HOPE — Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally — is Georgia's unique scholarship and grant program that rewards students with financial assistance in degree, diploma, and certificate programs at eligible Georgia public and private colleges and universities, and public technical colleges. HOPE is funded entirely by the Georgia Lottery for Education, which also funds Georgia's statewide pre-kindergarten program. Since the HOPE Program began in 1993, over $3.5 billion in HOPE funds have been awarded to more than 1 million students attending Georgia's colleges, universities, and technical colleges. You can benefit from HOPE in several ways.

HOPE Scholarship

Georgia's HOPE Scholarship is available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement at the high school and/or college level. The scholarship provides funds to address many of the costs associated with tuition, fees, and books for students who are pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree in Georgia's public and private colleges and universities.

Eligibility - To receive HOPE Scholarship funding, students must:

Have graduated from an eligible high school with a "B" average, as defined by the HOPE program, or have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average at the college level at specific credit-hour checkpoints. Students who earned a GED or graduated from an ineligible high school or home study program may qualify for a HOPE Scholarship, as an entering freshman, based on their SAT or ACT scores.
Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at an eligible public or private college or university or technical college in Georgia. Meet HOPE's Georgia residency requirements.
Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements.
Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements.
Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990. A student may be ineligible for HOPE payment if he or she has been convicted for committing certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs.
Not be in default or owe a refund on a student financial aid program.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the college.

Award Amounts - Funding provided to HOPE scholars varies by type of institution.

Public Institutions - Students attending public institutions receive an award for the following:

Tuition for number of hours enrolled whether full-time or part-time
HOPE-approved mandatory fees
Books allowance of $150 per semester for full-time enrollment or $75 per semester for part-time enrollment.

Award Limits - A college degree-seeking student is ineligible for the HOPE Scholarship if the student has:

Received payment from any combination of HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and Accel Program funds totaling 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of credit; or
Attempted 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of college degree credit, regardless of whether or not HOPE funds were received while attempting the hours; or
Has earned a baccalaureate (four-year) college degree, regardless of whether or not HOPE funds were received while earning the degree.

Students may apply by completing the online application here at: GACollege411.org.

HOPE Grant

If you are a Georgia resident enrolling in a technical certificate or diploma program at an eligible Georgia public college, university, or public technical college, you may be eligible for the HOPE Grant regardless of high school graduation dates or grade point averages. The HOPE Grant covers tuition, HOPE-approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance.

Overview - Georgia's HOPE Grant (a separate program from the HOPE Scholarship) is available to residents of Georgia who are attending a Georgia public technical college or public college or university to earn a certificate or diploma regardless of high school graduation date or grade point average. To qualify for HOPE Grant funding, the certificate or diploma program must be approved by the Technical College System of Georgia or be a comparable program of study approved by the Board of Regents. The certificate or diploma must be awarded and issued by the institution. Continuing education programs are not eligible for HOPE Grant funding. The grant provides full tuition, HOPE-approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance at public institutions.

Full-time enrollment is not required, but you must be making satisfactory academic progress to maintain eligibility.

Eligibility - To receive HOPE Grant funding, students must:

Be enrolled in a technical certificate or diploma program at an eligible public postsecondary institution in Georgia.
Meet HOPE's Georgia residency requirements or be classified as a “military waiver”.
Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements.
Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements.
Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990. A student may be ineligible for HOPE payment if he or she has been convicted for committing certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs.
Not be in default or owe a refund on a student financial aid program.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress, as defined by the college.
Not have received HOPE Grant payment for more than 63 semester or 95 quarter hours.

Award Amounts - Recipients receive an award covering their tuition, HOPE-approved fees, and a book allowance of up to $150 per semester.

Award Limits - A HOPE Grant recipient is ineligible for the grant if the student has:

Received HOPE Grant payment for more than 63 semester or 95 quarter hours; or
Received payment from any combination of HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and Accel Program funds totaling 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of credit.
Dual Credit Enrollment hours for which a high school student received HOPE Grant payment are not included in these totals.

Students may apply by completing the online application here at GACollege411.org.

HOPE GED Grant

Legal residents of Georgia who earned a General Education Development (GED/high school equivalency) diploma awarded by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education after June 30, 1993 may receive a one-time $500 HOPE award. This award can be used toward tuition, books, and other educational costs at an eligible public or private college, university, or technical college in a degree, diploma, or certificate program.

Eligibility - To receive the HOPE GED Grant, students must:

Receive a GED diploma from the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education after June 30, 1993.
Enroll as a technical certificate or diploma-seeking student or college degree-seeking student at an eligible postsecondary institution in Georgia.
Meet HOPE's Georgia residency requirements.
Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements.
Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements.
Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990. A student is ineligible if he or she has been convicted for committing certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs.
Not be in default or owe a refund on a student financial aid program.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the college.

Award Amounts - Recipients receive a one-time award of $500 toward their postsecondary educational costs. In addition to the $500 GED Grant, GED students are eligible for the HOPE Scholarship in a degree program once they have attempted their FIRST 30 semester hours of study with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average. The entry points are based on all degree credit attempted and course work converted to degree credit after the award date for the GED diploma.

GED students can also qualify for the HOPE Grant for certificate programs covering tuition, approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance at public colleges and technical colleges. The HOPE Grant is in addition to the $500 GED Grant.

Application Procedure - A HOPE GED Voucher is automatically mailed to recipients along with their GED diploma. The voucher must be submitted to the CCGA Financial Aid Office at the time of enrollment. In return, the student's account will be credited for $500 to cover eligible educational costs.