First Generation Student Resources


 

Check out our list of resources below for first-generation students!

 

Read our First Generation Handbook (PDF), which will provide you with information about how college works and what to expect at UGA. You’ll learn the most important terms you need to know, the critical resources on campus, academic expectations and some of the changes you will experience.

Your advisor is the person who helps you make decisions about courses you need to take to graduate, refers you to help on campus when you need it, answers your questions about college and explains University policies. Advisors are there to guide you through the curriculum and help you to understand how to make good course choices. Academic advising is mandatory prior to each semes- ter for which you plan to register at UGA.

In Academic Coaching, students meet with a certified Academic Coach to create an individualized success plan. Academic Coaching is a student driven experience where you work towards meeting your goals and learning new strategies for success. For more info on Academic Coaching, click here.

Tri Alpha is the nation's first national honor society for first-generation students. For more information on eligibility requirements and benefits, click here. For info specific to the Beta Gamma chapter, email Laetitia Adelson.

Classes occur on a standaridized schedule each semester. Click here for the Daily Class Schedule.

Have questions about how COVID-19 will affect your time at UGA? Click here for more information. 

The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) supports and advise students of their eligibility for financial assistance in a timely manner and educate them about the financial and academic responsibilities associated with the receipt of that aid.

Join First Gen Dawgs, a student-led organization on campus. For more info on First Gen Dawgs, click here.

If you're a first-generation doctoral student, consider following @firstgendocs on Twitter. This Twitter page, founded by UGA alum, seeks to affirm the experiences,  amplify the voices, & celebrate the brilliance of First-Gen Docs!

The 1st at the First Program is dedicated to bringing together undergraduate students who are the first in their families to attend college. This program supports first-generation students at the first state-chartered university in America to share their concerns, get their questions answered and develop campus confidence and knowledge.  Additionally, it provides an opportunity for students to be part of the 1st at the First Leaders’ Institute and to become a 1st at the First Ambassador, ready to lead and mentor the next class of first in the family students, establishing yourself as a campus leader in your very first year at UGA.

The 1st at the First cohort will meet twice a month for one hour in the evening via Zoom.  Each workshop will be tailored to help first generation students to get acclimated to life at UGA and in Athens and to become great leaders.

For more info on 1st at the First, contact Laetitia Adelson.

The University of Georgia Graduate School celebrates the accomplishments of our First-Generation graduate students who chart new pathways for their families and communities. First-Gen  graduate students demonstrate resilience and innovation in navigating institutional spaces.

Click here for specific resources for first-generation graduate students. 

As a first-generation student, you are uniquely equipped to take advantage of the opportunities and benefits of study away! The Office of Global Education is here to help you find your best-fit program, with our team of advisors and the https://studyaway.uga.edu/ website full of resources. First-generation students, along with students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, are especially competitive for study away scholarships and all approved programs are eligible for the use of financial aid.

The PLaTO program within the Division of Academic Enhancement (DAE) encompasses peer education efforts, including Peer Tutoring, Peer Learning Assistants, and Peer Allies. PLaTO engages students in the development of core competencies such as efficacy, communication, and support that shape their life as a student and beyond. For more information 

Student Care and Outreach coordinates care and assistance for all students, undergraduate and graduate, who experience complex, hardship, and/or unforeseen circumstances, by providing individualized assistance and tailored interventions.

TRIO Student Support Services provides comprehensive services to students who are first-generation, Pell Grant eligible, and/or registered with the Disability Resource Center. Click here for more info on TRIO SSS.

TRIO McNair prepares underrepresented UGA undergraduate students for graduate study at the doctoral level. Click here for more info on TRIO McNair.

The University Health Center at the University of Georgia is a fully integrated medical facility where each student is assigned to a primary care provider. The primary medical clinics are supported by an on-site laboratory, radiology department, and pharmacy. Specialty services include mental health counseling and psychiatric services, dental and vision clinics, a women’s clinic, physical therapy and massage, sports medicine, and a range of wellness-related services. Full-time students pay a health fee each semester which covers primary care office visit costs and qualifies students to receive specialty services at reduced rates.

Connect with an 650+ experienced UGA alumni mentors who successfully navigated UGA as a first generation student.  Through the UGA Mentor Program, you can search and request an alumni mentor using a variety of search criteria including: identity, industry, major, location and more. If you’re not sure where to start, there are guidelines, icebreakers, and resources to support you along the journey.

 

Can't find what you're looking for? Connect with us at firstgen@uga.edu.