STUDENT FAQ

Technical help

LockDown Browser integrates with Blackboard, Canvas and more. It prevents all students from Googling the answers, opening other applications, or going to other URLs during an online assessment. Key thing is to have a computer with average system specifications. For information on minimum requirements please visit the link: https://bit.ly/3iV8apN

If any of you have issues with installing a browser, our IT Clinic assistants can help you, as long as you have a computer with acceptable system requirements specified above. Currently, there is no better alternative for a lockdown browser, and it is the software that SDSU recommends for use during the exams. To receive technical help, please send an email to [email protected].
Respondus, Inc (Lockdown Browser) has a very clear and open message about its safety, information processing, and privacy. It complies with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) - a European Union data protection law, as well as U.S. Privacy Shield Framework.
Please see the links below about Respondus Incorporations privacy policy. https://web.respondus.com/privacy/ https://web.respondus.com/privacy/privacy-additional-lockdown-browser/ https://web.respondus.com/privacy-policy/ https://web.respondus.com/gdpr-privacy-shield/
SDSU students are responsible to solve technical problems (having a computer, internet issues, web camera etc.) by themselves. SDSU Georgia Administration, specifically IT department has limited number of resources, including laptops and computers. If a student cannot solve the above technical issues, they can contact [email protected], with the request for equipment loaning, describing their issue in detail. SDSU Georgia Administration will process the application within 1 week and issue an equipment loan if deemed necessary.
This issue should be reported to Giga Gotsiridze and Ana Tonikiani at [email protected], [email protected]. Alternatively, you can contact SDSU’s Central campus support: https://its.sdsu.edu/support/
SDSU Georgia has licensed software installed on the lab computers such as (ArcGIS, Maple, Gaussian, etc.). They are not available for free, and in some cases can be expensive. If a student cannot install the software on their personal computer/laptop, SDSU Georgia IT can provide remote access to the lab computers. For further details, you can contact Giga Gotsiridze at [email protected]
This issue should immediately be reported to Giga Gotsiridze at [email protected]
This issue should be reported to Giga Gotsiridze and Ana Tonikiani at [email protected] [email protected]
This issue should be reported to Giga Gotsiridze and Ana Tonikiani at [email protected]  [email protected]

Tuition/Financial aid

To request your individual tuition payment schedule, please reach out to the Finance Department at [email protected].
Yes, you can. The invoice sent to you includes the TBC Bank account on which you can deposit the GEL equivalent of the amount indicated in the invoice. The amount should be converted using the National Bank of Georgia exchange rate on the payment day. Please indicate your Red ID and full name in the description.
Please be aware that we do not receive information from NAEC or MES about increased Government Scholarship. Therefore, please send us a certificate or any kind of proof that your scholarship amount has been changed before the beginning of the academic year.
SDSU-G financial assistance is need-based. In case you are facing financial hardships that interfere with your ability to meet financial deadlines, please contact Student Affairs Manager Asmati Naskidashvili at [email protected] and request an individual consultation on the matter. To request your individual tuition payment schedule, please reach out to the Finance Department at [email protected].
SDSU-G has managed to implement various financial assistance programs and the most recent one was “COVID-19 relief’’. We plan on continuing the same types of programs with the emphasis on need. These assistance programs are need-based programs and they concentrate on one-semester tuition assistance for our students. Students have approximately one month to apply for the assistance when Call for Applications is announced.
Conditions for the Student Loan program, implemented through the Millennium Foundation and Terabank partnership are rather favorable for SDSU-G students. Please see more details on the TeraBank website: https://www.terabank.ge/en/1311.
As for the procedure, students are advised to reach out to Tera Bank central office directly for an individual consult.
You can also contact Student Affairs Manager Asmati Naskidashvili at [email protected] for further details.
Students are advised to reach out to Tera Bank central office directly for an individual consult. You can also contact Student Affairs Manager Asmati Naskidashvili at [email protected] for further details. Administrative Assistant Gvantsa Khvedeliani will help you gather documentation to apply for the student loan. You can request documents at [email protected].

