Georgia’s Financial Aid Programs

2016 - 2017

Carol Ann Lott

K-12 Outreach Representative

Agenda

• Introducing GAfutures.org

• HOPE Program Overview

• HOPE Scholarship

• Zell Miller Scholarship

• HOPE Grant and Zell Miller Grant

• Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant and HOPE GED Grant

• Dual Credit Enrollment: Move On When Ready

• Student Access Loan Program

• Other State Programs

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GAfutures.org

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GAfutures.org

• Georgia’s new resource to help students plan, apply and find affordable ways to pay for college

• GAfutures supports GSFC’s mission to increase access to education beyond high school for Georgia students

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GAfutures.org

• Financial Aid Information– The basics, state and federal programs, calculators, repayment options,

financial literacy tips, national scholarship search

• College Planning Tools– Timeline, test prep, calculators, applications (admissions, financial aid),

HOPE-eligible institutions highlighted, national college search

• Career Exploration– Career assessments, interest profiler, Career Clusters and Pathways,

skilled trades

• My GAfutures for Students– Request high school transcripts, check HOPE GPA

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HOPE & State Aid Programs

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GSFAPPS

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OVERVIEW

HOPE Program

HOPE Overview

• HOPE - Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally - is Georgia's unique scholarship and grant program that rewards students with financial assistance in degree, diploma and certificate programs at eligible Georgia public and private colleges and universities and public technical colleges.

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HOPE Program

HOPE Scholarship

Zell Miller Scholarship

HOPE Grant Zell Miller Grant

HOPE GED Grant

Strategic Industries Workforce

Development Grant (SIWDG)

Giving HOPE

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September 1993 through July 2016

* Students who transfer to another eligible institution are duplicated in this count.

Students Amount Awarded

University System 747,558 $6,034,004,050

Technical Colleges 907,377 $1,886,774,703

Private Colleges and Universities

180,642 $874,996,372

Totals *1,840,414 $8,802,346,689

The Future of HOPE

HOPE Scholarship

Zell Miller Scholarship

HOPE

Grant

HOPE

GED Grant

SIWDG

Zell Miller Grant

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The Future of HOPE

• Award amounts set each year by the Governor and the General Assembly

• Monitor the HOPE Program award amounts to plan for college expenses

• Consider opening a Path2College (529) savings and investment account to save for college expenses –path2college529.com

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The HOPE Program

• Basic Eligibility

– U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

– Georgia resident

– Graduated from a HOPE eligible high school

– Graduated from a HOPE eligible home study program

– Attending a University System of Georgia (USG) or Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) postsecondary institution

– Attending an eligible private non-profit postsecondary institution or an eligible private proprietary (for-profit) institution

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HOPE SCHOLARSHIP

HOPE Program

HOPE Scholarship

• Eligibility

– 3.0 HOPE GPA

• Core curriculum courses

• GSFC must receive an official high school transcript

– Including graduation date

– Electronic or paper based on school

status

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HOPE Scholarship

Rigor Requirements

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0

1

2

3

4

5

Class of2015

Class of2016

Class of2017+

Credit Courses Needed in 4 Years

# of Credits

HOPE Scholarship

• Rigor Requirements

– Advanced math

– Advanced science

– Advanced Placement (AP) courses in core subjects

– International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in core subjects

– Dual credit courses in core subjects taken during Dual Credit Enrollment

– Core courses taken at eligible postsecondary institutions

– Foreign language

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HOPE Scholarship

• Award Amounts

– Georgia public institutions

• Portion of standard tuition

• Award amount per college available on GAfutures

– Georgia private institutions

• Full-time student

– $1,968 per semester (summer, fall, spring)

– $1,313 per quarter (summer, fall, winter, spring)

• Half-time student

– $984 per semester (summer, fall, spring)

– $657 per quarter (summer, fall, winter, spring)

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Award Amount Example

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HOPE Scholarship

• Maintaining HOPE

– 3.0 GPA at checkpoints

– Checkpoints

• End of every spring semester/quarter

• 30/45 attempted semester/quarter hours

• 60/90 attempted semester/quarter hours

• 90/135 attempted semester/quarter hours

– Students can only regain the HOPE Scholarship ONCE

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ZELL MILLER SCHOLARSHIP

HOPE Program

Zell Miller Scholarship

Eligibility

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Rigor Requirements and one of the following:

Designated valedictorian or salutatorian

3.7 high school GPA as calculated by GSFC in core curriculum courses

AND

• 1200 SAT combined score (Critical Reading and Math)

