The Atlanta Bridge Program, a pioneering partnership between Georgia Tech and Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC), is redefining what it means to be a transfer student. Officially launched in 2025, the program is designed to ease the transition for students seeking to move from AMSC to Georgia Tech, offering not just academic resources but a sense of belonging and identity as future Yellow Jackets.
Unlike traditional transfer pathways, the cohort-based Atlanta Bridge Program allows students to progress together, building camaraderie and shared purpose while gaining access to a wide variety of Georgia Tech resources.
“One of the main aspects of the Atlanta Bridge Program is reducing transfer student shock,” said Susan Belmonte, associate director of Pre-Graduate and Specialized Advising Initiatives at Georgia Tech. “The courses and resources help gradually integrate students into Tech, no matter their individual timelines.”
Expanding Access
The Atlanta Bridge Program reflects Georgia Tech’s Strategic Plan, which prioritizes expanding access to higher education and creating clear, affordable pathways for talented students of all backgrounds.
“It opens doors for students who may not have seen Georgia Tech as within reach,” said Arlena Stanely, assistant vice president of Enrollment Management at AMSC. “It gives them the support and opportunity to prove they can thrive in a rigorous environment.”
Transfer students make up more than 21% of Georgia Tech’s Fall 2025 undergraduate population, and initiatives like the Atlanta Bridge Program are helping to grow that number year after year.
“Atlanta is our backyard,” said Rick Clark, executive director of Georgia Tech’s Strategic Student Access, stressing the importance of the program. “Georgia Tech can be globally excellent, but that starts with taking care of our own community.”
The Atlanta Bridge Program was made possible through a $250,000 grant from the American Talent Initiative’s (ATI) IDEAS Fund. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, ATI — a national alliance of high-graduation-rate colleges and universities — aims to enroll and graduate 50,000 additional high-achieving, lower-income students by 2025. Georgia Tech was one of just 16 institutions selected from a competitive pool of 47 applicants to receive this funding.
For Georgia Tech, this means building a structured, cohort-based transfer pathway that includes academic advising, mentoring, and co-curricular programming to help incoming students thrive. AMSC students who complete a minimum of 30 credit hours and earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 after successfully completing required courses can transfer to Tech to complete their degree.
Unlike traditional transfer pathways, the cohort-based Atlanta Bridge Program allows students to progress together.
Seamless Integration and Academic Support
Students attend AMSC full-time while participating in the Atlanta Bridge Program, but they benefit from Georgia Tech resources like the Navigate360 advising platform and Knack peer tutoring as well as BuzzCard and library access. A “Bridge to Tech” course, taught by Belmonte through the College of Lifetime Learning, introduces students to life at Tech in a flexible, non-semester-bound format.
Academic advising is also an important aspect of the program. Evan Burnett, an academic advisor at Georgia Tech, serves as a primary advisor for the Atlanta Bridge Program students and works across both the Tech and AMSC campuses. He provides personalized guidance as students navigate the complexities of transferring, ensuring they feel confident and connected throughout the process.
“What I enjoy most is the mentorship and relationship-building,” Burnett shared. “I love getting to know each student’s story, seeing their confidence grow, and helping them realize that a Georgia Tech degree is not just possible, but within reach.”
Building Community Beyond the Classroom
This emphasis on connection reflects the program’s core purpose: creating access and opportunity through collaboration between Georgia Tech and AMSC. Faculty, advisors, and administrators from both institutions work together to create a unified support system and shape a positive student experience.
Beyond academics, the inaugural cohort has already experienced Tech culture firsthand. In June, they gathered for the Atlanta Bridge Program’s kick-off event for an overview of the program, a campus tour, and a bowling social at Tech Rec in the John Lewis Student Center. Since then, students have attended a dinner hosted by the College of Engineering, seen Young John Lewis at the Georgia Tech Ferst Center for the Performing Arts, and cheered on the Yellow Jackets against the Pittsburgh Panthers. Additional events are planned for Spring 2026 to strengthen the students’ sense of community.
Scaling Impact Statewide
Currently serving 20 students, the Atlanta Bridge Program plans to double enrollment next year. The long-term vision includes scaling the program by partnering with multiple institutions across Georgia, thereby increasing the number of transfer students at Tech and expanding educational opportunity statewide.
Interested in applying to AMSC and beginning your journey to Tech? Visit the Atlanta Bridge Program website to learn more about eligibility and application requirements.