Welcome! Many international students and scholars bring their spouse and/or children to the U.S. when they move here to study at Georgia Tech. This can be an exciting opportunity for couples and families to experience life in the U.S., learn or practice English skills, and spend time in the great city of Atlanta! The pages in this section contain information that will be helpful during your time in the U.S.
GEORGIA TECH RESOURCES
BuzzCard
The BuzzCard is a GT identification card that students/faculty/staff use to access buildings, use the recreation center (CRC), and utilize other services. It can also be used as a personal debit card with pre-deposited funds to purchase products and services throughout campus.
If you plan to use any of the facilities listed below, you must obtain a BuzzCard first. Immediate family members (age 18 and older) of a Georgia Tech full-time student, staff, or faculty member are eligible for a BuzzCard. Unfortunately, if a J-1 scholar is considered a Guest, his/her immediate family members are not eligible for a BuzzCard.
In order to apply, you must:
- Visit the BuzzCard office, located on the second floor of the Barnes & Noble @ Georgia Tech (in Tech Square on the corner of 5th St. and Spring St.) to fill out a gtID# Request application. The BuzzCard Center will generate a gtID# for you.
- Bring photo identification (such as a passport) and $30 for the BuzzCard fee.
- Spouses must provide proof of marriage.
- Children must provide proof of age (must be 18 or older).
For more information, contact:
BuzzCard Center
Technology Square, 2nd Floor of Barnes and Noble
Tel: 404-894-2899
Campus Recreation Center (CRC)
The spouse of a Georgia Tech affiliate (student or scholar) may be able to use the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) for an additional membership fee in some cases, after the spouse has obtained a BuzzCard. Visit the Member Services Desk (near the front entrance of the CRC) for more information.
Women's Resource Center
The Georgia Tech Women's Resource Center welcomes students' spouses to participate in our programs and services. The Center offers programs such as a leadership conference, discussion groups, and graduate student lunches. WRC also offer several outdoor activities each semester to introduce women to sports such as sailing or hiking. An informal dinner group for student spouses will be formed if there is enough interest. Spouses are also welcome to spend time at the Center volunteering, helping with programs, reading books, magazines or using our internet/computers.
International Spouse Support Group
The International Spouse Group is a space for spouses of Georgia Tech students who are looking for a community in Atlanta. Many of the members of our group have moved to Atlanta with their spouse who may be interning, doing a fellowship, or working on a PhD or other degree at Tech. The spouse group is a great place to meet other spouses, fellowship, and learn more about Georgia Tech, the surrounding Atlanta area, American culture, and one another!
The International Spouse Group meets on Thursdays in the Women's Resource Center (WRC) from 2-3:30 pm. The WRC is located in the Smithgall Student Services Building, Suite 131.
International spouses interested in joining the International Spouse Support Group listserv should email womens.center@gatech.edu. The email should include the spouse's name and preferred email address. The email should state that the spouse is interested in being added to the International Spouse listserv.
For more information on the International Spouse Support Group, please see the website at http://gtspousegroup.wix.com/gt-spouse-group.
Counseling Center
The Georgia Tech Counseling Center may be able to provide Couple’s Counseling depending on availability of openings and the appropriateness of the couple for the services that they have available. A couple is eligible if at least one of the members of the couple is a currently enrolled Georgia Tech student. The session limits for Couple’s Counseling is the same as for Individual Counseling (i.e., 16 sessions).
To discuss the possibility of Couple’s Counseling, please schedule an Initial Consultation appointment. It is requested that both members of the couple complete paperwork and that the couple attend the Initial Consultation appointment together.
Language Institute
The Language Institute now offers English programs specifically for the spouses of international students. The fee is $100 per course. For information about current classes, please see the English Language Institute website.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY
Atlanta has a large international population, and there are many opportunities to learn or improve your English. All of the following organizations offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs. This is not a comprehensive list of programs in Atlanta, but it will help get you started.
Language Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Offers both part-time and full-time ESOL courses.
Tel: 404-385-3500
Email: eslinfo@conted.gatech.edu
Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System (Central Library)
The library system offers free ESOL classes at several locations in the Fulton County area. For details about location and time of courses, visit the website.
Ponce de Leon Branch Tel: 404-885-7820
The library system offers free ESOL classes at several locations in the Dekalb County area. For details about location and time of classes, visit the website below.
Decatur Branch Tel: 404-370-8450
Friends Among the Nations (FAN)
Offers free ESOL courses, playgroups for children, and an International Wives Club. For further information, contact Adria Williams.
