Georgia HOPE Scholarship for Students

Georgia Hope Scholarship is accessible to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement. The Hope Scholarship in Georgia comprises program eligibility requirements, academic requirements, and a time limit for eligibility. More information on the application, program information, and requirements can be found in the menu to the left.

Level/Field of Study

This scholarship is designed for undergraduate studies. If you meet the criteria for the scholarship you can apply and be considered for the scholarship

Host Nationality

The Georgia Hope Scholarship is proudly brought to you by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. The Georgia Student Finance Commission has grown to be one of the nation’s most successful state student aid agencies. The agency began with loans and has now expanded to include state and lottery-funded scholarships, grants, service cancelable loan schemes, and free financial aid consulting. The objective of GSFC is to ensure that Georgians have access to education beyond high school.

Basic Eligibility for Georgia Hope Scholarship

*Students must meet the following program eligibility requirements for Georgia Hope Scholarship.

The Georgia Hope Scholarship program requires students to achieve basic eligibility conditions in order to be granted and retained while enrolled in an approved college or university (postsecondary institution). A qualified student must:

• Meet the prerequisites for US citizenship or eligible non-citizenship;
• Meet the Georgia Residency requirements for postsecondary institutions;
• Enrol in a degree-seeking program at a USG, TCSG, or qualifying private Hope-eligible college or university in Georgia;
• Georgia state law requires that you register for the federal Selective Service. Males born on or after January 1, 1960, who are at least 18 years old, citizens or eligible non-citizens who immigrated to the United States before the age of 26 are required to register.
• Meet academic achievement criteria;
• Maintain good standing on all student loans or other forms of financial help;
• Observe the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
• Not have exceeded any HOPE program’s maximum reward restrictions.

Students must be current on all federal and state of Georgia student loans, grants, and scholarships. If a student defaults on a federal or state of Georgia student loan, the debt must be repaid in full or the default status must be remedied before Georgia Hope Scholarship eligibility may be established. Students shall not be owed a refund for participating in a state of Georgia scholarship or grant program. Before determining eligibility for the Georgia Hope Scholarship, the return amount must be paid in full.

Georgia Residency

The qualified college or university determines Georgia residency for the purposes of the State Programs. The institution or university may request documentation verifying Georgia residency.

• For students attending a University System institution, residency is determined in accordance with USG Board of Regents policy.
• For students attending a Technical College System institution, residency is determined in accordance with TCSG policy.
• The residence determination for students attending qualifying private institutions is based on the Georgia Residency Requirements at Private Institutions regulations.

Students attending a USG or TCSG Institution

• If the institution establishes that a student was a Georgia resident at the time of high school graduation, home study completion, or the date of receipt of a High School Equivalency diploma, the student must:
  • Must have lived in Georgia for a minimum of 12 continuous months previous to the start day of the term for which state aid is sought.
• If the institution concludes that a student was not a Georgia resident at the time of high school graduation, home study completion, or the date of the High School Equivalency diploma, the student must:
  • Must have lived in Georgia for a minimum of 24 continuous months previous to the start day of the term for which state aid is sought.

Students attending an eligible Private Institution

• Dependent students meet the Georgia Residency criterion if their Parent or Legal Guardian has been a permanent resident of Georgia for at least 12 months previous to the first day of the college semester for which state aid is sought and:
  • A student who graduated from an Eligible High School in Georgia; or
  • They were claimed by the student’s Georgia resident parent on the most recent federal income tax return.
• Independent students satisfy the Georgia Residency criterion if they have been a resident of Georgia for at least 12 continuous months prior to the first day of the college term for which assistance is sought.
• Dependent students do not meet the Georgia Residency requirement if their Parent or Legal Guardian is not a long-term resident of Georgia at the time of the student’s high school graduation, home study completion, or High School Equivalency diploma date.
  • To get Georgia Residency, the Parent or Legal Guardian must have been a resident of Georgia for at least 24 continuous months previous to the first day of the college term for which financing is sought.
• Independent students do not meet the Georgia Residency criterion if they have not been a long-time resident of Georgia for at least 12 months prior to the start of the college term for which assistance is sought.
  • To get Georgia Residency status, the student must have been a resident of Georgia for at least 24 continuous months previous to the start day of the college term for which support is sought.

