State Grant and Scholarship Programs

Georgia's HOPE Grant (a separate program from the HOPE Scholarship) is available to Georgia residents who are working towards a certificate or diploma (continuing education programs are not eligible) at an eligible college or university in Georgia.

All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

1. Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
2. Be a legal resident of Georgia;
3. Meet enrollment requirements;
4. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
5. Meet academic achievement standards;
6. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
7. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
8. Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program;

Program Eligibility

Full-time enrollment is not required and students are not required to graduate from high school with a specific GPA, however, they are required to have a postsecondary cumulative 2.0 GPA, at certain checkpoints, in order to maintain eligibility.

For information regarding HOPE Grant, please visit https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/hope-zell-miller-grants/.

Georgia's HOPE Scholarship is available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement. The scholarship provides money to assist students with the educational costs of attending a HOPE eligible postsecondary institution located in Georgia.

All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

1. Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
2. Be a legal resident of Georgia;
3. Meet enrollment requirements;
4. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
5. Meet academic achievement standards;
6. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
7. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
8. Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program.

Program Eligibility
To receive HOPE Scholarship funding, students must:

1. Meet one of the following academic requirements:
   
   • Graduate from a HOPE eligible high school with a minimum 3.0 grade point average (as calculated by GSFC). Details
   • Receive a high school diploma through petition of the local school board, in accordance with O.C.G.A. §20-2-281.1, from a HOPE eligible high school with a minimum 3.0 grade point average (as calculated by GSFC). Details
   • Graduate from an ineligible high school, complete a home study program in Georgia, or earn a GED and score in the national composite 75th percentile or higher on the SAT or ACT prior to completion of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of college degree-level coursework. Details
   • Graduate from an ineligible high school or complete a home study program in Georgia and then earn a minimum 3.0 cumulative postsecondary grade point average after attempting 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of college degree-level coursework for retroactive HOPE Scholarship payment. Details
   • Earn a 3.0 grade point average at the college level on degree coursework after attempting 30, 60, or 90 semester hours or 45, 90, or 135 quarter hours, regardless of high school graduation status. Details
2. Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at a public or private HOPE eligible college or university in Georgia.
3. Meet academic rigor requirements. Beginning with students graduating from an eligible high school on or after May 1, 2015, students must complete a specific number of academically rigorous courses, as identified on the Academic Rigor Course List, in addition to meeting the GPA requirements. This does not include students who received a high school diploma through petition of his or her local school board, in accordance with O.C.G.A. §20-2-281.1, nor does it apply to students graduating from home study programs.

For more information regarding the HOPE Scholarship, please visit https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/hope-zell-miller-scholarships/hope-scholarship/eligibility/.

Georgia's Zell Miller Scholarship is available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement. The scholarship provides money to assist students with the educational costs of attending a Zell Miller Scholarship eligible college located in Georgia.

All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

1. Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
2. Be a legal resident of Georgia;
3. Meet enrollment requirements;
4. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
5. Meet academic achievement standards;
6. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
7. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
8. Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program

Program Eligibility

1. To receive Zell Miller Scholarship funding, students must meet all HOPE Scholarship eligibility requirements and meet one of the following academic requirements:
   • Graduate from an eligible high school or accredited high school program as the valedictorian or the salutatorian and meet all HOPE Scholarship eligibility requirements. Details
   • Graduate from an eligible high school with a minimum 3.7 grade point average (as calculated by GSFC) combined with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a minimum composite score of 26 on the ACT test in a single national test administration and meet all HOPE Scholarship eligibility requirements. Details
   • Receive a high school diploma through petition of the local school board, in accordance with O.C.G.A. §20-2-281.1, from a Zell Miller eligible high school with a minimum 3.70 grade point average (as calculated by GSFC), combined with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a minimum composite score of 26 on the ACT test in a single national test administration. Details
   • Graduate from an ineligible high school or complete an unaccredited home study program and score in the national composite 93rd percentile or higher on the SAT or ACT prior to completion of high school or home study. Details.
   • Graduate from an ineligible high school or complete an unaccredited home study program with a minimum composite score on the ACT or SAT and then earn a minimum 3.3 cumulative postsecondary grade point average after attempting 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of college degree-level coursework. This option allows retroactive payment for the first 30 semester or 45 quarter hours after they are completed. Details
   • Enroll in an eligible post-secondary institution between 2007 and 2011 as a freshman, meeting one of the academic qualifications listed above and earn a 3.3 cumulative postsecondary grade point average at the most recent Zell Miller Scholarship checkpoint. Details
2. Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at a Zell Miller eligible college or university in Georgia.
3. Meet academic rigor requirements, Beginning with students graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2015, students must complete a specific number of academically rigorous courses, as identified on the Academic Rigor Course List, in addition to meeting the GPA requirements. This does not include students who received a high school diploma through petition of his or her local school board, in accordance with O.C.G.A. §20-2-281.1, nor does it apply to students graduating from home study programs.

For more information regarding the Zell Miller Scholarship, please visit https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/hope-zell-miller-scholarships/hope-scholarship/eligibility/.