Academic Issues

During Fall 2020 semester the following courses are offered online:
• Biology 100 Lab
• Biology 203 Lab
• Chemistry 410A Lab
• Computer Engineering 160 Lab
• Computer Engineering 375 Lab
• Computer Engineering 470 Lab
• Construction Engineering 401 Lab
• Electrical Engineering 458 Lab
• Physics 195 Lab
• Physics 196 Lab

Offline/face-to-face labs:
• Chemistry 232 Lab
• Chemistry 457 Lab
• Civil Engineering 302 Lab
• Civil Engineering 444 Lab
• Civil Engineering 463 Lab
• Computer Engineering 496B
• Electrical Engineering 330 Lab
• Electrical Engineering 496B
You should contact Academic Affairs Manager Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected]
If you cannot attend your classes due to any reason, you should immediately inform your instructor via email.
You should contact Academic Affairs Manager Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected]
Academic Affairs Manager, Nino Pantsulaia is ultimately responsible to answer your schedule-related questions. You can send her an email at [email protected]
As a general rule, no changes can be applied to the schedule once it is finalized. For exceptional cases you should contact Academic Affairs Manager Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected]
At the beginning of each semester, SDSU Georgia Administration announces the schedule for study material distribution/return. In case you have a conflict within the schedule, please contact Ana Tonikiani and Salome Kilanava at [email protected] and [email protected]

To be assigned as a student assistant you must be a high GPA senior year student and your candidacy should be nominated by the teaching faculty.

In order to be assigned as Helpdesk tutor you must be a high GPA junior/senior year student and your candidacy should be nominated by the teaching faculty.

Your graduation date is directly linked to which course you failed. You might be under the risk of an extra semester or extra year. SDSU Georgia Academic Affairs Department firmly recommends that you contact your Academic Advisor Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected]

SDSU G funds the maximum amount of 750 USD for the Capstone project per each group.

A group of students can request funding by filling out the “Capstone Funding Requisition Form”. Please contact the Corporate Relations Manager, Anna Shakhnazarova for the form at [email protected] 

A: A student is in good academic standing when his/her overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) is 2.0 or higher. If the GPA falls below 2.0, a student will be placed on academic probation. Being on academic probation means that a student's academic performance is below the state minimum required for graduation and that improvement is required. Students are placed on academic probation at the end of the semester when their cumulative GPA is less than 2.0 (less than a "C" average).

Exception for Spring 2020: Due to the COVID-19, SDSU students will not be placed on academic probation after the spring 2020 semester. Students who are currently on probation will not have the spring 2020 semester counted toward the maximum semesters of probation.

Students on academic probation must achieve a minimum SDSU grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 each semester or they will be immediately disqualified. If the semester GPA is at least a 2.0 while on academic probation, the student may continue on probation for a maximum of three semesters. Students who, at the end of the third semester, have not raised their SDSU and cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or higher will be academically disqualified.

Course forgiveness allows you to re-take a class and "forgive” the first grade. Course forgiveness can only be used on original grades of "C-" or lower. The courses must be the exact same course and must be repeated at SDSU Georgia/SDSU. The original grade remains on your transcript but does not get calculated into your grade point average. The second grade replaces (forgives) the original grade.

You may request a maximum of 16 units for course forgiveness as part of the 28-unit course repeat limit. Note that you can repeat the same course only once for course forgiveness, and no more than one course used for course forgiveness may be an upper-division course.

Students on academic probation will be disqualified at the end of the fall or spring semesters if:
1. They earn less than a 2.0-grade point average (GPA) for any semester while on probation, or
2. if they still have less than a 2.0 GPA in all work completed at the end of their third semester on probation (not including summer).

Exception for Spring 2020: Due to the COVID-19, SDSU students will not be academically disqualified after the Spring 2020 semester regardless of the term, SDSU, or cumulative grade point averages.

Students who have been disqualified from SDSU will receive instructions to transfer out of the program. If you need additional information on transferring procedures, please contact the Academic Affairs Manager and Academic Affairs Coordinator Salome Kilanava at [email protected] and [email protected]

According to the SDSU Georgia policy, the disqualified students cannot be readmitted.

Students who first enrolled in the academic year 2019-20 represent the last cohort of SDSU-G. Last cohort students are encouraged not to take academic leaves, as doing so would require them to transfer to one of the partner Universities in Georgia to complete their studies and they will be able to obtain a diploma from the partner university they transfer into. Students wishing to obtain an SDSU diploma after May 2023 may graduate from the San Diego State University main campus, but shall be solely responsible for paying for all expenses of completing their degree in San Diego. For more information on this subject, please contact Academic Affairs Manager Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected]

If you have decided to transfer to SDSU Main Campus, please contact Academic Affairs Manager Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected]

To check your eligibility for transfer, please visit https://admissions.sdsu.edu/transfers/apply 

A: There are numerous resources available to help you determine if you are on track to graduate. You are encouraged to meet with your academic adviser Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected] to discuss how well you are progressing towards the completion of your major and minor requirements.

