The Board of Regents approved the conversion from a quarter calendar to a semester calendar in December 1995, with actual conversion to be in effect in Fall 1998. All of the System institutions, with the exception of Georgia Institute of Technology, will convert at that time. Because of their extensive involvement with the 1996 Olympic Games, Georgia Tech was granted a one year delay. Their conversion will be in effect Fall 1999.
One of the principal benefits of the semester conversion is curriculum review. Each System institution has completed a thorough review of its academic program offerings. New courses have been added, and some existing courses have been deleted. The Core Curriculum at each institution has been redesigned to facilitate transfer among System institutions. Most courses will be three credits and will meet three times per week. The full-time load for an undergraduate will be 12 semester hours. The full-time load for a graduate student will be 9 semester hours.
New academic calendars have also been approved. Each System institution will begin and end classes during the same week each year.
| Earliest Starting | Latest Ending | |
| Academic Year | Date Allowable | Date Allowable |
| Fall 1998 | August 18 - 24, 1998 | December 9 - 15, 1998 |
| Spring 1999 | January 5 - 11, 1999 | April 27 - May 3, 1999 |
| Fall 1999 | August 17 - 23, 1999 | December 8 - 14, 1999 |
| Spring 2000 | January 4 - 10, 2000 | April 25 - May 1, 2000 |
| Fall 2000 | August 15 - 21, 2000 | December 6 - 12, 2000 |
| Spring 2001 | January 2 - 8, 2001 | April 24 - 30, 2001 |
Source: Office of Vice Chancellor for Student Services