HOPE Scholarship (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally)
The HOPE Scholarship - http://www.GAfutures.org -is a state funded award that will pay a percentage of tuition based on a factor rate set by the Georgia Legislature each year for all eligible students seeking an associate degree. Georgia residency documents are required as proof to be considered for eligibility of this grant. To be eligible as a first-year student, a student must be a 1993 or later graduate of an eligible high school and earn a "B" average as determined by Georgia Student Finance Commission. A "B" average is a 3.00 cumulative grade point average on a 4.00 scale. If ineligible as a first-year student, a student may gain eligibility by maintaining a 3.00 HOPE scholarship cumulative grade point average after the school term in which 30 or 60 transferable semester hours of degree credit has been attempted. Students who have not received the HOPE Scholarship prior to July 1, 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until June 30 following the completion of the seventh full year after the first of one of the following events has occurred:
- His or her high school graduation date; or
- His or her Home Study completion date; or
- His or her successful GED test date; or
- His or her petition date where his or her diploma was received pursuant to the local school board in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 20-2-281.
A student is not eligible for payment for any term prior to the date used to determine his or her Seven Year Limit. A student that serves on active duty in the military during the seven-year period after his or her high school graduation, Home Study completion or successful GED test date will have that active duty period of his or her military service added to the Seven Year Limit. A student who is Enrolled during a term which begins prior to his or her expiration of eligibility date and ends after his or her expiration of eligibility date may be paid for the term. A student who received a HOPE Scholarship award prior to Summer term 2011 (FY2012) is not subject to the Seven Year Limit. A student must not have already earned a baccalaureate degree or have attempted more than 127 semester hours of college credit.
Students must maintain a HOPE scholarship cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better at the end of spring term (unless they are a less-than-full-time student who has taken less than 30 credits) and in the terms in which they have attempted 30, 60, and 90 credit hours. Failure to meet the cumulative GPA requirements at these check points will result in the loss of the HOPE Scholarship. A HOPE Scholarship recipient who has lost HOPE Scholarship Eligibility at two Checkpoints since Fall term 2011 cannot regain Eligibility. A student must have been receiving HOPE to be considered as having lost HOPE. More detailed information on eligibility and how a HOPE scholarship cumulative grade point average is calculated may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.