University of North Georgia Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

Who This University Is, in a Few Words

University of North Georgia is a public institution offering programs of four years or more. The government records its highest offering as the doctoral level, although that is an institutional fact: it does not tell you whether your child’s specific program goes that far. The Carnegie Classification, which organizes the nation’s universities by what they do, describes it as a master’s university with larger programs.

Here is a fact worth pausing over: Carnegie also labels it “primarily nonresidential.” Technically, that means that fewer than one in four undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, or that fewer than half studied full time—the data do not clarify which of the two conditions applied. It does not mean there are no residence halls; in fact, there are, as you will see later. It is a technical label, not a picture of the campus. And take note: between 2018 and 2021, Carnegie changed this category, so if you find an old guide that describes it differently, neither description is necessarily wrong.

In its undergraduate profile, Carnegie places it in its “inclusive” category, which combines two types of schools: those that did not report admissions scores and those that did report them but showed broad access opportunities. The data do not say which of the two applies here.

Where is it, and what surrounds it? In Dahlonega, Georgia, in Lumpkin County—a town setting far from major cities. If your family does not live nearby, this means you need to calculate separately where your child would live and how your child would get to campus. The data locate only the school; they do not locate your family.

One contextual fact that sometimes raises questions: University of North Georgia has none of three special designations—it is not a historically Black college or university, not a tribal college or university, and not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Not having one says nothing about which students it serves or how your child would feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today.

The Size of the Institution and Who Else Is There

Imagine 18,074 people—that is what University of North Georgia reported in its official fall enrollment count. It is a large school; the government places it in the band of 10,000 to 19,999 students. Compared with 519 similar selective public schools, it is on the large side: between one and three out of ten have more students.

Of that total, 17,242 are undergraduates and 832 are graduate students. Above all, it is an undergraduate institution. But here is something that changes how you should read that large number: there are many part-time students. IPEDS calculates a full-time-equivalent enrollment of 14,373 students—which means the number enrolled does not tell you how many people are on campus at the same time. Ask when classes are offered in the program that interests your child before assuming a traditional schedule.

Who will share the classroom with your child? Of every 100 undergraduate students, 16 identified as Hispanic or Latino in fall 2023—not a majority, but not unusual either. Compared with 519 similar schools, it ranks above the midpoint of the group without reaching the highest quartile. There are more women than men: 56 out of every 100. Adults ages 25 to 64 are a minority, just 9 out of every 100. And one thing is very clear about who comes here: of every 100 entering students, 97 reported a permanent address in Georgia when they applied. It is almost entirely a local community. If your child’s permanent address is in another state, ask directly which rate would apply and what requirements are used to determine residency—because that changes the price, as we will see shortly.

How the Academic Year Works and What the University Does With What Your Child Already Knows

The year is organized into semesters—two terms of about 15 weeks, with consistent dates for everyone. That is already a predictable structure.

Something that could save your child time and money: the university stated that it accepts credit from AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, a portfolio, previous licenses or certifications, and military experience. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.

Here is the hard truth behind that enthusiasm: the university’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean that it automatically grants credit for every exam. We do not know what scores it requires or whether those credits count toward your child’s specific program. Before you build those savings into your budget, request a written equivalency evaluation.

How broadly distributed is the academic offering? Between July 2022 and June 2023, the university awarded 2,146 bachelor’s degrees across 21 distinct academic fields. The largest was business and management, with 21 out of every 100 degrees—no other field surpassed it, but it does not account for a majority either. The offering is broad, not concentrated in just one area. Take note: “21 fields with activity” does not mean 21 specific majors; each field groups several programs. Verify the exact program that interests your child.

As for class sizes, there is a number worth viewing from both sides: the university reports 18 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. On the overall scale, that is a middle band. But compared specifically with 519 schools of the same type, it falls in the quartile with the highest ratio—in other words, among its direct peers, there are proportionally more students per faculty member here than at most of them. Both interpretations are true at the same time. And one necessary warning: this ratio does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. That information is not included in this measure.

The Academic Pathways the University Has Already Built

The university reports several structured opportunities that may matter depending on what your child wants to do: study abroad, undergraduate research alongside faculty, noncredit developmental education for students who need to strengthen foundational skills, and several pathways for teacher certification preparation, including state approval of its program for initial teacher certification. If your child is interested in teaching or in experiences outside the country during college, these are concrete starting points for further questions.