Tel: 404-376-2249
Email: fun_westmerritts@hotmail.com
Other opportunities include:
Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Intown Community Church
Various Adult Education Options
Various counties within the metropolitan Atlanta area offer Adult Education courses, including English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). For more information, please contact the county nearest you:
Clayton County Adult Education
Phone: 770-515-7610
Contact: Paula Cohen-Tsanos
Email: paula.cohen-tsanos@cobbk12.org
Phone: 678-594-8011 ext:245
Fulton County Adult Education
Contact: Tammy McConnell
Phone: 404-669-8090 ext:123
Email: mcconnellt@fultonschools.org
Gainesville-Hall County Adult Education
Contact: Brenda Thomas
Phone: 770-531-6388
Gwinnett County Adult Education
CHILDREN: CHILDCARE AND SCHOOLS
Georgia Tech Daycare
Georgia Tech runs two daycare facilities: the R. Kirk Landon Learning Center and The Children’s Campus @ Georgia Tech (opening in the fall of 2012). Both are managed by Bright Horizons, and care for children from six weeks of age through preschool.
Resources Near Georgia Tech
The following list includes a few child care facilities near Georgia Tech. Please note, this list does not include all facilities or programs available in metropolitan Atlanta. For more information, please visit the websites listed above.
All Saints Day Care
Address: 644 West Peachtree (corner of North Avenue)
Tel: 404 881-3790
First Presbyterian Preschool
Address: 1328 Peachtree St. NE
Tel: 404-228-7722
Sheltering Arms at Centennial Place
Address: 385 Centennial Olympic Drive
Tel: 404-523-2767
There are several YMCA locations in the metropolitan Atlanta area. For a complete listing, visit the website listed below. The nearest YMCA branch to Georgia Tech is:
Centennial Place YMCA
555 Luckie Street, Atlanta, GA 30318
Tel: 404-724-9622
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning provides a complete list of all child care and pre-kindergarten programs in the state.
Schools
The school year starts in August and ends in May. Georgia state law requires that all children attend school (or a home study program) from their 6th to 16th birthdays. Public kindergarten is available in every school system, but is not mandatory. Generally, a child must be five years old on or before September 1 to enter public kindergarten, and six years old on or before September 1 to enter first grade. Georgia also operates a public pre-kindergarten program for children who are four years old on or before September 1.
Many schools provide specialized programs for international students, such as programs for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
In general, a child’s parent or legal guardian must be a resident of the school district in order for the child to be enrolled in the school. Most students living near Georgia Tech will attend the Atlanta Public Schools, City Schools of Decatur, Fulton County Schools, Cobb County Schools, or Dekalb County Schools. Students living further from Georgia Tech may live in another district.
Each county/city school district has its own requirements and process for registration. Visit the website for your school district to learn what documents, immunizations, and screenings are required:
- Atlanta Public Schools Registration Information
- Fulton County School District Registration Information
- Cobb County School District Registration Information
- DeKalb County School District Registration Information
- City Schools of Decatur Registration Information
Organizations and Volunteer Opportunities
Below is a description of various organizations that provide international programs and services in the metropolitan Atlanta area. The resources available may include: volunteer opportunities, public events and lectures, English as a Second Language training, and educational services. The listing is in alphabetical order.
AMIS (Atlanta Ministry for International Students, Inc.
AMIS offers many opportunities for international visitors including a city tour, a friendship program, a Thanksgiving and Christmas program, and a speaker's bureau. International students and scholars are given information about AMIS during orientation. For further information, please contact AMIS at:
Address: 3434 Roswell Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30305-1202
Tel: 404-846-4396
Email: amis@peachtreepres.org
Association of Chinese Professionals
As the largest Chinese professional talent association in Atlanta, U.S., the Association of Chinese Professionals (ACP) is an independently registered, non-political, non-profit professional organization. ACP promotes cultural, economic, and technological cooperation and exchange between the US and China by providing services and opportunities for friendship, networking, and collaborations among its members and between members and their communities.
Address: P.O. Box 922436, Norcross, GA 30010-2436
Email: info@acp-atlanta.org
The Bridging the Gap Project, Inc. strives to improve the quality of life in Georgia`s ethnically diverse communities by forming partnerships that overcome cultural barriers and promote understanding between residents, law enforcement, educators, and other service providers. Services include the following: interpretation / translation services, working with at-risk youth and gang prevention, diversity training, orientation sessions, and English classes.
