How to Transfer into UGA’s Terry College of Business: A Complete Guide

Transferring into the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business is a two-stage process that trips up a lot of students. You don’t just transfer to UGA and land in a business major. You transfer to UGA as an intended business student, then apply to your specific Terry major once you’ve met the eligibility requirements. Understanding this distinction early is the difference between a smooth path and a semester (or two) of confusion.

Here’s how the entire process works, from your current institution through your first Terry major courses.

Step 1: Transfer to UGA First

Before you can apply to any Terry major, you need to be admitted to UGA as a transfer student. Terry does not admit students directly into a business major from outside the university. Every incoming student, whether a first-year or a transfer, enters as an “intended business” student.

UGA Transfer GPA Thresholds

UGA sets different GPA baselines depending on how many credit hours you’re transferring:

• 30 to 59 completed transfer hours: 3.50 or higher transfer GPA for a straightforward offer; 3.30 to 3.49 enters a secondary review process
• 60 or more completed transfer hours: 3.20 or higher for a straightforward offer; 3.00 to 3.19 enters secondary review

These thresholds can shift semester to semester based on enrollment targets, so always verify the current numbers on the UGA Admissions blog. The secondary review considers your purpose statement, grade trends, coursework alignment with your intended major, and other contextual factors.

Timing Matters

Terry recommends transferring as early as possible, ideally during your sophomore year. The logic is simple: you need to be enrolled at UGA to apply to a Terry major, and Terry application cycles happen on a fixed schedule. Every semester you delay your transfer is a semester you delay your major application.

What to Take Before You Transfer

Focus on completing Areas I through VI of the BBA Core Curriculum at your current institution. If you’re at a University System of Georgia school, UGA honors core-to-core transfer, meaning courses that satisfy your current school’s core curriculum will generally satisfy UGA’s. For students coming from non-USG schools, use UGA’s Transfer Equivalency tool to check how your courses map.

Priority courses to complete before transferring:

• ENGL 1101 and 1102 (a grade of C or better required in 1101; a 2.0 average across both)
• MATH 1113 (Precalculus) or a higher-level math course, since this is a hard eligibility requirement for the Terry application
• Lab sciences (one physical, one life science)
• ECON 2105 (Macroeconomics) and ECON 2106 (Microeconomics)
• ACCT 2101 (Principles of Accounting I), which must be completed before you apply to a Terry major
• POLS 1101 and HIST 2111 or 2112, which also satisfy Georgia legislative graduation requirements

Watch out for: Courses that transfer as GXX or TXX codes. A GXX course can usually fit into a relevant core area, but TXX courses only count as electives. This can leave gaps in your core that you’ll need to fill at UGA.

Step 2: Apply to a Terry Major

Once enrolled at UGA, you apply to your specific BBA major. This typically happens during the second semester of your sophomore year, though transfer students who arrive with most prerequisites completed may be able to apply sooner.

Eligibility Requirements for the Terry Application

You must meet all of the following by the application deadline:

• Enrollment: Eligible for enrollment at UGA in the semester you apply
• Academic standing: 2.0 or higher UGA GPA (or no UGA GPA if you’re a new transfer), and a 2.6 or higher overall GPA combining transfer and UGA coursework
• Core progress: Completed or in progress on Areas I through V of the General Education Core Curriculum
• MATH 1113: Must have a passing grade or exemption posted to your record
• ACCT 2101: Must be completed with a passing grade
• BUSN 3000 (Applied Statistics and Data Analysis for Business): Must be completed or in progress

Meeting these minimums makes you eligible to apply. It does not guarantee admission. Terry is a high-demand college with limited seats, and the selection process is competitive.

What Terry Looks At

The BBA selection criteria include:

• ACCT 2101 and 2102 grades (if 2102 is in progress, they evaluate based on your 2101 grade)
• ECON 2105 and 2106 grades
• MATH 1113 grade, plus grades in higher math courses like MATH 2200, 2250, or 2260 if taken
• ACT or SAT scores (required; the EPP can supplement but not replace these unless you’ve never taken the ACT/SAT)
• Statement of Purpose (300 to 400 words on your interest in the major and future goals)
• Grades in major-prefix courses, if you’ve already taken any (e.g., FINA courses for Finance applicants, REAL courses for Real Estate)
• Foundation First course grades (FINA 3000, MARK 3000, MGMT 3000) if completed

For Accounting and Finance applicants specifically, the Accounting Exam is also required. This multiple-choice test covers ACCT 2101 content as taught at UGA, and you can take it up to three times.

BBA Major Options

Terry offers eight BBA majors: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Real Estate, and Risk Management and Insurance. The International Business co-major can be added to any of these.

You’ll select a first-choice and second-choice major on your application. Important: Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and MIS are not available as second-choice options because they fill to capacity after first-choice admissions. Your second-choice options are Economics, Real Estate, and Risk Management and Insurance.

The Morehead Honors College Advantage

Students in good standing with the Morehead Honors College who meet all eligibility requirements are guaranteed their first-choice major. “Good standing” requires completing at least one semester at UGA with a minimum 3.40 cumulative GPA. This guarantee applies only to a first (primary) major, not to second, double, or co-majors.

What If You Don’t Get In?

Not getting admitted on your first attempt is not the end of the road. You can:

• Meet with your advisor to identify areas for improvement
• Reapply in a future cycle after strengthening your application
• Consider an alternative major at UGA (many students pivot to economics through Franklin College, for example)