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Once new members join, they partake in the “New Member Project” to get to know each other better and integrate themselves with the GTIA community. As general GTIA members, new members attend weekly general meetings, participate in their respective committees, and socialize with other members. Additionally, they should gain an understanding of their role as International Ambassadors who promote diversity and inclusion on campus.
General body meetings occur every Thursday 6-7pm EST. Currently, meetings are held via BlueJeans, but will be held in person once campus returns to in-person classes. Committee meetings occur weekly, and meeting days/times vary.
Around 3-4 hours a week. A general member’s typical weekly schedule consists of an hour of general meeting and an hour of committee meetings. Members commit an average of 1-2 hours a week for social events or work outside of meetings.
By working on various initiatives and projects in committees, members gain valuable workplace and project management skills. Members also have many leadership opportunities, like joining the executive board and serving committee chair roles.
GTIA’s tight-knit community provides members with social, academic, and professional support across all areas of interest, which will continue post-graduation through our growing global alumni network.
GTIA works closely with the Office of International Education to bring our initiatives and events to life. Additionally, we leverage our relationship with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate Studies to connect with and serve as resources for prospective and current international Tech students. We also collaborate with various student life offices and cultural organizations that share our mission to promote campus diversity.
Course scheduling and registration at Georgia Tech is a process that spans 1-2 months. Any student may plan a four year schedule by looking at the Course Catalog. This lists all the requirements that students must fulfill in addition to their major requirements to complete the degree. Students can reach out to their Academic Advisors for assistance in planning their course load for the following semester.
The following are tools that students utilize for course planning:
Georgia Tech students reference these tools to gauge a preliminary understanding of the course and how it might go, but it isn’t representative of everything the classes and professors entail.
Each year, more than 1,500 Tech students study at over 120 study abroad programs. Two kinds of study abroad programs are offered: GT Faculty-Led and Exchange (not GT-affiliated), and they can be either general or major-specific. Popular programs include Georgia Tech Lorraine, Oxford Summer Program, EU Brussels Summer Program, and the Pacific Program. You can use the Study Abroad Program Finder to assist you in your international education experience search.
Additionally, students can pursue the International Plan (IP), which includes 26 weeks of international experience (work, research, of study). IP's goal is to promote a deeper understanding of the global environment and to develop proficiency in a language other than English.
There are numerous tutoring resources available on campus, which aid a student to succeed in his/her coursework. The Tutoring & Academic Support Center located in the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (CULC) offers many such opportunities. Below are additional resources to take advantage of as a student:
Once admitted to Georgia Tech, you can find campus organizations by using Engage. On the "Organizations" page, you can filter for student orgs by selecting "Registered Student Organizations" in the "Braches" field.
Another great way to learn more about GT's student organizations is to check out the club tabling booths during FASET and the first week of classes in the Fall!
There are many organizations that have an academic and/or professional focus. These organizations allow you to obtain valuable experience in an area you might want to work in later on. Some notable ones include Engineers Without Borders (EWB), Bits of Good, Undergraduate Research Ambassadors (URA), Consult Your Community (CYC), and Student Competition Center Teams. However, there are many more that cater to a very wide variety of interests.
Georgia Tech is special in that it's located in the heart of Atlanta. When you leave our campus 'bubble', you step right into the vibrant, culturally diverse city. Check out this traveller's guide that GTIA has put together for you!
Parks
Museums
Arts
Nature Outise of the City
Because Georgia Tech is optimally located in Atlanta, you have access to plenty of dining options within walking distance from campus. If you have certain dietary preferences, fret not! Many restaurants in Atlanta cater to those who have specific dietary restrictions. Check out GTIA's curated list of favorite restaurants here! (We've noted if restaurants are vegan/vegetarian-friendly!)
If you're not in the mood to leave campus to grab some grub, you can use services such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Doordash. There are also services that deliver home-cooked Indian and Chinese food to campus for pickup. Each of these services have their own group chats, in which you can join to place orders and then pick up on campus.
You can find more information on the GT housing website.
LLC's (Living Learning Communities) are a program at Georgia Tech where students live and take classes with a close-knit group of like-minded students. Some benefits of LLC's include having the opportunity to be part of a er community on campus, access to LLC-specific courses, a special LLC designation on your degree, access to scholarships, and specialized advising and career services. Most LLC's are targeted towards first-year students, but other LLC's such as I-House and Women, Science, and Technology (WST) are available to upperclassmen as well. Learn more about LLC's at Georgia Tech!
When enrolling to Tech as an international student, you will be under the F-1 visa, with certain credit and GPA requirements to maintain the visa status. For more information and assistance, visit the OIE website and/ or schedule an appointment with the OIE counselor.
"Georgia Tech has an on-campus police department (GTPD - 404.894.2500) that patrols the campus 24/7 and manages all campus safety. For more information, visit Georgia Tech's campus safety website.
It's important to note that while the inside of campus is safe, it's not recommended to leave campus at night without a group."
Georgia Tech, like most U.S. schools, does not officially provide need-based financial aid for international students. However, there are many resources that students can take advantage of based on their own circumstances. The complete list of resources can be found here.
Under the F-1 visa, international students can seek on-campus, part-time employment opportunities (outside of OPT/CPT). If you are employed on-campus, you need to request a SSN. If you are not employed, then you are not eligible to request a SSN and therefore don't need one.
Georgia Tech has multiple means of transportation that are safe and convenient. The campus bus operates routes not only around campus, but also to off-campus sites (e.g. the weekend grocery route). The Stingerette Safety Shuttle operates during the night for on- demand pick-up and drop-off rideshare services and can be accessed via smartphone app or phone at (404) 385-7275. Students with ODS authorization can also use the Student Paratransit services.