Statement of Competitive Admission

All qualified persons are equally welcome to seek admission to the Georgia Institute of Technology, and all persons may apply for and accept admission confident that the policy and regular practice of the Institute will not discriminate against them on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin.

Projections of the number of graduate students to be admitted and enrolled in any year will be determined (a) by the capacity of the Institute, (b) by the capacity of the admitting department, and (c) by approved enrollment levels. If the number of eligible applicants for admission exceeds the number of applicants who can be admitted and enrolled, those to be offered admission will be selected on the basis of (a) the department’s judgment of the applicant's relative qualifications for satisfactory performance in the Institute/program/research area and (b) recognition of the Institute's special responsibilities to the residents of Georgia.

Verification of credentials and certification of compliance with Institute policies shall be the responsibility of the Office of Graduate Admissions. Policies and procedures that are approved by the Office of the President, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the Graduate Senate of the Institute shall be applied in determining eligibility for consideration for graduate study. From those eligible candidates, final admission decisions shall be the responsibility of the admitting department. Satisfying minimal standards, however, does not guarantee admission, since the number of eligible applicants generally far exceeds the number of places available. As a result, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.

The criteria used in determining each applicant’s eligibility for consideration shall include: (1) evidence of award of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent (prior to matriculation) from a recognized institution and graduation in the upper half of their class (Masters) or upper quarter of their class (Doctoral); students must show evidence of preparation in their chosen field sufficient to ensure profitable graduate study; (2) for international applicants, satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). From eligible candidates, departments may make final admission decisions based on a combination of factors, including academic degrees and records, the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores, and relevant work experience. Also considered are the appropriateness of the applicant’s goals to the degree program in which they are interested and to the research interests of the program's faculty. In addition, consideration may be given to how the applicant’s background and life experience would contribute significantly to an educationally beneficial mix of students.

Applicants who do not satisfy basic admission criteria may, for sufficient reason, be admitted with the approval of the Graduate Committee as established in the statutes and bylaws of the Institute.

This statement is in accordance with the Institute’s Mission and Vision statement which can be viewed at www.gatech.edu/vision/.