TL;DR: The UGA out-of-state acceptance rate was 27.9% for fall 2025 (Class of 2029): UGA admitted 7,044 of 25,261 out-of-state applicants, against 42.1% of Georgia residents (8,893 of 21,110), by our calculation from the UGA Common Data Set 2025-2026. For fall 2026 (Class of 2030), UGA Early Action counts put the rate for out-of-state and international applicants at about 22%, with 4,600+ offers to 20,730+ applicants, against about 45% for Georgia residents (6,100 offers to 13,530+), by our calculation from rounded counts. For fall 2027, UGA reports roughly 38,100 Early Action applicants, 62% from outside Georgia, with out-of-state decisions in mid-December 2026. UGA says it reviews in-state and out-of-state applicants with the same process but aims to enroll a class roughly 80% in-state. Overall, more than 51,600 students applied for fall 2026 and about 15,400 were admitted. Non-resident tuition and fees are $33,298 for 2026-27, against $11,628 for Georgia residents. For out-of-state families weighing UGA, Oriel Admissions builds the Early Action strategy around the nonresident pool: schedule a consultation.
How Competitive Is the UGA Out-of-State Acceptance Rate?
UGA reports full-cycle counts by residency in its Common Data Set 2025-2026. For fall 2025 (Class of 2029), it admitted 8,893 of 21,110 Georgia residents (42.1%), 7,044 of 25,261 out-of-state applicants (27.9%) and 319 of 1,092 international applicants (29.2%), an overall rate of 34.3% on 47,464 applications, by our calculation. Its admissions blog also reports Early Action counts by residency for the most recent cycle. For fall 2026, Early Action drew 34,280+ applications, including 20,730+ from out-of-state and international students, and produced 10,760+ offers, including 4,600+ to out-of-state and international students. Georgia residents submitted 13,530+ Early Action applications and received 6,100 offers. Those counts imply an Early Action rate of about 22% for out-of-state and international applicants combined and about 45% for Georgia residents; these are by our calculation from UGA’s rounded counts. UGA says it reviews in-state and out-of-state applicants with the same overall process, but that admission is more challenging for out-of-state students because of applicant volume and its goal of enrolling a class roughly 80% in-state.
Demand keeps rising. UGA reported more than 51,600 applications for fall 2026, a record, with roughly 15,400 students admitted, and its Early Action post noted that Early Action applications were up nearly 13% from the prior year, with the largest growth among out-of-state applicants. For fall 2027 entry, UGA reported on October 26, 2026 that it had roughly 38,100 Early Action applicants, about 62% of them from outside Georgia, an increase of roughly 12%, with in-state Early Action decisions in late November and out-of-state decisions in mid-December (UGA Admissions blog). UGA also says the 80/20 goal refers to enrollment rather than admission, because a much higher share of admitted Georgia residents accept their offers. Rising national demand against a stable in-state enrollment goal is the same squeeze shaping out-of-state acceptance rates at selective flagships nationally.
What Do the UGA Admission Numbers Show for Fall 2026?
| Measure | Fall 2026 (Class of 2030) |
|---|---|
| Total applications | More than 51,600 (record) |
| Total admitted | About 15,400 |
| Early Action applications | 34,280+ (20,730+ out-of-state and international) |
| Early Action offers | 10,760+ (4,600+ out-of-state and international) |
| Early Action rate, out-of-state and international | About 22% (calculated) |
| Early Action rate, Georgia residents | About 45% (calculated) |
| Admitted middle 50% core GPA | 4.13 to 4.40 |
| Admitted middle 50% SAT / ACT | 1360 to 1500 / 31 to 34 |
| AP, IB or dual enrollment courses | 9 to 14 |
Sources: UGA Undergraduate Admissions blog posts on Early Action decisions (November 21 and December 12, 2025) and final freshman decisions (March 6, 2026); UGA Admissions Statistics page. Rates are calculated from UGA’s rounded counts.
Why Does UGA Aim for an 80/20 In-State Class?
UGA’s admissions office explains the constraint in its own words: UGA is the flagship university for Georgia, with a goal of enrolling a class roughly 80% in-state, and because a much higher share of admitted Georgia residents accept their offers, the 80/20 split refers to enrollment numbers rather than admits. The same post says UGA has no limits on admits by school, neighborhood, county or state and does not use major, gender, race, demonstrated interest or legacy status in its review. For a nonresident family, the practical reading is that about one enrolled seat in five, or about 20%, goes to the national and international pool. For fall 2025, 1,291 of 6,195 enrolled first-year students (20.8%) came from other states and 45 (0.7%) from abroad, by our calculation from the Common Data Set. In the view of Oriel Admissions, successful nonresident applicants tend to resemble strong out-of-state applicants to Georgia Tech or Clemson: top students with real distinction beyond the transcript.
