What is the Georgia HOPE Scholarship?

HOPE, Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally programs are funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education. HOPE scholarships are available to eligible Georgia high school graduates of 1993 or later. HOPE covers a portion of a recipient's tuition. There is no minimum enrollment for the HOPE Scholarship. Students may receive HOPE for as little as one semester hour of enrollment.

The amount of your HOPE Scholarship is determined by the amount of your tuition and credit hours enrolled. The amount of HOPE Scholarship that you will receive is subject to change under any of the following conditions:

  1. If you enroll for less than full-time hours, or 
  2. If you fail to meet the grade point average requirement of a 3.0 at the 30th, 60th or 90th attempted hour and at the end of each Spring semester, or
  3. If you have attempted more than 127 hours.

HOPE Scholarship Requirements

To determine if you are a HOPE Scholar and monitor your status, you can visit the  website and create an account. You are an official HOPE Scholar when your status reads:  “Final HOPE Scholar.”

You can now go online and get a lot of fantastic information regarding your HOPE/Zell eligibility, including:

  • Your academic eligibility to receive HOPE and Zell Miller funds
  • Your college transcript data for the HOPE and Zell Miller Programs
  • Your HOPE GPA, Checkpoints and Attempted Hours
  • Calculation Eligibility Rules

 to get more information!

Eligibility Requirements:

Dual Enrollment credit is NOT included in the calculation of HOPE eligibility.

  1. Georgia Residency. Students receiving a military Out-of-State tuition waiver can complete a 国产AV HOPE Processing Application.

  2. Grade point average (GPA) eligibility for entering freshmen is based on a final high school GPA of 3.0 or better as determined by the high school and reported to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, by July 1 of each year.

  3. Regardless of high school graduation or high school grade point average, Georgia residents with a 3.0 GPA at the 30th, 60th, or 90th attempted semester hour are eligible to participate in the program.

  4. Must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average while in college. The grade point average is reviewed at the 30th, 60th, and 90th attempted semester hour and at the end of each Spring Semester (the spring checkpoint is for students currently eligible for HOPE in order to retain eligibility). This includes attempted courses at all prior colleges attended as well as 国产AV. The HOPE Scholarship Regulations for public institutions are different from those of the private and technical institutions.

  5. If you lost the HOPE Scholarship for failure to maintain the required 3.0 GPA, you are eligible to reapply for the HOPE only after your 30th, 60th or 90th attempted semester hour, provided your cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher;

  6. The HOPE Scholarship only pays up to 127 attempted hours or 127 paid hours including any prior school and 国产AV. Attempted hours include any letter grade for A, B, C, D, F, W, WF, WP, WY, WH, I, IP, U, S, or V.

  7. Adjustments for less than full-time enrollment will be made at the time of disbursement.

  8. A student's HOPE Eligibility expires seven years after high school graduation, regardless of the number of hours attempted.

How to check your HOPE Status

You can monitor your HOPE Scholarship history at . If you have questions, you may contact the HOPE Scholarship Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid at 229-333-5935 or 1-800-618-1878 (Option #2). You may also contact the GSFC at 1-800-505-GSFC.

How to Apply

If you are a beginning freshman, a new transfer student, a student who is applying for the HOPE Scholarship for the first time, or applying for reinstatement of HOPE, you MUST have a completed financial aid file by doing steps one or two below. For new transfer students or students who are requesting a reinstatement of HOPE/Zell Miller you must complete the 国产AV HOPE Processing Application and submit it to our office.

  1. Either complete the  and submit all required documents to the Office of Financial Aid.  

    OR

  2. If you wish to receive the HOPE Scholarship and have no intention of applying for other aid such as student loans, you can submit the  to the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).  You can view all policies, procedures, and regulations of the HOPE Scholarship at the  (We are not automatically set up to receive the GSFAPPS application); therefore, it is essential that you contact us online or by phone at (229) 333-5935).

If you are currently receiving HOPE Scholarship at 国产AV, you do not have to complete the 国产AV Hope Processing Application.  However, you MUST have a completed financial aid file before the HOPE Scholarship will pay to your student account.  You can do this one of two ways:

  1. Either complete the  and submit all required documents to the Office of Financial Aid.  

    OR

  2. If you wish to receive the HOPE Scholarship and have no intention of applying for other aid such as student loans, you can submit the  to the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).  You can view all policies, procedures, and regulations of the HOPE Scholarship at the (We are not automatically set up to receive the GSFAPPS application); therefore, it is essential that you contact us online or by phone at (229) 333-5935).

What if I only want to use HOPE, and no other aid?

If you are ONLY wishing to receive HOPE Scholarship with no other grants or loans, please fill out the GSFAPPS form on the  web site. Once you have completed that application, please send an email to scarter@valdosta.edu and we will process your application as quickly as possible, and you will then receive an award letter.

At this time, the HOPE Promise and HOPE Teacher Scholarship Programs will not be funded due to budget restrictions. 

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FAQs about the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships can be found here.