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Resident Assistants

Resident Assistants (RAs) are live-in student leaders who help create a safe, respectful, and engaging residential experience. As peer mentors and role models, RAs build meaningful connections with residents, foster community, support student success, and connect students with campus resources. RAs play a vital role in helping residents thrive both personally and academically through four primary areas of responsibility: Community Development and Relationship Building, Leadership, Incident Response and Administrative Responsibilities. The Resident Assistant position provides valuable opportunities to develop leadership, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while making a positive impact on the residential community. 
Resident Assistant 27-28 Selection Process
  • October 26 at 12:00 p.m. - November 23 at 11:59 p.m.
    RA Application Open
    November 5, 2026
    11:00 am
    RA Information Session in the North Avenue Gym
    November 18, 2026
    2:00 pm
    RA Information Session in the Exhibition Hall - Midtown Ballroom
    January 5, 2027
    Interview Notifications Sent Out
    January 15, 2027
    Deadline to sign up for RA Interview
    January 22, 2027
    Interview period Day for New Applicants.
    February 18, 2027
    5:00 pm
    Offers will be visible by 5 p.m. Candidates must accept or decline offer by February 23 at 4:00 p.m.
    February 23, 2027
    Deadline for Candidates to accept or decline offers
Information Sessions

Housing and Residence Life will host two information sessions to provide information about the RA role, the selection process, and what it’s like to be an RA! These sessions will cover topics such as role expectations, compensation, and information about the selection process. Attendees will also have an opportunity to meet with current RAs and Hall Directors to ask questions about the role.  

Date   Time   Location 
Thursday, November 5  11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  North Avenue Gym 
Wednesday, November 18  2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Exhibition Hall – Midtown Ballroom 
Students Currently in our Alternate Pool

If you received an alternate offer for the 2026-2027 term, your alternate offer will remain active through March 2027, meaning you could still be hired during the Spring 2027 term.  

If you are interested in serving as an RA for the 2027-2028 term, you must apply and participate in the selection process again. 

 

If You Are Abroad, Out-of-Town, Co-op

Students who are studying abroad or co-oping out of town during the Fall 2026 and/or Spring 2027 term can apply for the 2027-2028 term. Please note that students selected for the RA position must be available to work on Georgia Tech’s campus both the Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 semesters.  

If you are abroad or co-oping out-of-town during the Fall 2026 term, reach out to staffselection@housing.gatech.edu to receive information about attending a mandatory information session.  

If you are abroad or co-oping out-of-town during the Spring 2027 term, reach out to staffselection@housing.gatech.edu to arrange a virtual interview. 

RA Application Resources
Additional Questions?
Future RA Commitments and Conditions
Current RA Commitments & Conditions
RA Selection Process Frequently Asked Questions

Applications and Qualifications

I'm a grad student. Can I be an RA?

Yes! Graduate students may serve as RAs as long as they are not also serving as a GTA or GRA through Georgia Tech.

I’ve been accepted to GT as a transfer student. Can I apply to be an RA?

No, all applicants must be current GT students to access the application.

I’m a current GT student and I’m applying to come back to GT for grad school - can I still apply to be an RA if I haven’t been accepted into a graduate program?

Yes! If you are hired, your position would be contingent on your enrollment at GT in the fall.

If I am studying abroad now, can I apply for RA next year?

Yes! Students who are abroad or co-oping out of town during the current Fall and/or Spring term are eligible to apply for RA for the upcoming term. Please note that students selected for the RA position must be available to work on Georgia Tech’s campus both the Fall and Spring semesters for the year that they are hired.

If you are abroad or co-oping out of town during the Fall term, reach out to staffselection@housing.gatech.edu to receive information about attending a mandatory interest session.

When should I apply for Housing?

If you intend to live on campus regardless of the RA offer, you should apply as soon as you are eligible to apply for housing.

I am currently an RA. Do I need to apply again?

Yes, the RA role is a one-year position. Current RAs who are interested in serving in the role again must participate in a performance evaluation process. Re-hire will be determined based on performance. 

Are you hiring for the spring semester?

Candidates for the spring semester were identified through our last selection process. We are currently not seeking applications for the spring semester.

How many credit hours do I have to enroll in to be an RA?

RAs must be full-time, degree-seeking Georgia Tech students. Undergraduates must enroll in 12 credit hours and graduate students must enroll in 9 credit hours to serve as an RA for the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer RAs must be enrolled in 6 credit hours for undergraduates and 3 credit hours for graduate students for the Summer term.

Are the Information Sessions required?

No, attendance at an information session is not required for the 27-28 RA selection process, but it is highly recommended.

The application won't load my essay answer. What do I do?

The essay field is limited to 1500 characters. Please avoid contractions, bullets, or special symbols, as those do not export properly into our scoring applications.

