HOPE Scholarship

Requirements

  • Student MUST graduate from high school with a 3.0 GPA as calculated by the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
  • Students MUST maintain 3.0 GPA in college.
  • Beginning Fall 2011 – if a student falls below a 3.0 GPA in college (at a checkpoint), they may only regain the HOPE Scholarship one time.
  • The HOPE Scholarship will NOT pay for Learning Support classes.
  • A student may receive the HOPE Scholarship up until:
    • Student earns a Bachelor’s Degree.
    • Student has attempted at any post-secondary institution 127 semester hours.
    • Student has received a total of combined HOPE payment up to  127 semester hours (from HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant,  and/or HOPE Accel payments made prior to Fall 2011).
  • 7 YEAR Limit: Students receiving the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship for the first time in Summer semester 2011 or later have up to seven years from the date of high school  graduation, date of GED Test, date of completion of an accredited Home School Program, or petition to receive high school diploma to receive the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship.
    • The 7-year limit does not apply to students who received a HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer 2011.
  • 10-YEAR Limit:  Students receiving the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship for the first time Summer semester 2019 or later have up to ten years from the date of high school  graduation, date of GED Test, date of completion of an accredited Home School Program, or petition to receive high school diploma to receive the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship.

HOPE Will Pay:

  • Per credit hour up to 15 credit hours (rate subject to change each year based on tuition rates) -does not cover fees or books
  • HOPE will only pay up to 127 total attempted semester hours.

Example: If you have 126 total attempted credit hours, you will only receive HOPE for one credit hour for the semester.

  • HOPE will not pay for Learning Support classes.

Applying for HOPE

If you think you may be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, please read the below instructions and information:

  1. Complete a GSFAPP on www.gafutures.org
  2. Print off a HOPE Review Form and submit it to the GHC Office of Financial Aid for evaluation (up to two-week processing timeframe).

See instructions at the bottom of this page to see if you have to submit a HOPE Review Form.

You must have the required minimum GPA eligibility at the most recent checkpoint:

After the semester where you earn at least 30, 60 or 90 total attempted credit hours (all credit hours attempted at any institution will be counted toward the HOPE Scholarship calculation) and maintained the minimum GPA through the end-of-spring checkpoints.

    • All credit hours attempted at any institution will be counted toward the HOPE Scholarship calculation.
    • Grades of W and WF are  counted as part of your total attempted credit hours calculation.
    • Before HOPE eligibility can be determined, all final, official transcripts from all institutions attended must be received and must include grades for all courses taken.

Any classes showing In Progress on a transcript will not be evaluated and will delay your evaluation.

New Freshman (No HOPE Review Form needed)

You MUST be determined a Final HOPE Scholar by the State (Georgia Student Finance Commission) based on your high school transcripts. The GHC Office of Financial Aid does not determine your HOPE eligibility. You do not have to submit a HOPE Eligibility Review Form. If you believe you are eligible and you are not showing as eligible on your Check My Financial Aid Status link in SCORE, or you do not see your HOPE award on your Schedule Bill, please send an email to finaid@highlands.edu to check on your status.

Transfer Students (HOPE Review Form needed)

GHC Lady ChargersIf you are requesting HOPE at GHC, you need to complete the HOPE Review Form and submit the completed form to the GHC Office of Financial Aid. All final, official transcripts must be received by the GHC Office of Admissions and evaluated by the GHC Registrar’s Office. Students who are transferring to GHC should be prepared to pay in advance and be reimbursed for any HOPE payments later (if applicable) once eligibility is determined.

Students taking one or more semesters off (HOPE Review Form needed)

If you take one or more semesters off from GHC, you need to complete the HOPE Review Form and submit the completed form to the GHC Office of Financial Aid.  This is because the GHC Office of Financial Aid will need to determine whether or not you took classes at any other colleges in your absence from GHC.  All qualifying college credit hours must be counted in the HOPE calculation.  Processing timeframe is up to two weeks once the HOPE Review form and all applicable supporting documentation and/or information is received.

Transient Students (HOPE  Review form needed)

If you are a GHC student attending another institution as a Transient Student, complete the HOPE Transient Request Form and submit it to the GHC Office of Financial Aid.  Our Office will process accordingly and send a HOPE Transient Certification to the Host Institution indicated on the form.

As a Transient Student visiting Georgia Highlands College, your Home Institution should submit a HOPE Transient Certificate to GHC through the HOPE website in order for us to award any HOPE Scholarships funds.

Home Schooled Students (HOPE Review form needed)

Any Home Schooled student seeking HOPE must complete at least 30 attempted semester hours first. Once you complete at least 30 attempted semester hours, you must submit all final , office transcripts to GSFC (Georgia Student Finance Commission) to be evaluated and approved for retroactive HOPE payments for the first 30 semester hours.

To receive the HOPE Scholarship for future semesters after the first 30 attempted semester hours, please complete the HOPE Review Form.

GPA Reviews

HOPE eligibility reviews  are conducted at the 30, 60, and 90 attempted semester hour checkpoints and at the end of every spring semester after grades are submitted.

  • If your GPA is below the required minimum 3.0 at a checkpoint, you will lose eligibility for HOPE and it can only be regained one additional time during your educational journey.
  • This eligibility can only be regained at a checkpoint (30, 60, 90 credit hour checkpoint).
  • For students who do not attend full-time (at least 12 credit hours) during their first three semesters at GHC, an eligibility calculation will be conducted after their third semester which is known as a Three-Tier checkpoint.
  • You cannot regain HOPE eligibility at a spring checkpoint.
  • If you lose HOPE eligibility at or beyond a 90 credit hour checkpoint, you cannot regain eligibility.

The HOPE calculation takes into consideration all college credit hours taken towards a degree program.

A HOPE Review Form must be submitted for a checkpoint evaluation.

After a Second Loss of HOPE eligibility, you cannot regain eligibility again.

To read more about regulations regarding the HOPE Scholarship Program on the Georgia Futures website, click HERE