Your degree evaluation is your second most valuable resource after the General Catalog since the Degree Evaluation outlines all the requirements that you will have to complete before you graduate SDSU programs. You can view your degree evaluation online on SDSU WebPortal. The Degree Evaluation updates regularly as you satisfy your degree requirements and is referred to as a "living document." It is a great resource to help you track your progress toward degree completion!

If you have any questions about your graduation requirements, please contact your academic adviser Nino Pantsulaia at [email protected].

A: Graduating with honors is granted to undergraduate students who achieve high grade point averages. The determination of honors will be done at the time the bachelor's degree is conferred. Distinction in the major is granted to students who meet the GPA qualifications and who have received their major department's recommendation. Candidates for a second bachelor’s degree are not eligible to graduate with honors. Your graduation adviser will automatically do the calculation of honors and distinction.

Excellence is recognized at three levels:

  • Cum laude (3.50-3.64)
  • Magna cum laude (3.65-3.79)
  • Summa cum laude (3.80-4.00).

In most cases, diploma orders are processed and mailed two to three weeks after the date a bachelor’s degree is conferred. Diplomas will be delivered to the diploma address listed on your SDSU WebPortal.

For more details, please contact Nino Pantsulaia ([email protected]) and Ana Tonikiani ([email protected]).

To apply for graduation, students should first check with Nini Pantsulaia at [email protected] to confirm the semester and year of their graduation date. Students may then visit their Web Portal account at https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/pls/webapp/web_menu.login and select the Apply to Graduate option to apply for graduation and pay their graduation fee. If you need assistance

Depending on your expected graduation date (when you plan to have all requirements for your degree), students may graduate at the end of Fall, Spring, or Summer terms. The application dates for May 2021 is July 1, 2020–February 2, 2021 and for August 2021 July 1, 2020–February 2, 2021. If you are unsure of your graduation date, please contact Nini Pantsulaia at [email protected]

To apply for graduation, students should submit their graduation application along with a one-time $100 nonrefundable filing fee online on your SDSU WebPortal page under the Apply to Graduate option.

Student Life

To receive Psychological Counseling service, you need to request a special form that you must send to Kamara center. To receive the form and further instructions, please send an email to [email protected], indicating your RED ID number. Please note that SDSU Georgia provides 3 psychological counseling appointments free of charge.

You are all very much encouraged to initiate a new student club. Please, do it! Due to COVID-19 regulations the procedures are being adapted and Student Affairs Department is having individual consults on this issue with every interested student. All you need to do is to contact Student Affairs Manager Ms. Asmati Naskidashvili at [email protected] and Student Affairs Department Coordinator Mr. Giorgi Aleksidze at [email protected]  Depending on the idea you have, you’ll get an individual advice on how to build a student club.

You are advised to contact the relevant student club president directly. You can also contact Student Affairs Department Coordinator Mr. Giorgi Aleksidze at [email protected] and he’ll facilitate the process for you.

You can receive an individual consult on the issue. Student Affairs Manager Ms. Asmati Naskidashvili at [email protected] will walk you through the international event types that match your major the most.

If you have already applied for an international event and got admitted to participate but there is a fee to cover, SDSU-G can provide some financial assistance. You fill out a short request form and submit it to Student Affairs Department Manager at [email protected]. SDSU-G financial assistance committee will evaluate your request in the shortest time possible.

You can find ASB leaders on this link: https://sdsu.edu.ge/en/leadership. Please use the contact form to reach out to the board with your issue: https://sdsu.edu.ge/en/cas

- TOEFL/IELTS certificate with a score above the predetermined threshold for exchange program (TOEFL 80 iBT/550 PBT or higher; IELTS 6.5 or higher);

- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 and higher;

- Students who currently are on disciplinary/academic probation are not eligible to apply;

- Students who have already participated in the exchange program are not eligible to apply for the second time.

There have been several fully and partially funded slots for SDSU-G students admitted for the exchange program. The number of funded students vary due to various reasons, but it is always known prior to opening a Call for Applications for the specific semester and the information is always included in an official announcement.