Graduates of unaccredited home study programs or out-of-state high schools must submit an academic evaluation request and supporting documentation to be considered for academic eligibility. To submit academic evaluation materials as a single file, use the GAfutures Document Upload option.

Academic Eligibility for the Georgia Hope Scholarship

In addition to the basic requirements, the Georgia Hope Scholarship program requires students to meet academic qualifying requirements. The review process and HOPE Scholarship eligibility standards are determined by the sort of high school or home study program from which a student graduates.

Requirements to Apply for Georgia Hope Scholarship

Students with an active GAfutures account may upload documents for the State Financial Aid Programs managed by GSFC.

• Make a single electronic file out of your document(s).
• Log into your GAfutures account (or create one if you don’t already have one).
• On the left-hand side of the page, click Document Upload.
• Choose the correct Document Type.
• Attach your document and press the submit button (Acceptable file types: pdf, jpg, jpeg, png, BMP, gif, tiff).

Graduates of unaccredited home study programs or out-of-state high schools may submit academic evaluation documentation as a single electronic file using the student Document Upload option.

Documents are evaluated in the order that they are received. The typical evaluation time is 7-10 business days. If more information is required, you will be contacted by email. Allow 10-15 working days for all academic or transcript evaluations to be completed.

Do not send the same document more than once. It will not speed up the evaluation process for your document (s).

Georgia Hope Scholarship Test Score Submission

Students who have a College Board SAT score report may upload a copy to GSFC. Students having an ACT score may request that ACT deliver their score report to GSFC online. Within 3-5 business days, student records are updated with received test score data.

Follow these procedures to upload your SAT score report utilizing the GAfutures Document Upload feature:

• Print your SAT test score report from the College Board’s website.
• On the report, sign, date, and write the following statement: “This is a true and exact copy of the original score report.”
• Save your document(s) in a single file (Acceptable file types: pdf, jpg, jpeg, png, BMP, gif, tiff).
• Sign in to your GAfutures account and then click Document Upload on the left side of the page.
• Select SAT scores as the Document Type.
• Attach your document and then click the submit button.

Follow these procedures to request that ACT send your score report to GSFC electronically:

• Sign in to your account at ACT.
• Enter the recipient code: 2225 to have your ACT score report delivered to GSFC.
• ACT will subsequently submit an electronic file to GSFC in order to update the student’s record.

Deadline for Georgia Hope Scholarship

The application deadline is either the last day of the school semester or the date of a student’s withdrawal, whichever comes first.

Recommendation: Complete the annual FAFSA or GSFAPP as soon as possible; the sooner you apply, the sooner your college can assess your eligibility and awards.

Please keep in mind that additional college-specific application and deadline criteria may apply. Check with your college or university.

How to Apply for Georgia Hope Scholarship

Start your application for the Georgia Hope Scholarship by clicking on the button below.

Georgia public and private high school students can access their Georgia Hope Scholarship status from high school by logging onto their GAfutures account and going to My High School HOPE GPA.

Scholarship Award

Students who meet all eligibility requirements and are enrolled in an eligible public college or university receive a Georgia Hope Scholarship award amount, which can be applied toward standard undergraduate tuition, up to a maximum of 15 hours, for the number of hours enrolled, whether full time or part time.

Students who meet all eligibility requirements and are enrolled in an eligible private college or university receive a Georgia Hope Scholarship award amount, which can be applied toward standard undergraduate tuition, up to a maximum of 12 hours, depending on whether they are enrolled part-time or full-time.