How do I know my application was submitted correctly?

After you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email.

Will housing look at my files if I apply?

Yes. By applying you are authorizing the department to check your Georgia Tech grades and conduct records through Banner and the Office of Student Integrity.

When will grades and conduct be checked?

Grades and conduct are checked after the application closes in December, before offers are made in February, and at the end of each academic semester. If you are eliminated from the process due to grades or conduct, you will receive an email from staff selection.

Can I apply to be an RA for spring only?

No, RAs are contracted for the entire year, August – May. Alternate candidates may be hired mid-year, but candidates should be prepared to serve in the position for one full year.  

Co-ops, Internships, and Other Employment
Can I work a second job while I am an RA?

With Hall Director approval, undergraduate RAs can work up to 8 hours in another on-campus position. Graduate students are not authorized to hold both the RA position and other on-campus employment simultaneously.

I am a graduate student who has a GRA or GTA. Can I be an RA?

No, due to the pay structure of graduate student positions, graduate students are unable to serve as RAs and hold other positions on campus simultaneously.

Can I co-op or intern off-campus and be an RA?

Yes, if the internship or co-op is through an off-campus employer and the co-op is within 25 miles of campus.

Can I co-op at GTRI and be an RA?

GTRI is considered an on-campus employer and has a 40 hour per week commitment; therefore, students are unable to participate in both GTRI and serve as an RA simultaneously.

I’m planning to participate in a program (study abroad, co-op, GTRI, etc.) for one semester. Can I be an RA for one semester?

No. The RA position is a one-year position. RAs may be terminated immediately if they accept an opportunity that prevents them from completing a full academic year of employment. This includes, but is not limited to:  

  • Study abroad during the Fall or Spring terms 
  • A co-op further than 25 miles from the Institute 
  • On-campus student positions consisting of more than 8 hours per week 
  • Positions with GTRI 
  • FASET Leaders or FASET Cabinet members 
  • Applying to graduate at the end of the Fall semester, etc. 
  • Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) or Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) 
Offers
What offers could I receive?

Candidates will receive one of three offers: a primary offer, an alternate offer, or no offer. A primary offer is an offer to be an RA beginning in the fall. Learn more about the alternate offer in the section below.

When will I know my building and room?

All candidates who receive a primary offer will learn of their community area when they receive their offer.

Candidates who receive a primary offer in a first-year area will not learn of their specific building and room placement until mid-July, as their placement is determined by the incoming first-year class.

Candidates who receive a primary offer in apartments or suites will learn of their building and room when they receive their offer.

I carefully selected my community preferences in my application, but I didn’t get any of the communities I selected. Why?

Preferences are taken into consideration, but not all candidates will be placed in their first choice. We build teams based on skill sets and community needs. You will receive one offer. If you decline, you are no longer eligible for other offers, including the alternate offer.

What if I forgot to respond?

Any offers that have not been accepted by the deadline will be marked as declined.

If I get an offer, can I pull in a roommate?

If you are offered a position in our apartment-style housing, you can request to pull one roommate into your apartment. That student must have already applied for housing, not be on the waitlist, and you must mutually confirm each other during the housing selection process. If you are offered a position after the room selection process is complete, you are not able to pull in a roommate.

Alternates
When will I know if I got hired from the alternate pool?

Candidates in the alternate pool may be hired up to a year after accepting the alternate position. If you are offered a position, you will receive an email from a Hall Director with details on the position and you will be given 3 business days to accept or decline the offer.

What number am I in the alternate pool?

The alternate pool is an unranked pool. When a vacancy becomes available, Hall Directors look at the alternate pool in its entirety to select the best fit for the community.  

What if I accept an alternate position and then make other plans?

You can email staffselection@housing.gatech.edu at any time if you no longer want to be considered for the position.

If I am hired as an alternate, do I have to pay to cancel my housing contract?

No, all RAs must have a housing agreement on file. Your housing agreement is not specific to the location you were assigned to, so there is no need to change or cancel your contract if you become an RA.

Summer RA Process
How do I apply to be an RA for Summer?

Only current RAs or students that have received an offer for Fall can apply to work during the summer term. If you are eligible, you will receive an email in March from staffselection@housing.gatech.edu with information about how to apply for summer.

How many credits do I need to take in summer to be eligible to work as an RA?

In summer, undergraduates must register for a minimum of 6 credits. Graduate students must register for at least 3 credits in the summer.

When does the summer hiring process take place?

The summer RA selection process takes place in March and April. Application links will be sent to all eligible candidates in March, and offers are made in April.

How many summer positions are there?

There are 45-65 summer RA positions.

Is the summer compensation the same?

No. While the rent exemptions and stipend are the same, the meal plan offered to RAs in the summer is a $500.00 dining dollar plan and any money not spent during the summer is refunded to the department.

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