Getting In: What It Requires, What It Does Not, and Who Actually Stays

Let’s turn to the heart of family decision-making: admissions.

University of North Georgia does not have open admission—there are elements it reviews before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marked only two as required: the high school record and high school GPA. The list of what it does not consider is longer: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio, work experience, and whether a relative attended. Even if they are submitted, the report says they do not factor into the admissions decision.

Put simply: the academic record and GPA carry the decision. But IPEDS does not say how much weight each receives or how they are combined. Before your child submits the application, call admissions and ask directly about your child’s case—what they require this year takes precedence over this report from 2023.

The application fee is $40.

Now, the numbers you were probably looking for. In the 2023 cycle, of 11,633 first-time applicants, 8,394 were offered admission. That is 72 out of every 100—accessible. Compared with 519 similar selective public schools, University of North Georgia accepts a smaller share than most of them: seven out of ten schools in that group accept more. Even so, with thousands of applicants and 72 out of every 100 accepted, your child has a real reason to apply—and a reason to put together a complete, timely application. Remember that this percentage comes from a single cycle, not a fixed rule; when it is your child’s turn, check the figure for the applicable year again.

Here is something that surprises many families: of those admitted, only 47 out of every 100 ultimately enrolled here. The other 53 did not enroll at this school—the data do not say where they did enroll. Compared with its peers, this “yes, they stay” proportion is among the highest: at fewer than one out of every ten similar schools, a larger share of admitted students enroll. This number does not measure quality or satisfaction. It only counts how many arrived. When your child’s admission letters arrive, this percentage does not decide anything—place the letters side by side and compare net price, program, and distance before deposit day.

About the SAT and ACT: they are not required. If submitted, they are considered; if not, the application remains active just the same. Of those who enrolled, 40 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores—a high proportion compared with similar schools. Among those who submitted them, the middle half scored between 520 and 620 in reading and writing, and between 500 and 595 in mathematics. Importantly, these ranges describe students who had already enrolled and chose to submit their scores, not all applicants. 520 is not a minimum, and 620 guarantees nothing.

Those Who Leave: Transfer

Here is a truth almost no one tells you when comparing universities by graduation rate. Of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 32 out of every 100 transferred to another school without finishing here within the reference period. That is a high proportion compared with similar schools: seven out of ten schools in that comparison group saw an equal or smaller share leave. At the same time, 801 students transferred in from another institution in fall 2023—a great deal of incoming movement as well.

The detail that changes how you read everything else: a student who transfers does not appear as a graduate of this school, even if that student completes a degree elsewhere. Many students transferring does not mean that they did poorly—the report counts the transfer, not the outcome. But it does mean that the graduation figures you will see later do not include anyone who left to finish elsewhere.

The Price: What It Costs and What Is Actually Paid

At University of North Georgia, among 403 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received Title IV federal aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $7,958. Among 325 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $11,167; among 373 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $13,702. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.

The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (403 students) and the average for the highest-income band (373 students) is $5,744. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $11,687.

The advertised price is not the same as the price paid. Here, for students with low incomes, the average net price was $7,958 in academic year 2022-23.

The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received Title IV federal aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.

How It Is Paid For: Grants, Loans, and What Is Missing in Between

Of every 100 degree-seeking students, 74 received some form of aid that does not have to be repaid—a grant or scholarship. The average amount of that aid, counting only those who received it, was $6,171 per year. The federal Pell Grant, specifically intended for low-income families, reached 30 out of every 100. The difference between that 74 and that 30 may include state, institutional, or other aid sources that this breakdown does not separate—ask directly which programs make up that difference.

As for loans: only 21 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in academic year 2022–23. Most students here did not take out a federal loan that year. Compared with 519 similar schools, federal loans are used less here than at almost all of them—nine out of ten schools in that group had a larger share of students with debt. Among those who did borrow, the average was $5,527 that year. But take note: the fact that a student received a loan does not mean it was enough to cover the entire year, and this amount does not include loans taken out by parents, other kinds of debt, or the total debt owed upon graduation—that would require adding together several years, and that number is not in this report.

