New Student FAQ

The UGA bus schedule differs based on location and semester. Specific times and routes can be found at Campus Transit. The cost of riding the bus is covered through student fees. You can also download the UGA App for bus information.

Your UGAcard allows you to ride The Bus (Athens Transit) for free. City bus routes are operated on a different schedule and generally observe federal holidays. Additionally, some routes are not serviced when UGA is not in session. Specific information can be found at Athens Transit.

If you need to transfer an out of state license to Georgia or obtain a new license, Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) maintains a website that lists instructions on requirements for obtaining a Georgia driver’s license. The Athens Customer Service Center is located at 505 Highway 29 North. The DDS Customer Help Line phone number is 678-413-8400.

The University Health Center provides a variety of medical and counseling services, including urgent care, a dental clinic, physical therapy, and an allergy clinic, in addition to other medical services. Students are also assigned to a primary care provider on a medical team to ensure each patient can return to the same group of clinicians for their continuity of care. Log into the UHC Portal with your MyID to find out your PCP or to schedule an appointment online.

The UGA libraries have collected online resources about Athens for UGA students. The links provide information about Athens’ history, culture, local entertainment, surrounding environment, and public services.

UGA Family & Graduate Housing has a 578 unfurnished apartment units available each year to rent. If you would prefer to live off campus or unable to secure an apartment, consider using online classifieds, such as the Athens Banner-Herald or Flagpole, to identify potential properties or property management companies.

If the property you rent does not include utilities and you need to set up new accounts, the following links may be useful.

• Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities (Water / Garbage)
• Georgia Power (Electricity)
• Charter Communications(Television / Internet / Telephone)
• Verizon (Television / Internet / Telephone)
• AT&T (Television / Internet / Telephone)

Georgia Public Service Commission (Natural Gas)

Assistantships require a graduate student to work anywhere from 13-20 hours per week, depending on the assignment. Assistantships provide a monthly stipend and carry a tuition waiver, reducing tuition to $25/semester. However, all activity fees and health insurance must be paid for by students. Assistantships vary by department, assignment, type of work, and award. For more information, consult your academic department or  Funding Your Graduate Education page.

Depending upon the type of financial award you receive, you may have to pay state and/or federal tax. For more information, contact the Bursar’s Office. International students should also contact the International Student Life Office for details regarding their annual tax sessions.

Handshake is the University of Georgia Career Center’s online job/internship posting and campus recruiting system. It contains listings posted by prospective employers both on- and off-campus. A student employment fair is held every semester at the Tate Center for students seeking part time jobs both on and off campus.

The University of Georgia Libraries include three principal facilities on the UGA campus in Athens: the Main Library, the Science Library, and the Miller Learning Center. The Libraries also has primary responsibility for a number of smaller on-campus libraries, reading rooms, and materials centers, and collaborates with several UGA research facilities throughout the state.

MLC stands for Miller Learning Center and it is located at the end of Baxter Street (next to the Tate Student Center). The MLC has a number of computers and group study rooms for students to use. There is also a more relaxed policy regarding food, drink, and noise at the MLC versus the library.

Yes! SRS Personal Use Software is the way for students, faculty and staff to purchase affordable software for use on their personal computers. For a complete list of available software and current prices, log-on to SRS with your UGA myID.

At any time after you have completed registration, you may log in to ATHENA and use the bookstore link located at the bottom of the registration screen to load a list of required textbooks for your courses. For more information or more specific instructions, look for the Online Bookstore Information link on the ATHENA access page.

Student Tickets are available on the UGA Athletics website. Full season ticket packages can be purchased for most sports. However, football tickets are allocated based on number of credit hours.

Student organizations are listed in CSO Database. Refer to specific organization websites for information on how to join.

The International Student Life Office hosts several events and has a lot of information pertaining to international students. To learn more, visit ISL.

Volunteer UGA, located in the Center for Leadership and Service, is a great place to inquire about volunteer opportunities. Community Connection of Northeast Georgia connect individuals to volunteer opportunities in the local community through the HandsOn Northeast Georgia program.

Volunteer Match also provides a service that lets users search for organizations in the area that need help.

Information regarding intramural sports can be found on the Recreational Sports website. Many sports are offered ranging from indoor soccer to flag football to racquetball. Each sport has its own specific season.

The Fitness and Wellness Center is located in the Ramsey Center on the south side of campus. The center has a wide range of equipment available and offers a variety of classes and wellness assessments. Personal trainers and weight rooms are also located in the Ramsey Center.