Address: 2100 Parklake Drive, NE, Suite H, Atlanta, GA 30345
Tel: 770-938-1112
Center for Pan-Asian Community Services, Inc. (CPACS)
Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Inc. (CPACS) is a private non-profit organization. Its clear mission is to create comprehensive and culturally competent social and health services to counter-act problems that immigrant, refugee, and minority face. CPACS services Asian Pacific Islander communities in the Greater Atlanta area and the rest of the Southeast region in the United States.
Address: 3760 Park Avenue, Doraville, GA 30340
Tel: 770-936-0969
The Carter Presidential Center
The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. The Center is guided by a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering; it seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health. The Center offers volunteer opportunities, as well as a variety of programs that are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the “News & Info” section of the website or email the Center.
Address: One Copenhill, 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30307
Tel: 404-420-5100 or 800-550-3560
Email: carterweb@emory.edu
Friends Among Nations: International Women's Club
Friends Among Nations organizes an International Women's Club. The Club offers free English classes, and special programs. The Friends Among Nations’ website and calendar can be found at www.fanatlanta.org. For more information, please contact Adria Motiwalla at 404-376-2249 or adria@fanatlanta.org for more information.
MOVE (Mobilizing Opportunities for Volunteer Experience) is an organization at Georgia Tech that provides community service and volunteer opportunities. The organization consists of 16 committees that address a plethora of issues in addition to providing service opportunities throughout the year. The website provides a calendar of events, service links, and description of the various committees.
Georgia Tech Women's Resource Center
The Georgia Tech Women's Resource Center welcomes students' spouses to participate in our programs and services. The Center offers programs such as a leadership conference, discussion groups, and graduate student lunches. WRC also offer several outdoor activities each semester to introduce women to sports such as sailing or hiking. An informal dinner group for student spouses will be formed if there is enough interest. Spouses are also welcome to spend time at the center volunteering, helping with programs, reading books, magazines or using our internet/computers.
Hands on Atlanta is a non-profit organization that helps individuals, families and corporate and community groups find flexible volunteer opportunities at more than 400 service organizations and schools. Hands on Atlanta volunteers are at work every day of the year building community and meeting critical needs in schools, parks, senior homes, food banks, pet shelters, low-income neighborhoods and more. Hands on Atlanta provides a variety of volunteer projects including adult education and literacy, animal support, children and youth mentoring, disaster relief services, and environmental issues.
Address: 600 Means Street, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30318
Tel: 404-979-2800
Email: info@HandsOnAtlanta.com
International Community School
The International Community (DeKalb County Charter) School provides refugee, immigrant and local children with a remedial to advanced international education at the elementary school level. The school explores and celebrates cultural differences in a challenging, nurturing and intentionally multi-ethnic environment. The students represent 30 countries and over 40 different language groups. IBPYP enables students to employ an investigative, inquiry-based approach to learning.
Address: 3260 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA 30032
Tel: 404-499-8969
Latin American Association
The Latin American Association is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive transitional services for Latinos as they strive for self-sufficiency and an enhanced quality of life. The Latin American Association offers programs for family issues, housing, youth development, employment assistance, English language training, computer classes, and more.
Address: 2750 Buford Highway, Altanta, GA 30324
Tel: 404-638-1800
Southern Center for International Studies
The Southern Center for International Studies (SCIS), founded in 1962, is a non-profit educational institution based in Atlanta, Georgia. The primary mission of SCIS is to internationalize the thinking of the American public. SCIS conducts conferences, provides information packages on various regions of the world, coordinates teacher training workshops, and provides information on international events. SCIS also offers volunteer opportunities and programs that are open to the general public.
Address: 320 W. Paces Ferry Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30305.
Tel: 404-261-5763
Email: info@scis.org
Westminster International Friends
The Westminster Christian Fellowship Center offers many programs for international students and their families. Their website also includes a page about American manners and customs.
* Information compiled by using websites of international organizations and references from Globalizing Georgia; Atlanta Ethnicity Atlas and Multicultural Directory of Georgia 2003-2004. Duchon, D.A., Hallisey Hendric, Elaine, Walcott, Susan M., Kart, Jeremy S. Georgia State University. CARA Publications. 2003.
Atlanta News & Events
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
The AJC provides daily coverage to events in the local Atlanta area as well as nationally and internationally. Every Thursday, the AJC publishes an “Atlanta and the World” section inside the newspaper that details international events taking place in the metropolitan area. For more information, contact the AJC.
Address: 72 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Tel: 404-526-5151 or 800-846-6672
The Creative Loafing is a weekly newspaper that provides information on events taking place in the metropolitan Atlanta region. The coverage includes theatre and performing arts, live music, visual arts, speakers, and other special events. The Creative Loafing is free, and can found at many local restaurants and shops in the Atlanta area.