Career, Employment and Graduate Studies

A: Details about upcoming Career/Job events, including Career/Job fairs, workshops, and meetings will be shared through the e-mail correspondence and Career Web Page: www.career.sdsu.edu.ge.

A: All vacancies are shared through Career Web-page www.career.sdsu.edu.ge. If you want to receive job offers, make sure to register on SDSU Georgia’s Career website and upload your latest CV. This way, our partner organizations will gain access to your information and will be able to contact you for an interview.

A: Current students can get assistance with career preparation, including CV writing, interview preparation, and general career advice virtually by contacting [email protected].

A: To receive assistance with graduate school applications and scholarship programs please contact [email protected] via email to set up a virtual meeting via Zoom.

Students must apply for graduate school as a new applicant at SDSU by visiting sdsu.edu and locating the department webpage. Since SDSU Georgia students graduate with an SDSU California degree, there is no language requirement to apply for any U.S. university. However, other application materials, such as letters of recommendation and GRE scores may be required (please note: due to COVID-19, GRE requirements have been waived for all departments at SDSU for Spring 2021 and Fall 2021).

If you are GRDF scholarship recipient you have the obligation to stay in Georgia for two years after graduation, as per the GRDF agreement. 

Only in case the student wishes to pursue postgraduate studies abroad, he/she can leave the country, but has to present relevant documentation of her/his studies or research plan. Requirement of student’s physical presence in Georgia shall be postponed until she graduates/completes the research. 

This information should have been communicated with the beneficiary with the scholarship granting letter issued by MCA, but they keep asking.  

Student Records

A: To request a copy of your transcripts, please visit your Web Portal account at https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/. If you have questions or need assistance requesting your transcripts, please contact [email protected]. The fee for official transcripts is $10 per transcript. Please, be aware that additional mailing fees will be applied.

You may also submit a request to receive an unofficial transcript via email to [email protected]. SDSU Georgia can issue an unofficial transcript with Dean’s signature and a stamp. Please note that the transcript can only be issued in English language. Georgian version can be obtained from the partner university.

Please send your request via email to [email protected], indicating your RED ID number and language you prefer to receive a letter. The student status letter can be issued only in English and Georgian languages.

No. Transcripts can only be issued in English language. Georgian version can be obtained at your partner university.

Please submit your request via email to [email protected], indicating your RED ID number, the position, and the period you were working at SDSU Georgia.

Yes. You can submit your request via email to [email protected], indicating your RED ID number and language you prefer to receive a letter. Please note that letter can be issued only in English and Georgian languages.

You can request your military certificate at your partner university.

Please note that SDSU Georgia does not keep students’ original documents. The administration only has notarized copies of all the documents you submitted as a freshman.

Please submit your request via email to [email protected] and CC [email protected] to schedule a meeting with the Dean. Please indicate the reason/topic you would like to have a meeting about.

To update your address or contact information, please log into your Web Portal account at https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/ to update your settings. As for the local records, please send an email to [email protected] with your updated contact information.

Grievances (SSA)

A: All San Diego State University campuses utilize the informal and formal complaint process. The informal process is the easiest way to solve a problem quickly and effectively.

SDSU Georgia’s informal process is as follows:

  1. Communication between student and instructor

This is the first course of action that students are encouraged to take. Often issues can be resolved with direct communication between a student and faculty members.

  1. Communication with the Student Support Advisor (SSA)

The SSA can inform students about university policies and regulations, help students gather information and supplementary documentation, and can help connect students with an instructor if they are having trouble reaching them. If the concern is subject specific, the SSA can help connect students with the next step (department chair).  If the concern is not subject specific, the SSA will help connect students to the Associate Dean. Students may contact the SSA at anytime for advice on how to communicate effectively with their instructor. The SSA keeps a file of complaints so the Dean’s office can be informed about student concerns. You can contact the SSA at [email protected].

  1. Department Chair

If the student complaint is subject specific, the Department Chair is the most appropriate person as they oversee faculty and courses in their department and may be familiar with subject specific student issues. 

  1. Associate Dean

If the student complaint is not subject specific or if the student is not satisfied with the response from the Department Chair, the Associate Dean is the next person to consult in the informal process. The Associate Dean is familiar with student and faculty issues at SDSU and can provide guidance on university issues.

If a student has gone through the informal process and is still not satisfied with the result, they may contact the Ombudsman to start the formal process. Additionally, they may contact the Ombudsman at any point to seek assistance.