Official Communication

You should know that UGAmail is the official form of communication for the University. This means that all official notices will come to you through your UGA email address, including messages from Financial Aid, the Bursar, the Registrar and your professors. You will also receive notices about special events, programs and opportunities in your department/major. It is critical that you check this email address and open every email regularly so that you do not miss deadlines and important information.

Because of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and the need to verify your identity, employees at UGA are unable to communicate with you through other email addresses. When contacting an advisor or professor, or another office on campus, it is important that you use your UGAmail address.

Here are a few guidelines for communicating with professors and advisors:

• Address them respectfully as Dear Ms., Mr., Dr. or Professor ______.
• Identify yourself clearly, including the class you are taking with the professor, or your college and major for an advisor.
• State what you need in a clear and business-like manner. Please don’t use texting spelling or abbreviations.
• Provide your full name at the end of your email. Adding your #81 number may expedite an answer from advisors with very large student loads.
• Be sure to proofread your email and correct your mistakes in spelling and grammar.
• Recognize that everyone on the UGA campus is busy and allow at least 36 to 48 hours for a response. If you need an answer sooner, a personal visit to the appropriate office is best.