Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Statesboro, Georgia
89.6% Acceptance Rate
Georgia Southern University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
89.6%Acceptance Rate
3.36Avg GPA
1057Avg SAT
21Avg ACT
$24,563Annual Cost
$53,236Grad Salary
35.5%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
89.6%
Avg GPA
3.36
Avg SAT
1057
Avg ACT
21
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
980–1160
ACT Middle 50%
18–23
Avg Net Price
$16,531
Need-Based Aid
35.5% receive Pell
Georgia Southern University is a public, research-oriented institution that emphasizes student-centered learning and community engagement. Admissions are based on a profile of academic performance and standardized testing, with a focus on core curriculum completion. The university seeks students who are ready to thrive in a large, active campus community and contribute to its innovative research and service efforts.
Applicants should showcase a steady upward trend in their grades and a commitment to school-based organizations. Highlighting any leadership roles held in high school whether in sports, clubs, or community service is highly recommended. A strong application demonstrates the applicant's readiness for university-level research and their enthusiasm for the collaborative culture that defines Georgia Southern.
Georgia Southern University Acceptance Rate
Admission at Georgia Southern University is inclusive by design. 89.6% of applicants who meet basic eligibility are accepted.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 89.6% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.36 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.16 – 3.35
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.91
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Georgia Southern University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Georgia Southern University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline, though the priority deadline of October 1 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 54 days left — Rolling
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Georgia Southern University reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Rolling
October 1
Rolling
December 1
Rolling
March 1
Rolling
April 1
Rolling
May 1
Rolling
August 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (Honors scholarship priority: 2026/01/15) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Georgia Southern University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Georgia Southern University is 3.36. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.06–3.36 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.56–3.76.Georgia Southern University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Admission here leans heavily on holistic review.
Recommended Strategy: Leans on context, such as leadership, personal circumstances, or a standout talent.
This range is a rough map. Where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application.:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.36 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.16 – 3.35
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.96 – 3.15
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.95
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate ~88?90% (BigFuture 87.89%, Wikipedia 89.6% for 2025); ACT or SAT required for Fall 2026 admission - NOT test-optional per Common App profile; no personal essay required; no letters of recommendation required; priority deadline February 1 (scholarship consideration built into admission application); $30 application fee; ~30,000 students; founded 1906; R2 Doctoral University.
- Four campuses: Statesboro (flagship, 900 acres), Armstrong/Savannah (268 acres), Liberty/Hinesville, East Georgia/Swainsboro (added January 1, 2026, consolidated from East Georgia State College, approved April 15, 2025); Sun Belt Conference athletics (Eagles); in-state tuition ~$7,426; out-of-state ~$21,766; average admitted GPA 3.36; average SAT 1170 (49% submitting), ACT 20 (24% submitting).
- Parker College of Business: AACSB-accredited (fewer than 5% of global business schools); PhD in Logistics/Supply Chain Management (first in Georgia, est. 2010); Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SLIC): partnership with Plug and Play (Silicon Valley VC firm), adjacent to Port of Savannah (4th-largest US container port); Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health; Waters College of Health Professions; Honors College.
- Military-friendly: 9 consecutive years Military Friendly designation; #1 Best Schools for Military Students (multiple organizations); Liberty Campus in Hinesville adjacent to Fort Stewart; 141+ degree programs at bachelor's/master's/doctoral levels; East Georgia Campus (Swainsboro) programs still developing in 2026 - verify specific program availability before enrolling.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself. A 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average. The trajectory tells its own story.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Georgia Southern University
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from Georgia Southern University's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Georgia Southern University Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at Georgia Southern University. Landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into Georgia Southern University Without SAT or ACT?
