Gateway to Graduate School Program
The Gateway to Graduate School Program provides admitted graduate students who would benefit from an extended onboarding process with a professional, academic, and social transition to graduate education at the University of Georgia during the summer semester instead of fall. Students who may benefit from the Gateway Program include but are not limited to students who have never attended an R1 university, who have transitioned from a different field of study, and/or students who may need an extended transition to graduate school at UGA.
To participate, students must be admitted to the University of Georgia, receive funding from their department or other campus entity for the fall and spring of their first academic year, and be nominated for this program by the Graduate Coordinator of their department. The purpose of the Gateway program is to provide students with an intellectual, professional, and social introduction to UGA as they transition into graduate education.
The Call for the nominations will be sent out in spring 2026.
Please note: Graduate students who decide to apply for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) funding should be aware that participation in the Traditional Gateway Program may affect their eligibility for the fellowship. Participation in the Gateway Lite Program doesn’t require the student to be enrolled to participate and would not affect GRFP eligibility in the first or second year. For questions about NSF GRFP, please email blovern@uga.edu.
Gateway Scholars Program 2026-2027
Since 2008, the University of Georgia has worked with partner institutions to enhance recruitment and the transition to graduate school for students without prior enrollment at R1 institutions. Newly fall matriculating full-time master’s and doctoral students graduating from one of our partner institutions who are admitted into a graduate research program leading to a thesis or dissertation are eligible to be nominated by their department for Gateway Scholars. Our partner institutions are Albany State University, Florida A & M University, Fort Valley State University, Morehouse College, North Carolina A & T State University, and Spelman College.
Gateway Scholars receive eleven months of .4 FTE assistantship funding and a tuition waiver from the Graduate School. This funding is renewable for an additional year contingent upon satisfactory academic progress, satisfactory work performance, and continued funding from the State of Georgia. Gateway Scholars receive regular monthly transition programming provided by the Graduate School to enhance academic and professional development and to increase networking opportunities.
“[Gateway Scholars] to me means professional, personal, and academic development in a space that feels accepting and safe.” – G.I., Cohort of 2024
“The [Gateway Scholars Program] provided me with one of the most meaningful educational and social experiences of my life.” – C.N., Cohort of 2021
For more information, please contact Dr. Beth Lovern, Director of Fellowships and Scholarships at (706) 542-6086 or gradawards@uga.edu.
