Beginning Fall 2011
Regular HOPE
- Students must have a 3.0 GPA graduating from an eligible high school.
- Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in college to keep HOPE.
- For the academic year starting Fall 2011, the HOPE amount is capped at 90 percent of the current tuition rate (2010-2011) at USG institutions.
Zell Miller Scholarship
- Student must have a 3.7 GPA graduating from an eligible high school.
- Students must, in addition to the 3.7 GPA, have a combined 1200 on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT or at least a 26 Composite ACT score. These test scores must come from a single test sitting.
- Students must maintain a 3.3 GPA in college to keep the Zell Miller scholarship.
- A valedictorian and salutatorian from each high school will be eligible to receive the Zell Miller Scholarship without consideration of the GPA or ACT/SAT requirements.
- Zell Miller Scholarship will cover tuition at 100% for an academic year.
- Students who drop below the college 3.3 GPA can earn Regular HOPE if their GPA remains at 3.0 or above.
For Both Regular HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship
- Book and fee allowances have been eliminated.
- Remedial classes are not covered by the HOPE scholarship.
- Eligible students can continue to receive HOPE scholarship until they have attempted a maximum of 127 semester hours.
- Students who lose Regular HOPE or the Zell Miller scholarship at an established checkpoint will have a single chance to regain HOPE or the Zell Miller scholarship.
- Beginning with high school graduating class of 2015, students will be required to demonstrate that they have taken a certain number of rigorous high school courses in math, science, and foreign language.
- Courses earned through dual-enrollment will count toward the rigor requirements being phased in for 2015.
HOPE Scholarship Rigor Requirements for graduating cohorts 2015, 16, & 17
Other Key Points
Need Based Loan – Eligible students can seek a 1% loan to cover any of the costs associated with attending college. These student loans can also be forgiven altogether if loan recipients become certified and teach in a public K-12 school in the STEM field. Each year of service in the classroom will forgive one year of the student loan.
Current HOPE students are not “grandfathered in” – they will see the reduction in the HOPE award beginning this fall, 2011.
Visit the Georgia Student Finance Commission website at GAcollege411 for more details regarding changes to the HOPE Scholarship program. The above information was taken from http://www.usg.edu/student_affairs/students/how_hope_changes_will_affect_usg_students/
For more information on HOPE award amounts for the University System of GA contact the Financial Aid office of the USG institution you are applying to. Download Hope_award_amounts_SY2013
