Important Information Regarding Financial Aid

Please carefully read the information below regarding the upcoming changes being made to the HOPE Program.

Summer Quarter 2011

  • HOPE Grant and HOPE Scholarship will pay 100% tuition for all standard and non-standard programs.
  • HOPE Grant and HOPE Scholarship will pay for all mandatory approved HOPE fees.
  • Students determined to be PELL eligible will receive a HOPE book payment of $100 for six or more enrolled hours, $50 for five hours or less.
  • Students determined not to be PELL eligible will receive a HOPE book payment of $50 for six or more enrolled hours, $25 for five hours or less.

Fall Semester 2011

  • Under the leadership of Governor Deal and the General Assembly, a bill was passed that modifies the HOPE program and guarantees its continued success. Beginning Fall Semester (August 2011), there will be significant changes to the HOPE program. These changes have been established to preserve the program for years to come. Please review the following information closely to see how these changes will affect you.

HOPE Grant (Georgia House Bill 325):

  • Legislation is effective for Fall Semester 2011.
  • HOPE Grant will pay for tuition at the rate of 90% of our standard tuition rate for 2011 (the tuition conversion for semesters will be accounted for)
    • The tuition rate of 90% may vary in the years to follow 2011 as it will be determined by the lottery revenues used to fund HOPE.
  • HOPE Grant/Scholarship will no longer pay for fees or book allowance (will pay for 50% of book allowance for Summer Quarter)
  • HOPE Grant will continue to pay for remedial coursework (learning support courses )at the 90% rate for the 2011-2012 academic year.
  • Dual enrollment coursework will be paid at the 90% rate for 2011-2012 academic year.
  • HOPE Grant is limited to pay for 95 quarter hours or 63 semester hours.
    • The term that a student meets the cap, the Grant will only pay for the hours up to the cap. Example: Student has 60 semester hours at the end of fall semester. Student registers for 6 credit hours in the spring. The Grant will only cover 3 credit hours that spring.
    • Currently enrolled student GPAs will only be checked if they cross the 45th quarter or 30th semester hour during or after fall semester.
  • Students who did not graduate from a Georgia high school or home school program must be Georgia residents for 24 months prior to the first day of the term
    • Active duty military service members, spouses, or dependent children stationed in Georgia meet residency requirements.
  • A student must meet a GPA requirement of 3.0 at the point that the student has accumulated 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of courses toward a diploma or certificate for which the student received HOPE Grant funds.
    • NO GPA requirement upon entering into the grant program.
    • Applies to currently enrolled students. Students with 45 quarter or 30 semester grant paid hours must have a 3.0 GPA based on previously paid HOPE Grant hours to continue their Grant eligibility into Fall Semester.
  • There will be two eligibility checkpoints for the HOPE Grant: 45th quarter hour (30th semester hour) and 90th quarter hour (60th semester hour) based on HOPE Grant paid hours.
    • Students can regain HOPE Grant eligibility once at the second check point.
  • Learning Support and Dual Enrollment coursework does not apply to the GPA calculation and checkpoints.
  • Students with a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for HOPE Grant

HOPE Scholarship (Georgia House Bill 326):

  • Legislation is effective for Fall Semester 2011.
  • HOPE Scholarship will pay for tuition at the rate of 90% of our standard tuition rate for 2011 (the tuition conversion for semesters will be accounted for)
    • The factor rate of 90% may vary in the years to follow 2011. The rate will be determined by the lottery revenues used to fund HOPE.
  • HOPE Scholarship is limited to pay for 190 quarter hours or 127 semester hours.
  • No change to GPA requirement of 3.0. All checkpoints remain the same (30 quarter/45 semester, 60 quarter/90 semester, 90 quarter/135 semester, Three-Term and End-of-Spring) for HOPE Scholarship
  • For first time recipients of this award on or after July 1, 2011 MUST use the Scholarship within 7 years (excludes Military service time).
    • For students who obtain a GED credential, the 7 years begins on the date they receive their GED credential.
  • Students who have not received HOPE Scholarship prior to July 1, 2011 and who graduated from high school more than 7 years ago cannot receive HOPE Scholarship. (HOPE Grant recipients changing to a degree level program meeting these criteria will not be eligible for HOPE Scholarship.)
  • Students can only regain eligibility one time after losing it. This provision takes into account prior eligibility status. If a student had lost eligibility in the past and has since regained it, another loss of eligibility would be permanent.
  • HOPE Scholarship will not pay for remedial coursework (learning support courses)
    • All remedial coursework previously counted in attempted hours will remain counted in the attempted hours calculation.

Zell Miller Scholarship

  • Student must graduate high school with a GPA of 3.7 (determined by GSFC) and have a SAT score of 1200 (critical reading and math) or ACT score of at least 26.
    • Students who entered a college as a freshman between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2011, may be eligible as a recipient at the sophomore, junior, or senior student.
    • The Zell Miller Scholarship will also be awarded to the top 2 graduates from each high school (must still meet HOPE Scholarship eligibility requirements excluding the SAT/ACT test score and the 3.7 high school GPA)
  • For each semester of eligibility, recipients will be awarded an amount equal to the HOPE award amount and the current academic year standard tuition amount. Basically, 100% of current tuition charge will be covered.
  • Minimum 3.3 GPA requirement at all checkpoints (30 quarter/45 semester, 60 quarter/90 semester, 90 quarter/135 semester, Three-Term and End-of-Spring). If the student’s GPA falls below 3.3, but is at least a 3.0, student would be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship. Student can regain eligibility if GPA increases to 3.3 at the next 30 quarter/45 semester, 60 quarter/90 semester, 90 quarter/135 semester hour checkpoint.
  • A student that loses eligibility for any reason may regain eligibility one time if the student requalifies at one of the checkpoints. This provision takes into account prior eligibility status. If a student had lost eligibility in the past and has since regained it, another loss of eligibility would be permanent.
  • Home school students may receive retro payment if determined to meet the eligibility requirements of this program at the end of the 30/45 checkpoint.

To complete the application for the Federal Pell Grant, the HOPE Scholarship, the HOPE Grant and the Zell Miller Scholarship, please click here .

To complete the application for ONLY the HOPE Grant, the HOPE Scholarship, the Zell Miller Scholarship, please click here. You can print an instruction handout from here.

How to check your HOPE program hours:

  1. Click here
  2. Enter social security number
  3. Enter birthday mm/dd/yyyy
  4. Click on Login
  5. Click on Scholarships and Grants

How to determine GPA:

  1. Follow Login Instructions found here
  2. After login, choose Student Services and Financial Aid, then select Student Records.
  3. Select View/Print Unofficial Academic Transcript
  4. Click Submit
  5. Scroll to bottom of page to Transcript Totals to find Overall GPA

 

Questions about HOPE

HOPE Grant Printable PDF
HOPE Scholarship/Zell Miller Printable PDF

For questions regarding financial aid, please contact one of our FINANCIAL AID OFFICES:

Ben Hill Irwin-Campus
229-468-2024 or 228-468-2046
Coffee County Campus
229-468-2208 or 229-468-2087
Cook County WDC
229-549-7368
Valdosta Campus
229-333-2107 or 229-333-2109

For questions regarding help in improving your GPA, please contact one of our ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTERS:

Ben Hill-Irwin Campus
229-468-2035
Coffee County Campus
229-468-2220
Cook County WDC
229-569-7833
Valdosta Campus
229-219-1381