State Grant & Scholarship Programs
HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) is a program for Georgia residents that provides financial assistance in degree, diploma, or certificate programs at any eligible Georgia post-secondary college. The Financial Aid Office will administer the HOPE programs in accordance with Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) regulations. GSFC regulations and guidance will supersede any local policy.
HOPE Residency Requirements
Students who were legal residents of Georgia at the time of graduation from high school or a home study program must meet the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) residency requirements for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term.
Students who were not legal residents of Georgia at the time of graduation from high school or a home study program must meet the TCSG residency requirements for at least 24 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term.
Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Students who have received a Bachelor’s Degree, its equivalent, or higher from any institution are ineligible for the HOPE Grant, HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Career Grant, Zell Miller Grant, and the Zell Miller Scholarship.
HOPE Grant (Diploma and Certificate Programs)
The HOPE Grant is available to Georgia residents pursuing a certificate or diploma at an eligible Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institution. The HOPE Grant covers a portion of assessed tuition on a per credit hour basis. Students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average at the 30 and 60 paid-hour checkpoints in order to maintain eligibility.
HOPE Scholarship (Degree Programs)
The HOPE Scholarship covers a portion of assessed tuition on a per credit hour basis for students seeking a degree at a technical college or university. The student must be a 1993 or later high school graduate with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) in a college preparatory track or a 3.2 GPA in a technical curriculum track to be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship. A nontraditional student may qualify for the HOPE Scholarship after completing 30 semester hours in a degree program with a 3.0 GPA. GPAs are reviewed at the 30, 60 and 90 semester hours checkpoint, at which time the student must maintain a 3.0 GPA to retain the HOPE Scholarship. The student must be Georgia resident and not be in default of a student loan.
HOPE Career Grant (Diploma and Certificate Programs)
Students who are receiving the HOPE Grant may also be eligible for additional financial assistance from Georgia’s HOPE Career Grant. In order to qualify, the student must be fully admitted to the college, enrolled in one of the eligible programs and be receiving the HOPE Grant for the same term.
For a list of the applicable programs, please visit: HOPE Career Grant
Zell Miller Grant (Diploma and Certificate Programs)
Zell Miller Grant is available to Georgia residents pursuing a certificate or diploma at an eligible Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institution who maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher for each term of attendance. Zell Miller Grant recipients will receive 100 percent of assessed tuition each semester of eligibility.
Zell Miller Scholarship (Degree Programs)
GSFC will identify students who are eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship. To remain eligible, recipients must have a 3.3 cumulative HOPE GPA at each of the HOPE Scholarship checkpoints above.
Georgia College Completion Grant
The Georgia College Completion Grant (GCCG) assists eligible students experiencing a financial aid gap with their cost of education. Eligible students must have already completed 80% of their program of study and must owe a balance of direct costs - tuition, fees, etc. - to the institution. Grant awards are based on available allocated funds.
HERO Scholarship
The HERO Scholarship (Helping Educate Reservist and their Offspring Scholarship) is a non-need based scholarship that provides educational scholarship assistance to members of the Georgia national Guard and U.S. Military Reservists who served in combat zones and the children and the spouses of such members of the Georgia National Guard and U.S. Military Reserves. Students must be HOPE eligible and have served 181 consecutive days in a combat zone after February 1, 2003. Children of USMR or GNG must be under 25 years of age to qualify. The award may be used for any educational expense. An award of $2,000 yearly for a maximum of $8,000 is available to full time students and prorated for school terms for less than 12 hours. A military form DD214 or other documents certifying eligibility along with the HERO Application is to be submitted to the Financial aid Office.
Public Safety Memorial Grant
The Public Safety Memorial Grant program provides grant funds to the dependent children of Georgia Public Safety Officers who were permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty. Funds may be used towards the cost of attendance at eligible colleges, universities, or technical colleges in Georgia. Recipients receive an award that covers their total cost of attendance, minus any other student financial aid, at an eligible postsecondary institution in Georgia, not to exceed $18,000 per award year. Recipients are eligible to receive payment for a maximum of eight semesters of undergraduate study.