New Students

Can I arrive late in the semester if I’m not able to get my visa on time?

Federal regulations require that all F and J student visa holders arrive to campus and complete the OIE check-in process no later than 30 days after the start of the semester.  However, ISyE will consider “late arrivals” on a case by case basis.  If your visa process is delayed and you need to arrive after the start of classes, please reach out to our Graduate Programs Manager and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies for further guidance.     


Can I request transfer credit form another school?

A request for transfer credit cannot be considered until a student has matriculated into the graduate program. The maximum transfer credit allowed is up to six credit hours. Students must supply their transcript and the relevant course syllabi to the Graduate Programs Manager who will then ask the appropriate ISyE faculty member(s) for their evaluations.


Do I need to pay a deposit or matriculation fee?

Apart from the MS Analytics and MS QCF degree programs, there is not a deposit or matriculation fee required.


How can I start the process to obtain my I-20?

See the step-by-step instructions and process here: https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/isss/oie-process-issuing-graduate-i-20-or-ds-2019. 


How do I accept my admission offer?

Please indicate your enrollment intentions by completing the Reply to Offer of Admission form in your Application Portal. 


I am an incoming graduate student. When can I register for classes?

New graduate students register for classes during the Phase II registration window according to the Registrar’s academic calendar (https://registrar.gatech.edu/calendar).  Just before registration begins, students will have an assigned time ticket emailed to them specifying the date/time your access to the registration system will begin. 


I am an international admitted applicant. What documents do I need to submit to Georgia Tech prior to enrollment?

Be sure to check your status through the official Application Status Portal regularly for any missing documents.

International admitted applicants who intend to accept the offer and enroll at Georgia Tech must submit their official academic credentials/documents as noted here: https://grad.gatech.edu/international-applicants. If you have questions regarding this after reviewing the website, please reach out to grad.ask@grad.gatech.edu for clarification and/or confirmation.


I have already received my I-20 but now I need to defer my admission to a future semester. Do I need a new I-20?

Yes, the new student I-20 must match the program and semester of enrollment.  Please complete a new Arrival Confirmation E-form in iStart (listing Harry Sharp as Grad Coord/Advisor for the department) to let the OIE know your plans.  https://istart.gatech.edu/istart/controllers/start/start.cfm 

Students will receive updates throughout this process from the OIE via email.  


I have been admitted. What are my next steps prior to enrollment?

Congratulations again on your acceptance!

As you prepare to enroll in graduate school at Georgia Tech, please review the New Student Checklist. This website includes information on things such as obtaining a GT BuzzCard, accessing your GT email, registering for classes, completing the Office of Human Resources new hire (GTA/GRA) paperwork, etc.


I was admitted to the Master’s program without funding. Are there any funding opportunities?

Because all Ph.D. students are supported financially via GTA/GRA, we are not typically able to fund MS students.  Occasionally, a MS student may obtain a paid position; however; there is no formal application for this through the Academic Office.  Rather, a student might approach (professionally) a faculty member he or she is interested in working with to inquire about funding.  Note, this usually only happens in a student’s second or third semester, not initially. 


If I am taking online classes, will the classes be live, and am I required to attend the live class sessions?

Almost all of the online courses will be designed in such way that you will not have to be present for the live presentation.  We realize that many of our students are in different time zones and we intend to accommodate you all.  The course(s) will either be taped ahead of time allowing you to access the video at your convenience, or the course will be recorded as it's live allowing you to access the video at your convenience.  


My admission offer came with a GTA/GRA. How do I get paid?

As a new student employee (GTA/GRA), you must complete the Georgia Tech OHR onboarding process (https://hr.gatech.edu/student-onboarding). Please be sure this is done prior to the start of the semester.

Note: Students expecting fellowship payments or refunds from Georgia Tech, must sign up separately for the Georgia Tech Bursar's Office Direct Deposit process.


What are the tuition and fee rates?

Tuition and fee rates for all programs are listed on the Georgia Tech Bursar's website here: https://bursar.gatech.edu/tuition-fees. Simply click Master & PhD Candidates to view the breakdown of in-state and out-of-state rates. Note, full-time enrollment consists of 12+ credit hours.

Distance Learning (online) students are not required to be enrolled full-time.


What classes should I register for in my first semester?

For a complete list of degree program course requirements, please check the official Georgia Tech Catalog at: https://catalog.gatech.edu/programs/. Your faculty advisor can answer questions regarding course selection and the program of study, but we will also address course selection and registration during our new student orientations.

The ISyE Graduate Student Handbook is also an excellent tool to reference.


What is the deadline to respond to my admission offer?

Ph.D. admitted applicants who have been offered financial assistance have until April 15th to inform us of their decision, though we appreciate decisions as early as possible.

There is not an official deadline for MS admitted applicants to respond to the offer, but the sooner the better. This is especially true for international students requiring an I-20.

International students, please remember that we cannot begin the I-20 process until Graduate Studies has verified and finalized your admission record, and until you have accepted the admissions offer.

Please indicate your enrollment intentions by logging into your Application Status Portal and completing the Reply to Offer of Admission.


What is the process for obtaining my I-20?

Please review the step-by-step process regarding I-20 issuance on the Office of International Education (OIE) website here: https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/content/oie-process-issuing-graduate-i-20-or-ds-2019. We understand this is a time sensitive process and will work to diligently to ensure new students can apply for visas and arrive to campus on time.

We recommend adding info@oie.gatech.edu to your safe sender list to be sure that you do not miss any important emails from the OIE regarding your I-20.


When and where should I send in my missing documents?

Although you uploaded unofficial documents when you applied, you must also submit your final official transcript (and any other missing document(s) noted on your status-check) to the Office of Graduate Studies prior to the start of classes. New students can either mail the documents in or hand-deliver to the following address when they arrive to campus:

Office of Graduate Studies
Georgia Tech
631 Cherry St., Suite 318
Atlanta, GA 3033-0321

Please refer to the admission letter sent by Graduate Studies and/or the following Graduate Studies Application Materials page.


When is the tuition/fee payment deadline?

The official payment deadline for the upcoming semester can be found on the Georgia Tech's Bursar Calendar, https://bursar.gatech.edu/calendar.


When will new student orientation be?

Each year, ISyE holds a mandatory new student orientation session for all graduate degree programs the week prior to fall classes beginning. Notification will be emailed during the summer with new student orientation details.

In addition to our ISyE new student orientation, the Office of Graduate Studies holds their own orientation session(s) and Grad Expo (https://grad.gatech.edu/orientation-gradexpo). New students are encouraged to find a session that works for their schedule and attend.