HOPE Scholarship
The HOPE Scholarship is funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education and is available only to degree-seeking undergraduate students who meet the definition of a Georgia Resident - http://sfs.gsu.edu/scholarships-grants/hope-scholarship/ for HOPE Scholarship Purposes.
Eligibility
HOPE Scholarship recipients must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the end of each spring semester to continue eligibility. In addition to these requirements traditional and nontraditional students must have a 3.0 cumulative HOPE GPA after the 30th, 60th and 90th attempted hour. If the student does not meet the GPA requirements at 90 hours, he/she cannot regain his/her eligibility.
In all cases, a student must be a U.S. Citizen or an Eligible Non-Citizen and meet the requirements to be classified as a Georgia resident - http://sfs.gsu.edu/scholarships-grants/hope-scholarship/ according to University System of Georgia (USG) in-state tuition policy for either 12 or 24 consecutive months immediately prior to the first day of classes of the school term for which the HOPE Scholarship is sought.
Additional eligibility requirements:
- Be enrolled at a USG eligible postsecondary institution in matriculated status leading to a degree.
- Be a legal resident - http://sfs.gsu.edu/scholarships-grants/hope-scholarship/ of Georgia for tuition purposes.
- Register with Selective Service (men only).
- Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Post secondary Education Act of 1990.
- Not be in default or owe a refund on a federal or state financial aid program.
- Not have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
HOPE Scholarship Application Deadlines
Students must have an application submitted by the last day of the semester in which they are seeking the HOPE Scholarship. The Office of Student Financial Aid has established the following deadlines for applications:
SUMMER SEMESTER: July 17
FALL SEMESTER: November 17
SPRING SEMESTER: April 15
Note: If additional information is required, it must be submitted within 15 days of request.
Georgia State University Plus/Minus Grading System
The University implemented a Plus/Minus grading system in the Fall of 2007. However, for the purpose of calculating the cumulative GPA for HOPE Scholarship eligibility only letter grades of A – F will continue to be used and Plus/Minus will not be considered.
Award Amounts
Tuition
Percentage (%) of tuition to be paid will be determined annually.
Percentage for academic year 2015-2016 will be 81.68% of tuition for 15 hours at Georgia State University. Actual HOPE payments will be made on a “per credit hour” enrolled basis rate of $285.27.
To determine what your HOPE payment and remaining balance may be, download the appropriate chart on the right of this page.
Length of Scholarship
For the school term in which a student reaches the Attempted-Hours or Combined Paid-Hours limit of 127 semester hours, the student can be paid ONLY for the hours up to the Attempted-Hours or Combined Paid-Hours limit. Example: Student has 120 attempted hours and enrolled in 9 hours for semester. Payment will only be made for 7 hours, even if Zell Miller funds did not pay for those credits.
There are no exceptions covering extra hours needed for dual-degree programs, second majors, or change in major.
Eligibility ends when a student receives 127 semester credits of payment from any combination of Zell Miller or HOPE Scholarship, Paid-Hours, plus HOPE Grant Paid-Hours (effective Summer 2003), plus, ACCEL Paid-Hours (effective fall 2004) .
Once a student reaches either the Attempted-Hours limit or the Combined Paid-Hours limit, he or she is no longer eligible for the HOPE Scholarship.
Attempted Hours Limit
All credit hours attempted after high school graduation are calculated when determining Zell Miller eligibility, even if they are not accepted by Georgia State University, were taken outside of the state of Georgia or at an institution in a foreign country or unaccredited institution. Credits attempted as part of a technical Certificate or Diploma program of study are only counted as Attempted-Hours if any post-secondary institution ever accepted those hours as credit hours toward a degree. Credits hours forgiven by the institution are included in the calculations. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that Georgia State has transcripts from all institutions of higher learning (post high school graduation) in order for the Office of Student Financial Aid to accurately determine the student’s Zell Miller eligibility. Eligibility ends when a student attempts 127 credit hours, even if Zell Miller funds did not pay for those credits.
NOTE: The HOPE GPA does not necessarily match the cumulative GPA shown in PAWS. Please contact the Enrollment Services Center with inquiries regarding your HOPE GPA.
Combined Paid Hours Limit
All hours for which students received payment from Accel, HOPE Grant, Zell Miller or HOPE Scholarship program are included in calculating the total Combined Paid hours.
Regaining Eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship
Students who lose the HOPE scholarship at a 30, 60 or 90 hour checkpoint, or an End-of-Spring checkpoint may regain eligibility if they have a 3.0 at the point of attempting 60 or 90 semester hours.
After a student has attempted 90 credits, he or she cannot be reevaluated. Students who lost the HOPE Scholarship at one of the checkpoints and now have a 3.0 at 60th or 90th check point are required to complete a HOPE Scholarship Institutional Application (HSIA) in addition to the FAFSA and/or GSFAPPS to be reviewed again for HOPE eligibility.
Note: A student who has lost HOPE Scholarship Eligibility at two Checkpoints since fall semester 2011 cannot regain eligibility.
Seven Year Limit
A student who has not received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer semester 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until seven years after his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date or date the student stopped pursuing a diploma.
Note: The seven-year period ends on June 30th of the seventh full year following the student’s high school graduation date.
A student that serves on Active Duty in the military during the seven year period after his or her high school graduation will have the period of military service added to the seven year limit. Students must contact Georgia Student Finance Commission for review.
For More Information
For more information on the HOPE Scholarship, or to view the HOPE regulations, please contact the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC): 770-724-9000 or 800-505-GSFC (4732) or http://www.gacollege411.org/
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://sfs.gsu.edu/scholarships-grants/hope-scholarship/