OR

• 26 ACT composite score

Zell Miller Scholarship

• Award Amounts

– Georgia public institutions

• Standard undergraduate tuition for current academic year

– Georgia private institutions

• Full-time student

– $2,174 per semester (summer, fall, spring)

– $1,450 per quarter (fall, winter, spring, summer)

• Half-time student

– $1,087 per semester (summer, fall, spring)

– $726 per quarter (fall, winter, spring, summer)

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Zell Miller Scholarship

• Maintaining Zell Miller

– 3.3 GPA at checkpoints

– Checkpoints

• End of every spring semester/quarter

• 30/45 attempted semester/quarter hours

• 60/90 attempted semester/quarter hours

• 90/135 attempted semester/quarter hours

– Students can only regain Zell Miller ONCE

• May still be eligible for HOPE Scholarship

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HOPE & Zell Miller Scholarships

• Students lose eligibility due to one of the following:

– GPA requirement not met (3.0 for HOPE; 3.3 for Zell Miller)

– Reaching maximum attempted hours

• 127 semester

• 190 quarter

– Failing to use funds within seven years of high school graduation or equivalent

• Exception for military service time

– Received a bachelor’s degree

– Received first professional degree

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HOPE GRANT AND ZELL MILLER GRANT

HOPE Program

HOPE Grant

• Eligibility

– High school GPA and/or test scores not considered

– Enrolled in a certificate or diploma program

– High school graduation not required

• Award Amount

– Portion of the 2016-2017 standard tuition

– Award amount per college available on GAfutures

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HOPE Grant

• Maintaining HOPE Grant– 2.0 GPA at checkpoints

• 30/45 paid semester/quarter hours

• 60/90 paid semester/quarter hours

• Students lose eligibility due to one of the following:– 2.0 GPA requirement not met

– Paid hours• 63 semester/95 quarter

– Received a bachelor’s degree

• Joint or Dual Credit Enrollment students are not eligible

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Zell Miller Grant

• Eligibility

– Enrolled in a certificate or diploma program

– High school GPA and/or test scores not considered

– High school graduation not required

– Minimum 3.5 cumulative postsecondary GPA

• Award Amount

– Standard undergraduate tuition, up to 15 hours

– Award for first term of enrollment will be paid retroactively if student has required 3.5 GPA

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Zell Miller Grant

• Maintaining Zell Miller Grant

– 3.5 GPA checked at the end of each term

• Students that lose the Zell Miller Grant at the end-of-term checkpoint, may regain it if they have the required minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA at the end of the next term

• Students lose eligibility due to one of the following:

– 3.5 GPA requirement not met

– 63 paid or combined paid hours (HOPE Grant and Zell Miller Grant) met

• Joint or Dual Credit Enrollment students are not eligible

• Zell Miller Grant recipients eligible for SIWDG

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HOPE Grant vs Zell Miller Grant

HOPE Grant

Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA

Checkpoints: 30/60 paid hours

Award Amount: Portion of tuition based on per credit hour rate, up to

15 hours

Joint or Dual Credit Enrollment students are not eligible

First term paid immediately if requirements met

Eligible for Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant

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Zell Miller Grant

Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA

Checkpoints: End of term

Award Amount: Full standard tuition, up to 15 hours

Joint or Dual Credit Enrollment students are not eligible

First term is paid retroactively if student has the required 3.5 GPA

Eligible for Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant

SIWDG AND HOPE GED GRANT

HOPE Program

Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant

• HOPE Grant and Zell Miller Grant recipients eligible for SIWDG

• 226 certificate and diploma programs

– Complete list of approved programs on GAfutures

• Joint or Dual Credit Enrollment students are not eligible

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Enrolled Hours Award Amount

9 or more $500 per term

3 – 8 $250 per term

1 – 2 $125 per term

Note: Commercial truck driving – enrolled 9+ hours; $1,000 one-time award.

HOPE GED Grant

• Eligibility– Must be a Georgia resident for 12 consecutive months

immediately prior to the first day of classes of the school term

– If not a Georgia resident on the date of the GED, must be a Georgia resident 24 consecutive months immediately prior to the first day of classes of the school term

• Award Amount– $500 voucher

– Expires 24 consecutive months after receipt of award

– Per 2013 legislation, if a GED is awarded while the student is incarcerated, the voucher expires 24 consecutive months after release from incarceration

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MOVE ON WHEN READY

Dual Credit Enrollment

Dual Credit Enrollment

• Opportunity for students to earn credit hours toward a certificate, degree or diploma while they meet their high school graduation requirements

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Move On When Ready

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New Dual Credit Enrollment Program

AccelHOPE Grant Dual EnrollmentMove On When Ready

Move On When Ready

(MOWR)