Georgia Southern University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Georgia Southern University Average SAT Score: 1057
Admitted students at Georgia Southern University average a 1057 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1057 — Accessible
A 1057 average means even a modest SAT score can strengthen your application.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1160 SAT or 23 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Georgia Southern University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 980? A retake is worth it at Georgia Southern University. Two or three sittings is standard for competitive applicants, and there's no cap on how many times you can test.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 525 | 480 | 570 |
| SAT Reading | 545 | 500 | 590 |
| SAT Composite | 1057 | 980 | 1160 |
A score under 980 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1160+ puts you ahead of three-quarters of the admitted class. (These percentiles mark where a given share of the admitted class scored at or below.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1050
Can I get into Georgia Southern University with a 1150 SAT?
At 1150, your SAT is squarely in Georgia Southern University's favor. That said, admissions staff read the full file. GPA, activities, and essays still carry real weight even with a strong score in hand.
Georgia Southern University ACT Requirements
Georgia Southern University's admitted students average an ACT of 21.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 21 — Less Competitive
An average of 21 leaves room above it for a competitive application.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 20 | 17 | 23 |
| ACT English | 20 | 16 | 23 |
| ACT Composite | 21 | 18 | 23 |
Can I get into Georgia Southern University with a 23 ACT?
At 23, you're in the top quarter of Georgia Southern University's admitted class by ACT score. That's a real advantage, but admissions still reads GPA, essays, and activities alongside it.
The ACT's four sections, English, Math, Reading, and Science, are each scored independently on a 1–36 scale, and admissions staff do notice a lopsided breakdown. If one section trails the others significantly, that's worth addressing before you apply, particularly for STEM programs where Science carries extra weight.
Beyond the number itself, Georgia Southern University weighs your transcript rigor, activities, recommendations, and essays just as heavily. The ACT opens the door, and the rest of your file decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Georgia Southern University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Georgia Southern University takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
ACT or SAT Required for Fall 2026 - This Is Not Test-Optional
Georgia Southern's Common App profile for Fall 2026 explicitly states that ACT or SAT scores are required for admission - not optional, not recommended. The average ACT score for enrolled students who submitted scores in 2025 was 20 (24% of the entering class submitted ACT); the average SAT was 1170 (49% submitted). If you don't submit scores, you are applying outside the standard admission criteria as stated by the institution. No personal essay is required and no letters of recommendation are required, which means your transcript, GPA, and test score are the primary materials in the file. The average admitted GPA in 2025 was 3.36 unweighted. Apply by February 1 for priority scholarship consideration - the scholarship application is built into the admission application, so there is no separate form to complete.
Choose Your Campus Carefully - They Are Not Interchangeable
Georgia Southern now operates four campuses: the Statesboro flagship (900 acres, ~50 miles from Savannah, traditional large-campus feel, 900-acre wooded campus, Sun Belt Conference athletics), the Armstrong Campus in Savannah (268 acres, urban setting, 4th-largest US container port adjacent, home to the Savannah Logistics Innovation Center), the Liberty Campus in Hinesville (smaller, 21,000 sq ft, designed for military-connected students near Fort Stewart), and the East Georgia Campus in Swainsboro (added January 2026 from the consolidation with East Georgia State College). Programs, campus culture, and geographic environment differ meaningfully between these campuses. Choosing Statesboro for its athletics-heavy residential culture is a different decision than choosing the Armstrong Campus in Savannah for its logistics and supply chain ecosystem adjacent to America's fourth-largest container port. Visit the campus you intend to attend, not just the flagship.
Supply Chain and Logistics Is the Academic Differentiator in Savannah
Georgia Southern's Parker College of Business (AACSB-accredited - a distinction held by fewer than 5% of business schools globally) launched the first PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management offered in Georgia in 2010. On the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, the Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SLIC) partners with Plug and Play - a Silicon Valley venture capital firm - to connect Georgia-made logistics advances to global markets. The Port of Savannah, adjacent to the Armstrong Campus, is the nation's fourth-largest container port and one of the fastest-growing. For students who intend to build careers in logistics, supply chain, international trade, or related fields, the combination of the AACSB business school, the PhD-granting supply chain program, the SLIC innovation center, and the port's industry ecosystem is a genuinely rare convergence of academic and professional infrastructure.
