard Office (part of Auxiliary & Support Services) on the second floor of the University Center (downstairs from the University Bookstore).

What is PAWS and how do I use it?

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.

I can’t log in to my Georgia State student e-mail account/PAWS/GoSOLAR/uLearn. Who do I contact?

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.

How do I resolve a hold on my account?

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.

What is uLearn and how do I use it?

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.

How do I calculate my Georgia State grade point average (GPA)?

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.

Financial Aid

How do I apply for financial aid (including grants, loans, work study, HOPE and other scholarships)?

The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov to determine financial need. Additional verification documents may be required.  Forms and any listed requirements are available in PAWS.

To apply for HOPE, please apply online at http://www.GAcollege411.org and also contact the One Stop Shop for an additional form that may be needed. 

To apply for other GSU scholarships, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies. Incoming students applying for scholarships may contact Mr. Greg Chisholm at scholarships@gsu.edu.

Currently enrolled students applying for scholarships may contact Ms. Tracye Moore at scholarships@gsu.edu. Please e-mail the appropriate staff person to make an appointment. The scholarship office is located in 255 Sparks Hall, in the Student Advisement Center.

How do I check my financial aid status? How do I know how much I owe by the fee payment deadline?

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, then in most cases you may print the worksheet from the Forms page link on the “Financial Aid” menu on PAWS or by visiting www.gsu.edu/es and selecting “Financial Aid” and then “Financial Aid Forms.”

Once your file has been completed, you can check the status of any financial aid award offers under the “Financial Aid” menu by selecting “Award Information” and then “Award by Term.”

Academic Advisement

How do I know what classes I should take? Who is my academic advisor?

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.

Registration and Records

How do I register for (add and drop) classes? Can I change my registration time ticket?

You may make changes to your schedule using PAWS during the drop/add period, which lasts until 5 p.m. on the last day of late registration. When a class is dropped during this period, it will not be reflected on your transcript. (If your initial registration was during late registration, a fee of $50 will be assessed.) During the second week of classes, faculty members have the discretion to request a drop or add for students, subject to space availability and other factors. Please see the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalog for full details.

No, registration time tickets cannot be changed. Time tickets are issued based on the total number of credit hours earned, with preferred times going to students who are nearing graduation. Time tickets can be viewed on PAWS one week before registration begins. For more information please visit http://www.gsu.edu/es/registration_guide.html.

How do I receive proof of enrollment/a certificate of enrollment verification?

Enrollment verifications can be obtained and printed from the National Student Clearinghouse via PAWS on or after the 15^th 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.

How do I withdraw from classes?

The withdrawal period begins after the last day of late registration and you may withdraw in PAWS. If you have a hold preventing you from withdrawing in PAWS, then you may visit or e-mail the One Stop Shop to request a manual withdrawal. If you withdraw before the midpoint of the term, you will receive a “W” on your transcript unless you are an undergraduate student and have exceeded the withdrawal limit (6), in which case you will receive a “WF.” Students may not withdraw after the midpoint of the term. A grade of “W” is not calculated in your GPA; a grade of “WF” counts as an “F.”  Please see the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalog for full details. If you have a hold and need to drop a course(s) or withdraw from a course, then please contact the One Stop Shop immediately so we can manually process your drop or withdrawal. You can reach us at Sparks 227 or by e-mail at onestopshop@gsu.edu  If you continue to have problems please contact the One Stop Shop by phone at 404-413-2600.

How do I order a transcript?

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.

Student Accounts

How are my tuition and fees calculated? When and where do I pay my tuition and fees?

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.

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 phase in which you register. 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. Failure to pay tuition and fees by the deadline could result in both financial and academic consequences.

Where's my refund?

Visit the “Student Accounts” menu in PAWS under the “One Stop Shop” tab and select  “View Student Account History” to verify that the financial aid payment posted and that the refund amount has been calculated as a charge on the account. Then select “View Refund Status” to verify whether the refund has been sent out and, if so, by which method.