How to Apply to the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts at Georgia Tech

The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts (IAC) at Georgia Tech admits students through the university's central admissions process rather than a separate college-level application. Prospective undergraduates apply via Georgia Tech Undergraduate Admission, while master's and doctoral applicants apply through Georgia Tech Graduate Admission and select an IAC program. The college's site at iac.gatech.edu directs prospective students to three main actions: Apply Now, Visit the College, and Contact Us. Specific deadlines, test requirements, and prerequisite courses are not published on the college's homepage, so confirm those details with the relevant admissions office or program before submitting.

Undergraduate Admission

IAC offers 10 bachelor's degrees, six of which are bachelor-master degree programs. Undergraduates enter through Georgia Tech's first-year or transfer admission process and then declare or are admitted to an IAC major.

Typical steps:

1. Choose a major. Review the IAC undergraduate programs, which span fields such as economics, public policy, international affairs, digital media, and history, technology, and society.
2. Apply through Georgia Tech Undergraduate Admission. Use the Apply Now link on iac.gatech.edu, which routes to the university's undergraduate application.
3. Submit required materials. Georgia Tech sets the application platform, essay prompts, transcripts, and any test policy. These are university-wide requirements, not IAC-specific ones.
4. Confirm deadlines. Application rounds and deadlines are set by Undergraduate Admission. Check the university admissions site rather than assuming a college-level deadline.
5. Visit or contact the college. Use Visit the College and Contact Us to schedule a visit or ask program-specific questions before or after applying.

If you are interested in an accelerated bachelor-master path, note that these are structured programs within the 10 bachelor's degrees. Ask the college directly how and when you apply to the master's portion, since that timing is program-specific.

Master's and Doctoral Admission

IAC offers 14 master's degrees and six Ph.D. programs, including professionally oriented graduate degrees in areas such as sustainability, cybersecurity policy and governance, applied languages and cultures, global media, digital media, and international affairs.

Typical steps:

1. Identify the specific graduate program. Requirements differ by degree, so start from the program page rather than the college homepage.
2. Apply through Georgia Tech Graduate Admission. Use the Apply Now link, which connects to the graduate application.
3. Prepare program-specific materials. Graduate applications commonly require transcripts, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and sometimes a writing sample or portfolio. Confirm the exact list with your target program.
4. Check deadlines and prerequisites per program. Graduate deadlines vary by department and are not listed on the college homepage.
5. Contact the program. Use Contact Us for questions about faculty research, funding, or admission criteria.

Minors and Certificates

If you are already a Georgia Tech student, IAC also offers numerous minors and certificate programs, including language studies; health, medicine, and society; global development; scenarios, models, and military games; energy systems; linguistics; social justice; Black media studies; and a pre-law minor in law, science, and technology. These are typically arranged through the college or your home department rather than through the main admissions application.

What to Verify Before You Apply

Common Pitfalls

• Assuming IAC has its own application. Admission runs through Georgia Tech's central offices.
• Using one deadline for all programs. Graduate deadlines differ by department.
• Skipping the visit. The college explicitly offers Visit the College and Contact Us, and these are the fastest ways to resolve program-specific questions.

Start at iac.gatech.edu, use Apply Now to reach the correct application, and confirm every deadline and requirement with the admissions office or program before you submit.