Student Resources

Student Resources Online

**COVID-19 Special Announcement -As University of Georgia transitions to remote learning for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester, the Office of Instruction has provided an information page for UGA students transitioning to online.

UGA Online works collaboratively across UGA to ensure student resources for all students learning online. Whether you are in a fully online program or taking an online course, each resource section below provides the information you need to access student support at a distance.

Academic Advising

**COVID-19 Special Announcement - Academic advisors are offering alternative advising options during the period of time that the UGA campus is impacted. Visit Advising at a Distance for more information.

Online programs each have their own process for advising, but all are committed to working with you to identify your goals, your unique path and ultimately guide you through to graduation. To connect with a program advisor, click request info and choose your program of interest.

If you are a UGA student taking one or more online courses, meet with your academic advisor in your school or college every semester. Be sure to schedule your appointment as early as possible. You can see the available appointments for your advisor in SAGE.

Advisors play a key role in the academic life of online students. Once admitted, students are assigned an advisor. The process for advising is tailored per program to provide the best experience for you. Advisors provide information and advice to help you identify the best sequence of courses, policy and procedures, and provide guidance throughout your experience.

In graduate programs with a thesis requirement, the graduate advisor also guides your research from beginning to degree completion. This includes detailed conversations about research interests, professional goals and aspirations and establishment of a graduate committee.

Financial Advising for Graduate Students

The Graduate School offers a FREE Financial Education Program to all UGA Graduate students. To learn more or to request a workshop, please contact gradfineduc@uga.edu

Graduate Student Financial Education Program website.

Disability Resources

We are committed to providing equal educational opportunities and a welcoming academic, physical and social environment for all students with disabilities. The UGA Disability Resource Center (DRC) assists the University in fulfilling its commitment to educate and serve students with disabilities.

To request services and learn what documentation you will need to provide, visit the Disability Resource Center website or call 1 (706) 542-8719. Once you have registered for services, the Disability Resource Center will ensure that the necessary technology and accommodations are made for you.

Financial Aid

**COVID-19 Special Announcement - Please visit UGA Financial Aid's COVID-19/Coronavirus FAQs page for answers to common questions on the coronavirus and student financial aid.

UGA has financial aid counselors who will assist you in finding the best available options to help finance your degree. Various types of aid including corporate or military assistance, grants, loans and scholarships are options. Contact UGA's Office of Student Financial Aid to view a comprehensive list of available financial aid resources or call 1 (706) 542-6147.

Corporate Assistance

Consult your employer about the availability of tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance programs.

Grants and Loans

U.S. Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. Visit the Federal Student Aid website to explore your options and to access the free online FAFSA application.

Scholarships

HOPE, and Zell Miller scholarships also apply to online courses for undergraduates. Visit UGA’s FAFSA information page for more information.

Graduate and undergraduate students may research and apply for various academic, need-based, merit-based or other achievements to help pay for their education expenses and generally do not require repayment. For example, the American Institute of CPAs sponsors a number of scholarships for students pursuing degrees and careers in Finance and Accounting. The GetEducated.com Distance Learning scholarship is offered twice a year with deadlines on March 15 and October 15. Visit FastWEB for additional links to opportunities open to graduate students.

Financial Aid for Online Students (Webinar)

Military, Veterans and Dependents

Veteran Certification Services - Office of the Registrar

Veteran services for UGA students, located in the Office of the Registrar, assists students receiving Veterans Assistance Educational Benefits by processing educational benefit forms and advising students on their educational benefits, among many other things. Information on Veterans Certification is available on the Registrar's website. A VA Certifying Official can provide more information on services provided and can be contacted at va@uga.edu or 1 (706) 542-1842.

All degree programs and majors at the University of Georgia have been approved by the VA as eligible for educational benefits. Information and applications for Veterans Educational Benefits are available on the Veteran Administration website.

Student Veterans Resource Center

The Student Veterans Resource Center serves as the go-to-location for wayfinding and entry into an array of services provided by the University of Georgia and our community partners. Located at the heart of the university wide support system the SVRC is ideally postured to help address the wide-ranging needs of our Student Veterans, National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty personnel. Download the SVRC Orientation Brochure (.pdf)

Located in Tate Room 481, the Center can be reached at 706-542-SVRC or SVRC@uga.edu.

Learn more about military, veterans and dependents resources for UGA online students.

UGA Student ID Card

Having a student ID can provide numerous benefits such as access to professional conferences, discounts on shopping, events, activities and programs. Many businesses offer student discounts for you to receive a reduced or free product or service by showing your student ID. The UGACard is the official University of Georgia identification card for students, faculty, staff, official campus visitors, and their dependents.

UGA Online Students may receive a non-photo Student Identification Card. This ID has your name and student ID number (also called your UGAID) and identifies you as a student enrolled in a UGA Online program. You may find many merchants who will offer student discounts upon presentation of this Student Identification Card.

You can order your UGA Student ID Card online. The cost is $20.00 plus an additional $1.00 for shipping. To complete your order, email shannon8@uga.edu for the current online student authorization code, send UGA Card Services an email from your UGA.EDU email address and include a photo or scan of your valid, government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport.

Your card will be shipped to your address on your student record only. If your address has changed, please update your records with the UGA Registrar's Office three business days before placing your order.

Online Students who wish to obtain a regular Photo ID card and the additional access to services that the regular UGACard provides may apply in person at the UGACard Office at the Athens Campus (309 Tate Student Center), or at any of the three UGA Extended Campus locations (Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton). Services that require the photo UGACard may also require assessment of additional student fees that aren’t normally assessed to Online Students, so please check with the service provider you are interested in. Please visit ugacard.uga.edu for more information.

