College can be so many things—exciting, inspiring, EXPENSIVE!
Luckily, there are things like the HOPE Scholarship to help with that last part.
Once you’ve survived the challenges of applying to schools, getting accepted (yay, you!), and then deciding where to go, you might also face the question of how to pay for the next few years of your life (ideally, using as little of your own money as possible).
We know that every little bit helps, and luckily, so do many others who can offer you some help. So below, we’ll talk through what the HOPE scholarship is, and how it can potentially aid you on your way!
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(click to skip ahead)What is the HOPE Scholarship?
The HOPE Scholarship is a merit-based program that helps students pay for college in Georgia. If you’re a student attending certain colleges or universities in Georgia, the HOPE scholarship could be for you!
The Georgia HOPE (Helping Outstanding Students Academically) Scholarship started in 1993, and it’s a state program that provides high-achieving students with money to cover part of tuition costs.
Students must attend eligible schools (more on that below), and there is kind of a lengthy list of eligibility requirements for applicants, but if you fulfill these requirements, the HOPE Scholarship can give you some much needed financial relief.
Luckily, the application itself isn’t too intense, and it’s worth it if you can reap the rewards of your hard work!
HOPE Scholarship Eligibility, Requirements, and Guidelines
The HOPE scholarship eligibility requirements are very specific and could potentially feel a little overwhelming, so here’s a list you can just check off if you’re considering applying.
HOPE Scholarship applicants must:
Be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens
Be Georgia residents (graduated from a Georgia high school and lived in Georgia for one year prior to the quarter or semester for which they’ll receive HOPE funding)
Be a current student in a degree program at University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, or eligible private colleges or universities (here's a list of eligible Georgia schools)
Meet Selective Service registration requirements (if applicable)
Meet your school’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy
Not be in default on any student loans
Not be convicted of felony offenses involving controlled substances (this is the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990)
Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program
There are also some academic eligibility requirements since this is a merit-based scholarship
High school students applying for the HOPE Scholarship must:
Have graduated with at least a 3.0 HOPE GPA (we’ll explain what that means!)
Earned at least four full rigor credits (here's the list of eligible courses)
College students applying for the HOPE Scholarship must:
Be enrolled in 30, 60, or 90 semester hours or 45, 90, or 135 quarter hours of study
Earn a minimum 3.0 postsecondary calculated HOPE GPA
There are also all sorts of student situations that don’t fall into the ones we’ve included here, and you can find eligibility information about those here.
We know this is a lot, so maybe take a moment if needed to review the above, and when you’re ready, keep reading to learn about the HOPE GPA.
The HOPE GPA
The High School HOPE GPA counts core courses in English, Math, Science, Social Sciences, and Foreign Languages. For the purposes of HOPE GPAs, courses are calculated on a 4-point scale, (so no extra weight is given for + or – grades). Honors course work is not weighted, and if you attend a high school that has weighted GPAs, the extra weight is removed and then half a point is added back to the grade.
If reading this makes your head spin because you need to SEE what we’re talking about, scroll to the bottom this page to see a sample HOPE GPA.
The College HOPE GPA counts all degree-level courses a student takes and completes after high school. Just like the High School Hope GPA, courses are calculated on a 4-point scale with no extra weight for + or – grades.
Visual learners, here’s another sample HOPE GPA for you!
How to apply for the Georgia HOPE Scholarship
The good news about applying for the HOPE Scholarship is that you’ve already done most of it once you complete your FAFSA application and/or your Georgia Student Finance Application.
The application deadline is the last day of the school term (so either the quarter or the semester), but as with nearly everything college-related, the recommendation is to submit your forms as early as possible, so you know whether you’ve been approved for the scholarship.
Individual schools might also have their own HOPE Scholarship guidelines and requirements, so make sure to visit their Financial Aid office or website for this information so you don’t miss vital parts of the application.
Similar scholarships in other states
If for whatever reason Georgia isn’t your cup of (sweet) tea, other states offer similar scholarships! For example:
The Tennessee HOPE Scholarship is funded by the Tennessee Lottery and has similar eligibility requirements as the Georgia HOPE Scholarship. This scholarship awards up to $2,250 per semester for full-time college freshmen and sophomores and up to $2,850 per semester for full-time college juniors and seniors.
The Bright Futures Scholarships are Florida-based scholarships (also funded by the state’s lottery) that offer both GPA-based and service-based scholarships for Florida residents.
The South Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship is yet another lottery-funded state scholarship program that awards scholarships to 4-year, 2-year, and technical colleges.
And the Kentucky Education Excellence Scholarship awards scholarships to Kentucky students with at least a 2.5 GPA. With these scholarships, the higher the GPA the higher the financial award!
These are just a few of the many, many scholarships out there, so we encourage you to see what else is out there that applies to your unique situation.
For super-thorough modules on how to pay for college, check out our resources here!
FAQ on the HOPE Scholarship
How much is the HOPE Scholarship worth?
That depends on the school! You can click here to find this information for a specific Georgia school, but just remember that HOPE Scholarships intend to help with college tuition (not pay for it entirely).
What do I do to continue to qualify?
Good and important question! Once you get the HOPE Scholarship, the next step is to KEEP the HOPE Scholarship.
To do this, you must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA at specific checkpoints. At the end-of-spring, you must have 30/60/90 attempted semester hours or 45/90/135 quarter hours. You can, unfortunately, lose the HOPE Scholarship if your GPA falls below the minimum at one of the checkpoints and can only re-qualify for the scholarship once. So, keep those grades up!
College students can no longer receive the HOPE Scholarship once they reach 127 credit hours (so, you can’t count on this scholarship if you’re ten years into your college career).
What are the limitations of the HOPE Scholarship?
There are just a few limitations, but they are important ones. Students can no longer receive the HOPE Scholarship if they:
Reach seven years after high school graduation and are still pursuing their college degree
Hit the 127 hours quarter or semester limit
Graduate! (if only they would keep giving you money after you get your degree!)
We wish we lived in a world in which financial concerns about attending college didn’t exist, but they do. The bright side is that states and organizations WANT to help! The Georgia HOPE Scholarship has become a model for other states, so if you’re headed to the Peach State, make sure to check with your school about getting access to this financial award!
Special thanks to Jessica B. for writing this blog post
Jessica has a Ph.D in English from the University of Southern California and teaches English at a Los Angeles-area independent school, where she has also been English department chair and a class dean. Sandra Cisneros is her hero, and she loves books, her awesomely-sarcastic family, the beach, cozy sweaters, and more books. Oh, and her sweet pitbull/lab mix named Ruby.
Top values: Curiosity, equity, wonder
