Address: Administration Building, 30602 Athens, Georgia, United States
Journalism (Grady College), Public Administration, Veterinary Medicine
Athens, in northeastern Georgia, is the home of the University of Georgia, which the state chartered in 1785. The university is a land-grant and sea-grant institution, and Britannica describes it as the state’s oldest institution of higher education. Its first class enrolled in 1801, the year in which Athens was founded to serve as its seat.
In fall 2025 the university enrolled about 43,900 students, including about 32,800 undergraduates and about 11,100 graduate and professional students. Its academic units include the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, colleges of business, journalism and mass communication, pharmacy and veterinary medicine, and a School of Law. U.S. News & World Report ranked the university tied for 16th among public national universities in 2025.
Journalism gives UGA a distinctive public role. The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication was founded in 1915, and since 1940 it has been the home of the Peabody Awards, which honor television, radio and online media. The university also runs the Georgia Museum of Art, the official art museum of the state since 1982, and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, designated the official botanical garden in 1984.
Domains taught:
Agriculture, AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Life Sciences, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Birthplace of public higher education in America. Flagship university of Georgia. Strong programs in journalism, public administration, and agriculture/environmental sciences. Successful athletics (Bulldogs).
Research:
A leading research university with strengths in agricultural and environmental sciences, veterinary medicine, public health, journalism, and education. High research activity.
Famous Alumnis:
Terrell Davis, Ryan Seacrest, Herschel Walker, Kim Basinger, Haskell Ward
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8000
Current students***:
40000
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
300000
Pros
Historic public university with strong programs in journalism and public administration, beautiful campus in a vibrant college town (Athens), passionate athletics fanbase.
Cons
Large student population, some programs can be very competitive, state funding fluctuations.
Best For
Students seeking a major public research university with strong programs in journalism, public administration, agriculture, or veterinary medicine, often valuing a traditional college town experience and successful athletics.
University of Florida in Gainesville is a public university in Gainesville with agriculture, engineering and health sciences.
Georgia State University is a public university in Atlanta whose business school, public policy school and health professions programmes sit close to UGA's public affairs profile.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, public and in Chapel Hill, lists health sciences, journalism and media, and business as main fields.
Colorado State University in Fort Collins is a public university with agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine and environmental science.
Washington State University, a public institution in Pullman, combines agriculture and veterinary medicine with engineering.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Carleton University in Canada is a public university listed for journalism and communication, public affairs and engineering.
University of Ottawa in Canada is public and strong in public policy and international affairs alongside health sciences.
Cardiff University in the United Kingdom is a public university with journalism, engineering and healthcare among its main fields.
University of Queensland in Australia is a public university covering medicine, engineering, science, business, law and agriculture.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
In which year was the University of Georgia chartered?
The Georgia legislature chartered it in 1785, and the first class enrolled in 1801. Athens was founded in 1801 as the seat of the university.
What type of institution is UGA?
It is a public land-grant and sea-grant research university. Britannica also records it as the oldest institution of higher education in the state.
How many students study there?
About 43,900 students were enrolled in fall 2025, about 32,800 of them undergraduates and about 11,100 postgraduates. The university and the University System of Georgia publish updated enrollment reports every fall.
What are the Peabody Awards and how is UGA involved?
They honor television, radio and online media and were established in 1940. The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at UGA has been their home since then.
Which museums and gardens belong to the university?
The Georgia Museum of Art has been the official art museum of the state since 1982. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia was designated the official botanical garden in 1984 and is operated by the university.
Which colleges does UGA have?
They include the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and colleges of business, journalism and mass communication, pharmacy and veterinary medicine, plus a School of Law. Applicants should check each unit's page for programmes.
How is UGA ranked among public universities?
U.S. News & World Report placed it tied for 16th among public national universities in 2025, and the university states that it has been in the top 20 for ten straight years. Rankings change each year, so the latest edition should be consulted.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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