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Applying for HOPE

Requirements for Programs

Students planning to attend a public college, university, or technical college must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the HOPE Application, or e-HOPE(electronic application). These forms are available at all eligible Georgia public post-secondary institutions. You can access e-HOPE at http://gacollege411.org

Eligibility Requirements

Students may be eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship if they meet the following requirements:

• seeking their first undergraduate degree
• Georgia resident (see Residency Requirements below)
• registered with Selective Service if required to do so
• U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
• meeting Georgia State University's Office of Student Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard
• not in default or owe a refund on federal aid
• maintaining GPA requirements (see Academic Requirements below)

Residency Requirements

Students meet the residency requirements if they enter the university as a Georgia resident regardless of where they graduated from high school.

Academic Requirements

A traditional student must have a 3.0 HOPE GPA after attempting 30, 60, or 90 hours in order to maintain eligibility.

Traditional student — a student who graduated from a Georgia high school in 1993 or later as a HOPE Scholar and who has maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

A non-traditional student is a student who graduated from high school prior to establishment of the HOPE program in 1993 or a student who was not academically eligible for HOPE immediately after high school graduation. A non-traditional student may become eligible to receive HOPE after attempting 30, 60 or 90 semester hours. The student is then evaluated after the 60th and 90th credit hour for a 3.0 HOPE GPA.

The cumulative HOPE GPA is a composite of all grades from all courses attempted since high school graduation. This includes all remedial courses. If you are a transfer student, all previous grades will count toward your HOPE GPA but will not count toward your Georgia State GPA.

Program Maximum

A student may receive the HOPE Scholarship for up to 127 attempted hours. Attempted hours include remedial courses and all courses in which a grade W, WF, F, I, IP, and U was received and courses not accepted when a student transfers from another school. This does not include courses taken prior to high school graduation or hours exempted by exam.

Awards Amount

A student can receive the HOPE Scholarship to cover regular tuition and fees. A book allowance of $150 per semester is also included in the award amount for a student enrolled in six or more hours or $75 per semester for students enrolled in five or less hours. Students cannot receive the HOPE Scholarship for audited courses.

Alternative Enrollment

A student may utilize the HOPE Scholarship to participate in study-abroad and transient programs. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid concerning these programs.

Transfer Students and HOPE

Transfer students must complete a Georgia State University HOPE Scholarship Transfer Application. All updated transcript information must be submitted to the admission office.

Transient Students and HOPE

The HOPE Scholarship is available to students who are currently HOPE Scholars at Georgia State University and plan to attend another state university as a transient student. You will be required to fill out an Intent to Study Off-Campus Form and submit an Academic Approval Statement from your advisor. The Intent to Study Off-Campus Form is available in the Office of Student Financial Aid.*

If you are a HOPE Scholar who is currently matriculating at another university and plan to attend Georgia State University as a transient student, please contact your current school's financial aid office for details on how to transfer your HOPE Scholarship.*

*Note: The HOPE Transient Certificate is only valid for the HOPE Scholarship. If you need additional funding to cover your expenses you will need to establish a consortium agreement between the schools. Contact your financial aid office for details.

HOPE GED

Georgia residents who earned a General Education Development (GED-high school equivalency) certificate awarded by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education after June 30, 1993 may receive a one-time $500 HOPE award. This can be used toward tuition, books and other educational costs.

Full-time enrollment is not required. Students must use their HOPE eligibility within 24 months of the date of the GED certificate. Military personnel have 52 months to exercise eligibility. The certificate is awarded by the Georgia Student Finance Committee to the student. The student presents the certificate to the school.

In addition to the $500 award, GED recipients may also qualify for assistance through other components of HOPE.