What Do Out-of-State Families Pay at UGA?
| 2026-27 | Georgia resident | Non-resident | Out-of-country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $11,628 | $33,298 | $34,222 |
| Estimated cost of attendance | $29,920 | $52,156 | $53,080 |
Source: UGA Undergraduate Admissions, 2026 Counselor Fast Facts (July 2026). Cost of attendance is a nine-month estimate and subject to change.
At $33,298 in tuition and fees before housing, and an estimated $52,156 cost of attendance per the 2026 Counselor Fast Facts, in our view UGA prices below many private universities for a nonresident family paying full cost. UGA’s Office of Student Financial Aid notes that some out-of-state students hold full or partial tuition waivers, but families should not build a budget around one. For high-achieving admits, the honors path is worth evaluating alongside admission itself; our Morehead Honors College guide covers how it works.
How Should Out-of-State Applicants Approach UGA?
UGA offers nonbinding Early Action and Regular Decision only, with no Early Decision. For fall 2027 entry, the Early Action application deadline was October 15, 2026, with materials due October 29, 2026, and the Regular Decision deadline is January 1, 2027, with materials due January 15, 2027, per the Counselor Fast Facts; Regular Decision is the remaining option for students who have not yet applied. UGA requires official SAT or ACT scores from all first-year applicants, says there is no test optional pathway, and superscores both exams (UGA First-Year Criteria). Early Action is where much of the class is shaped: for fall 2026, 10,760+ of about 15,400 offers came in Early Action, about 70% by our calculation, and admitted Early Action students had a middle 50% UGA-recalculated core GPA of 4.18 to 4.43, an SAT of 1400 to 1510, an ACT of 32 to 35 and 10 to 15 AP, IB or dual enrollment courses, and UGA says both test ranges were somewhat higher for out-of-state admits. In our experience, out-of-state applicants are strongest when their scores sit in the upper part of those ranges and they pair the numbers with distinction such as a national-level activity or unusual academic depth. UGA says a deferral is not a denial; it allows a more in-depth review that includes short essays, activities and recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions About the UGA Out-of-State Acceptance Rate
For fall 2025, UGA admitted 7,044 of 25,261 out-of-state applicants, 27.9%, against 42.1% of Georgia residents, by an Oriel Admissions calculation from the UGA Common Data Set 2025-2026. Early Action counts for fall 2026 show about 22% for out-of-state and international applicants against about 45% for Georgia residents.
Yes. UGA says it uses the same review process for both groups, but admission is more challenging for out-of-state students because of applicant volume and its goal of enrolling a class roughly 80% in-state. For fall 2025 the full-cycle rate was 27.9% for out-of-state applicants against 42.1% for Georgia residents, and Early Action offer rates for fall 2026 were about 22% against about 45%.
Of the 6,195 first-year students who enrolled in fall 2025, 78.4% were Georgia residents, 20.8% came from other states and 0.7% were international, by our calculation from the UGA Common Data Set. UGA aims to enroll a first-year class roughly 80% in-state. The admissions office says the 80/20 split refers to enrollment, not admission, because a much higher share of admitted Georgia residents accept their offers.
For 2026-27, UGA lists non-resident tuition and fees of $33,298 and an estimated nine-month cost of attendance of $52,156, against $11,628 and $29,920 for Georgia residents. Out-of-country students pay $34,222 in tuition and fees.
No. UGA offers nonbinding Early Action and Regular Decision only. For fall 2027 entry, Early Action applications were due October 15, 2026, with materials by October 29, and Regular Decision applications are due January 1, 2027, with materials by January 15, 2027.
Admitted Early Action students for fall 2026 had a middle 50% UGA-recalculated core GPA of 4.18 to 4.43, an SAT of 1400 to 1510 and an ACT of 32 to 35. UGA requires the SAT or ACT, with no test optional pathway, and says both test ranges were somewhat higher for out-of-state admits, so in our view nonresident applicants should aim for the upper part of those ranges.
No. UGA says a deferral is not a denial and lets admissions conduct a more in-depth review, including short essays, activities and recommendations, in comparison with the overall applicant pool. Deferred students should read the deferred student FAQ on their status page.
No. UGA says it does not use major, gender, race, demonstrated interest or legacy status in its review, and it has no limits on admits by school, neighborhood, county or state. Nonresident applicants should therefore focus on rigor, grades and the depth of their activities.
Sources: UGA Admissions blog, 2026 EA Totals and Out-of-State/International Decisions; UGA Admissions blog, 2026 EA In-State Decisions; UGA Admissions blog, 2026 Final Freshman Admit Decisions; UGA Admissions Statistics; UGA 2026 Counselor Fast Facts; UGA Office of Student Financial Aid, Costs; UGA Common Data Set 2025-2026; UGA Admissions blog, UGA 2027 EA Initial Insights; UGA First-Year Criteria.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey and New York. Our team brings deep expertise across every dimension of the application, and our distinctive 360 approach develops strategy, positioning, activities, essays, and interviews as one coherent whole. To discuss your family’s admissions strategy, schedule a consultation.