The university also reports a concrete mechanism for managing payment: a tuition payment plan.

The Campus, Housing, and Available Support

There is institution-controlled housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 2,789 students, either on or off campus. It is not mandatory for all first-time, full-time students—but that general answer does not rule out a requirement for a specific program. Meal plans are also available, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. Before removing housing and food from your budget on the assumption that your child will live at home, request in writing the rule that applies to the program and year, the deadline for requesting a room, and whether space is guaranteed or applicants are placed on a waiting list.

There is an ROTC opportunity, specifically for the Army branch—the Navy and Air Force are not marked in this report. If your child is interested in another branch, it is not confirmed here; that does not mean it is impossible, but it does mean you need to ask directly.

The university competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported participation in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child is an athlete, this membership belongs to the school, not to your child—write directly to the coach for the sport of interest and ask about roster availability, division, and whether athletic aid is available.

As for distance education: it is offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the fall count, 15 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load online, and 85 took at least one class in person. The university also reports having at least one program that can be completed entirely through distance education—but confirm the exact level and program before assuming that it applies to what your child wants to study.

The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary lending—a complete set of resources. Among the support services the university reports having are combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, a student veterans organization, and a webpage offering services for people with disabilities.

Who Stays and Who Finishes: The Numbers That Carry the Most Weight

We have reached the part that probably matters most to you as a parent: do people stay? Do people finish?

Of the full-time cohort that entered in fall 2022, 73 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already completed their bachelor’s degree one year later. Compared with similar schools, this figure falls slightly below the midpoint of the group. Part-time students from that same cohort had a different outcome: 57 out of every 100—these are different groups of people with different circumstances; do not compare them as though they were the same story.

Now to graduation, and we need to be clear here because the number changes greatly depending on how many years you wait:

Seventeen percentage points separate the four-year and six-year figures. Four years is the time frame most families have budgeted for—so that gap is not a minor detail. At six years, it is practically an even split: 52 out of every 100 have a degree from here; 48 do not. Compared with similar schools, this proportion falls below the midpoint of the group. The data do not explain the reasons in each case—only the outcome. Before deciding, it is worth asking directly what concrete support the university offers to help students finish on time and how long the program that interests your child actually tends to take, because every additional semester has a cost that does not appear in any admissions table.

There is an even longer view: tracking an entire cohort—including part-time students and those with previous college experience—that entered between 2015 and 2016, only 38 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school eight years later. Compared with similar schools, this figure falls at the very bottom of the table: nine out of ten similar schools reported a larger share. Among Pell Grant recipients, the outcome was almost identical: 37 out of every 100. The closeness of those outcomes does not mean the path was equally easy for both groups.

This eight-year measure is a snapshot at a fixed point in time, not a continuous measurement of eight years of study. It does not tell you how much each person paid or how much time it actually took. What it does tell you, very clearly, is that finishing within the expected time frame is not automatic here—and that before signing anything, it is worth asking how required courses in your child’s program are scheduled and how the total cost changes if the path takes longer.

What You Know Now and What Remains Yours to Decide

You now know that University of North Georgia is a large public university with a comparatively low price among its peers, accessible but not automatic admission, a predominantly local community, and persistence and graduation figures that call for specific questions before committing four or more years of life and family money.

None of this tells you whether it is the right university for your child. That depends on two other pieces this article cannot give you: what your child wants to study and what your child has built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. It is the university’s responsibility to admit, evaluate, and offer aid. Your child is responsible for personal effort, curiosity, and the direction of their life. You are responsible for the money, the deadlines, the difficult questions, and providing support without taking on alone what is not yours to carry alone either.

If you live in Georgia, the price you saw here probably applies as shown. If you live out of state, the difference of more than ten thousand dollars per year is the first thing to clarify with the admissions office. If your child has AP credits or experience that could become college credit, request the evaluation in writing before calculating any savings. And if the program that interests your child has a clear path to graduation, ask about it directly—because the difference between four and six years here is real.

Now you know one piece of the map in depth. Put it together with the other two, and a plan can emerge.

The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and institutional reports submitted to the United States Department of Education, primarily from the 2022–23 and 2023–24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent University of North Georgia or any government agency; this content is for informational purposes.