Academic Support

**COVID-19 Special Announcement - During UGA's response to COVID-19, the Division of Academic Enhancement (DAE) will continue to support students' academic success. Visit DAE at a Distance for more information.

Free academic support is available to undergraduate students enrolled in online courses through Peer Tutoring and Academic Coaching. Students can book a tutoring or coaching appointment on SAGE and select a location either in-person or online. For more information, including instructions on how to book an online appointment, visit the Division of Academic Enhancement’s website or call (706) 542-7575.

Career Center

The Career Center's Events Calendar contains information on upcoming events like career fairs and networking opportunities that may be of interest to you, and there is a separate Alumni Events page with events specifically catered to alumni.

Career Consultations

The UGA Career Center has resources for undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni. These pages contain information on who you should talk to at the Career Center for advice and assistance, as well as tools to help you stay connected and find career opportunities. Call the Career Center at 1 (706) 542-3375 to schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant.

Online Career Self-Assessments

The Career Center has a number of assessments that can help you plan your course of study and determine your career path. They can help you:

Assess your interests, personality, values and skills
Demonstrate links between degrees and careers
Explore and analyze occupational paths
Create a career plan

Virtual Career Fairs and Networking Events

Both in-person and virtual career fairs are available to UGA students and alumni. The Career Center maintains a calendar of upcoming career fairs. UGA also offers a free series of online networking events for UGA students and alumni.

Career Webinars and Job Search

Career webinars are free and provide tips for enhancing your professional career. As a student you will also have access to Handshake, a site dedicated to job opportunities for University of Georgia students and alumni.

Interview Prep

Mock interviews are facilitated by one of UGA's Career Consultants Scheduling and are an excellent way to build confidence before your next real interview. To schedule a mock interview, call 1 (706) 542-3375.

You can also learn what employers have to say about certain career related topics by following our Career Center on Twitter @UGACareerCenter and searching #UGAjobchat.

Online Resume Creator

As a UGA student you will have free access to an online resume creator, Optimal Resume. This career management platform helps you create, present and share your professional credentials.

UGA Library - Distance Learning Services

**COVID-19 Special Announcement - Library databases and the online catalog are available to all students, faculty, and staff.
We encourage you to use the following resources during this time. Visit Library Resources for Online Classes for more information.

Watch the webinar series on Library Resources on YouTube. The first of the series is UGA Library at a Distance Part 1 - Resources During COVID-19, The next is Library at a Distance – Finding Research at a Distance. The third in the series is Library at a Distance - Introduction to Citation Managers.

The UGA Libraries offer online faculty and students distance learning services. There is a UGA librarian designated to helping distance learners. Our library supports online students and faculty through eReserves where you can get assistance with research questions, locating materials, one-on-one assistance, document delivery and much more! Contact UGA's Distance Learning Librarian, John Prechtel with your questions about library resources and services at prechtel@uga.edu or call 1 (706) 542-3472.

Library Resources

Testing Services

**COVID-19 Special Announcement - UTS staff are engaging students online due to the coronavirus situation. Visit UTS's service continuity information page for additional information.

Quizzes and exams in online courses may require online proctoring. Your course syllabus and/or your instructor can give you information about what your specific course requires. Visit Testing Services for information on the administration of your online course exams. You can reach Testing Services at 1 (706) 542-3183.

Online proctoring involves the use of technology to record student activity while taking an exam. It requires access to a computer with internet connectivity, a microphone and a webcam. Face-to-face proctoring is required in a few online courses and instructs you to go to an approved testing site to be proctored in person during your exam. First, check your course syllabus to determine if your instructor will require face-to-face proctoring for any or all of your exams. If your instructor does require face-to-face proctoring, you would work with University Testing Services to locate a testing site that is convenient to your location during the semester in which you are taking your online course.

If you have special testing or learning needs, contact the UGA Disability Resource Center for further assistance or call 1 (706) 542-8719.

Complaints Procedures

The University of Georgia seeks to resolve concerns and complaints in a fair and prompt manner. Before pursuing external options, exhaust all internal avenues of complaint resolution by first visiting the University of Georgia Division of Student Affairs Complaints and Appeals page. Complaints about grades or student conduct should be submitted to the university and may not be appealed to the SARA portal agency.

More detailed information about the SARA student complaint process can also be found on the NC-SARA website and in the NC-SARA manual.

Complaints should be filed with the SARA State Portal Entity for Georgia, unless you are located in CA or MA.

Georgia Portal Entity Contact
Patricia Neri, GA-SARA Coordinator
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC)
2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084
(770) 441-3232
GASARA@gnpec.org

California
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
*Only for institutions regulated by BPPE. Currently there is no agency for complaints in California for public or non-profit out-of-state institutions.

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure Office of Private Occupational School Education

Current or prospective University of Georgia students with a concern directly related to online learning may call the Office of Online Learning toll free at (844) 842-3894 or submit a complaint via email to online@uga.edu.

In the unlikely event that a complaint cannot be resolved through the University of Georgia process, students may file a complaint with their resident state licensing authority. Georgia residents may complete the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission Authorized School Complaint form.

If you live outside of Georgia, contact information for your state can be located in the Directory of State Authorization Agencies and Lead Contacts (.pdf)

Complaints that are not resolved after all University avenues have been exhausted may also be filed with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

SACS policies and information for filing a complaint (.pdf)