News & Announcements

As the FY 2027 budget planning and salary setting process begins today, we want to share several highlights with you:

• UGA’s FY27 budget allocation from the USG includes the formula growth funding generated by UGA’s FY25 student credit hours.
  • The USG reduced UGA’s state funds allocation to reflect a reduction in funding in the State’s FY27 budget for online courses.
  • The University is able to fund the credit hour allocation model in full while adding additional faculty lines through the President’s Hiring Initiatives.
• UGA’s strong enrollment, and USG’s approved tuition increase, continues to provide positive tuition revenue to the University.
• UGA’s FY27 budget planning does include small, positive increases in federal funding, including indirect cost recovery (IDC), given recent positive developments from our funding agencies.
  • While UGA is experiencing declines from record FY25 levels, these declines are not nearly as severe as what was originally planned in the FY26 budget.
  • Cross-functional teams from across the University continue to monitor this situation and provide updates as necessary.
• You should approach all spending decisions with care and foresight keeping the best interests of our students in mind. While we remain committed to supporting growth and innovation, it is important to recognize the potential risks that may lie ahead in the coming year.

The Board of Regents’ 2027 Salary and Wage Administration guidelines authorize institutions to fund salary adjustments related to promotions and other targeted adjustments including market and compressions issues. UGA will continue to work with USG staff to develop a market and compression adjustment proposal for their review in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the University will be allocating funding for some limited salary adjustments outlined below.

Staff Salaries – Minimum Salary Rates: For the thirteenth time in the last fourteen years, UGA is directing additional funds in its FY27 budget to increase its minimum salaries for regular, benefit eligible staff; the minimum rate will rise from $34,500 to $35,200 ($16.923 per hour) on July 1, 2026.

The FY27 budget also includes additional funding to ensure that all non-benefitted, part-time or temporary staff are earning a minimum of $14.30 per hour (current minimum is $14.00) and that all student employees will earn a minimum of $12.00 per hour (current minimum is $11.75).

Graduate Assistantship Stipends: To recognize the importance of graduate students and their contributions to teaching, research and service and to assist in offsetting fees and other educational expenses, for the eleventh time in the last twelve years UGA is providing additional funds in its FY27 budget to increase the University’s graduate student assistantship rates by 2%.

This will increase the minimum fiscal-year, full-time rates to $61,945 for master’s students and $66,980 for doctoral students. This self-funded increase by UGA is to recognize the increased cost of living for graduate students. Academic units, at their discretion, can implement additional increases as funding allows, but must first clearly document and receive approval for how any additional increase will not adversely impact the instructional mission. Further information is provided in the Salary Guidelines noted below.

Mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan Premium Subsidy: UGA also is directing additional funds in its FY27 budget to increase the University’s share of the Mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan’s premium subsidy from 50% to 60%.  Graduate students with a qualified graduate assistantship, fellowship or training grant are eligible to receive the premium subsidy for student-only coverage. These funds will be added to the University’s fringe benefit budget to cover 60% of those health insurance premiums paid from the Resident Instruction budget.

Please continue to manage your resources thoughtfully and use them to strategically support the educational experience of our students by enhancing the quality of our academic programs.

For more detailed information on salary administration, please refer to the Salary Increase Guidelines. These comprehensive guidelines can be found on the University Budget Office website at FY27 Salary Administration Guidelines.

In order to meet the budget submission deadline set by the Board of Regents in preparation for the May 2026 Board meeting, your assistance in completing budget planning and salary setting by April 24, 2026 is appreciated.

The official FY 2027 budget planning and salary setting schedule can be found on the University Budget Office website at FY27 Budget Development Schedule

If you have questions regarding the FY 2027 budget planning and salary setting process or the information included on your Allocation Sheet, please contact the University Budget Office at (706) 542-2802 or email [email protected]. Thank you for your leadership, efforts and assistance in the University’s budget planning and salary setting process.

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Administrative Memos are coordinated through the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. For more information, contact Mike Wooten [email protected]u.