Use Georgia Southern's Military-Friendly Designation as a Real Resource
Georgia Southern has earned Military Friendly designation for nine consecutive years and has been ranked #1 in Best Schools for Military Students (Veterans News Report, Intelligent.com "Top 60 Military Friendly Colleges"), #1 in Best Education Options for Veterans (Veterans News Report), and "Best for Vets" by CollegeFactual. For active-duty servicemembers, veterans, reservists, and military dependents, Georgia Southern's multi-campus structure means the Liberty Campus in Hinesville (near Fort Stewart) provides a physically proximate option. Tuition assistance processing, credit for military training, and veteran-specific advising are built into the institutional infrastructure rather than added as a student services afterthought. If military-friendly environment is a meaningful factor in your enrollment decision, Georgia Southern consistently backs the designation with measurable outcomes data.
Expert Insight:
Georgia Southern's East Georgia Campus consolidation (finalized January 1, 2026) added a fourth campus in Swainsboro - a small town of ~7,400 approximately 110 miles west of Savannah. The consolidation brings new associate degrees in arts and applied sciences and bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, nursing, early childhood education, and liberal studies to the Swainsboro location, with consortium programs with Savannah State University planned. For prospective students, the key disclosure is this: the Swainsboro campus is in early transition, programs are still being developed, and the advising infrastructure and program stability there may differ materially from what the three established campuses offer. If your target program is listed as available at the East Georgia Campus, confirm directly with the Georgia Southern registrar that it is fully operational for your entering cohort.
Georgia Southern University Profile
Full Name
Georgia Southern University
City
Statesboro
State
Georgia
ZIP Code
30460-8126
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Georgia Southern University Degree Worth It?
Whether Georgia Southern University is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $62,800, and graduates see a 3.42% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from Georgia Southern University Cost?
Listed tuition runs $24,563/year at Georgia Southern University. Factor in Pell and federal grant aid, and most students land closer to $16,531.
At Georgia Southern University, 35.5% receive a Pell Grant and 40% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming Georgia Southern University on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a Georgia Southern University Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, Georgia Southern University graduates report a median income of $53,236, about 31% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Georgia Southern University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faulkner University | Montgomery, AL | 1016 | 20 |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston, AL | 1015 | 20 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| Central Baptist College | Conway, AR | 1022 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | 1020 | 20 |
| Williams Baptist University | Walnut Ridge, AR | 1018 | 19 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1014 | 20 |
| Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, CT | 1044 | 24 |
| Baptist University of Florida | Graceville, FL | 1045 | 20 |
| Trinity Baptist College | Jacksonville, FL | 1007 | 20 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Georgia Southern University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | Magnolia, AR | 1050 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Fort Smith, AR | 1050 | 21 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Georgia Southern University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
Degree Programs at Georgia Southern University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Georgia Southern University Admissions
Georgia Southern University graduates earn a moderate median salary of $53,236/year, with some variation by field.
Tuition at Georgia Southern University is relatively affordable, around $24,563/year.
35.5% of Georgia Southern University students get a Pell Grant. Your odds depend mostly on household income, and filing FAFSA early still helps maximize what you're offered.
Georgia Southern University's acceptance rate is 89.6%, comparatively higher than most selective universities. Admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted Georgia Southern University students is 3.36, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 3.06 puts you in the standard applicant pool at Georgia Southern University. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 2.96 or below makes admission tougher at Georgia Southern University, but strong test scores, activities, and essays, plus AP/IB coursework, can still keep you in contention.
Georgia Southern University weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 1057, and within the 980–1160 range, keeps you competitive.
Georgia Southern University's deadline is October 1 (Rolling). Rolling Admissions applies too, so earlier is always better.
Georgia Southern University charges an application fee of 30; ask admissions about waiver eligibility if cost is a barrier.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before Honors scholarship priority: 2026/01/15. That's Georgia Southern University's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out, plus a solid test score where the school considers one.