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.