Effective July 1, 2015 (FY 2016)

Move On When Ready

• Eligibility

– 9th – 12th grade students

• Beginning with the fall term of the 9th grade year

– Attending an eligible and participating high school or home study program

– Accepted for admission to

an eligible and participating postsecondary institution

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Move On When Ready

• Course Options

– Students select courses from the Move On When Ready Course Directory available on GAfutures

– The Course Directory includes comparable required courses

• Degree/non-degree level core courses (English, math, science, social studies, foreign language)

• Career, technical and agricultural education courses

• Electives

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Move On When Ready

• Applying for MOWR– Online application (GAfutures) to be completed by students

attending an eligible public or private high school

– Paper application (printed from GAfutures) to be completed by home study students and students with no Social Security number

– Application has three parts

• Students and parents complete Part A

• High school counselors/home study instructors complete Part B

• Postsecondary institutions complete Part C

– All three sections must be completed and submitted to GSFC

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Move On When Ready

• Application Deadlines

– Student, high school/home study program or parent and postsecondary institution must complete the MOWR application and submit it to GSFC by the last day of the term in which MOWR is sought or date of withdrawal, whichever occurs first

– High schools and colleges may also have a MOWR procedure including earlier term deadlines

– Students must be approved and classified as a MOWR student

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Move On When Ready

• Awards

– Specific award amounts will vary based on the postsecondary institution and the number of credit hours

– In most cases, awards will cover

• All required standard tuition

• Mandatory fees

• Required book expenses

– In some instances, students may be responsible for lost/damaged books, books considered optional, or specific course-related fees, such as a lab fee

– Complete MOWR award amounts available on GAfutures

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Student Access Loan Program

Student Access Loan Program

• Includes Student Access Loan at USG or private postsecondary institutions and Student Access Loan at TCSG postsecondary institutions

• Fixed interest rate 1% for the life of the loan, including repayment

• In the event of default, interest rate reverts irrevocably to 5%

• Monthly Keep In Touch (KIT) payment

– Monthly minimum KIT payments of $10 while enrolled at least half-time (6 hours or more) and in grace period

– First KIT payment due approximately sixty (60) days after first

disbursement date

• Requirement communicated through website, application and emails

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Student Access Loan ProgramUSG and Private Postsecondary Institutions

• Application Process

– Current HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship recipients in a random selection based on available funds

– Followed by a random selection of the remaining applicants based on available funds

• Loan Amounts

– $500 minimum; $8,000 maximum; $36,000 aggregate limit

– $4,000 maximum term amount

• Eligible Programs

– Certificate, diploma and degree at an eligible postsecondary institution

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Student Access Loan ProgramUSG and Private Postsecondary Institutions

• Other Requirements

– Must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and residency requirements

– May not decline other state and federal aid or VA educational benefits

– May decline federal and institutional work-study

– Parent Plus loan may also be declined

• Service Cancellation Options

– STEM teachers

– Public service

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Student Access Loan ProgramTCSG Postsecondary Institutions

• Application Process

– Current HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship recipients in a random selection based on available funds

– Followed by a random selection of the remaining applicants based on available funds

• Loan Amounts

– $300 minimum; $3,000 maximum; $12,000 aggregate limit

– $1,500 maximum term

• Eligible Programs

– Certificate, diploma and degree at eligible postsecondary institution

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Student Access Loan ProgramTCSG Postsecondary Institutions

• Other Requirements

– Must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and residency requirements

– May not decline federal or state scholarships, grants or VA educational benefits

– May decline federal loans or federal or institutional work-study

• Loan Discharge Option

– Graduate from the program of study for which SAL at TCSG was received with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher

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SAL Application and Selection Cycles

• Application cycle date(s) announced annually

• Application cycle will be open while funds are available

• Schools will be notified and certify the selections

• Schools will notify students

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Other State Programs

Other State Programs

• Georgia Military College State Service Scholarship

• Georgia National Guard Service Cancelable Loan

• HERO Scholarship

• Public Safety Memorial Grant

• REACH Scholarship

• Scholarship for Engineering Education (SEE)

• Scholarship for Engineering Education for Minorities (MSEE)

• Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG)

• University of North Georgia Military Scholarship

• University of North Georgia ROTC Grant

• University of North Georgia ROTC Grant for Future Officers

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GSFC Representative Map

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Contact Us

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800.505.4732 outreach@gsfc.org

Be Social

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OUR MISSIONTo promote and increase access to education

beyond high school for Georgians.

OUR VISIONTo be the premier provider of student financial aid

and educational services for Georgians.