Eligibility requirements for the Hope Teacher Program.

Students must:

1. Be a US Citizen
2. Meet the Georgia Residency Requirements
3. Attend an eligible Postsecondary Institution
4. Be an Eligible student
5. Complete an advanced degree in a critical shortage field
6. Complete teaching obligation for waiver of loan

US Citizenship Requirements: student must be a United States Citizen or be an eligible “non-citizen” per Federal Title IV requirements for at least 12 consecutive months preceeding the school term.

Georgia Residency Requirements: student must meet Georgia residency requirements for in-state tuition for at least 12 consecutive months preceeding school term. Out of state tuition waivers do not meet this requirement.

Eligible Postsecondary Institutions:

Public

• Albany State University
• Armstrong Atlantic State University
• Augusta State University
• Columbus State University
• Fort Valley State University
• Georgia College and State University
• Georgia Southern University
• Georgia Southwestern State University
• Georgia State University
• Kennesaw State University
• North Georgia College
• State University of West Georgia
• University of Georgia
• Valdosta State University

Private

• Agnes Scott College
• Berry College
• Brenau University
• Clark Atlanta University
• Emory University
• LaGrange College
• Mercer University
• Oglethorpe University
• Piedmont College
• Toccoa Falls College
• Wesleyan College

Critical Shortage Teaching Areas:

• Art Education (Grades P-12)
• Early Childhood Education (Grades P-5)
• Economics Education (Grades 6-12)
• English Education (Grades 6-12)
• Special Education (Grades P-12)
• • Education of Exceptional Children (Special Education) Adapted
• Curriculum (P-12)
• • General Curriculum (P-12)
• • General Curriculum/Early Childhood Education (P-5)
• • Behavior Disorders (P-12)
• • Hearing Impaired (P-12)
• • Learning Disabilities (P-12)
• • Orthopedically Impaired (P-12)
• Foreign Language Education (Grades P-12)
• • Spanish
• • French
• Geography Education (Grades 6-12)
• History Education (Grades 6-12)
• Mathematics Education (Grades 6-12)
• Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-8)
• • Math
• • Science
• • Math & Science
• • Language Arts
• Music Education (Grades P-12)
• Political Science Education (Grades 6-12)
• Science Education (Grades 6-12)
• • Broad Field Science
• • Biology
• • Chemistry
• • Earth/Space
• • Physics

Complete Teaching obligation for waiver of loan:

1) Complete program of advanced education
2) Teach on a full time basis in the critical shortage field for one academic year for each $2500 awarded
3) Complete the teaching obligation within a five year period after completing the course of study

The post Scholarship Loan Program for Georgia Teachers appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

Both the HOPE Scholarship and the HOPE Grant are funded by the state of Georgia through lottery proceeds, but the HOPE Scholarship has certain requirements, and the HOPE Grant is available to any Georgia resident. For length of the HOPE eligibility, see the text below.

To receive the HOPE Scholarship, high school students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in a high school college prep track or a 3.2 average in other track.  Students who are initially ineligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship when they matriculate at a qualified College or University and who are Georgia residents may begin with the HOPE Grant.  After 30 attempted credit hours (which include all hours, support classes and certificate classes that are in a degree program), they can receive the HOPE Scholarship if they meet the requirements.

Therefore, many degree students start out with the HOPE Grant.  Both the HOPE Grant and the HOPE Scholarship cover tuition but no fees and no book allowance.  Students can’t get federal funds for more than 30 attempted hours of Learning Support, and HOPE has caps for hours. In addition, all grades are counted toward the cap of HOPE.

HOPE Grant Overview

A student may receive HOPE Grant payments for all course work required by an eligible post secondary institution for a program of study leading to a technical certificate or diploma, including Learning Support course work. The HOPE Grant Paid-Hours limit is 95 quarter or 63 semester hours of HOPE Grant payments for technical Certificate or Diploma credit hours that meet the definition of Paid-Hours*.  This includes all coursework paid for by HOPE at any institution.

Hope Scholarship Overview

A student is ineligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship payment once he or she reaches the Attempted Hours limit of 190 quarter or 127 semester hours. A student is ineligible to receive HOPE Scholarship payment once he or she reaches the Combined Paid Hours limit of 190 quarter or 127 semester hours from any combination of HOPE Scholarship Paid-Hours, plus HOPE Grant Paid-Hours, plus Accel Program Paid-Hours*.  This includes all coursework paid (as well as all hours attempted) by HOPE at any other institution.

*“Paid-Hours” means the post secondary quarter or semester credit hours attempted by a student, for which he or she received payment from the HOPE Scholarship Program, HOPE Grant Program, and/or Accel Program.

Zell Miller Scholarship Overview

Under HB 326, the state’s top students may qualify for the new full-tuition Zell Miller Scholarship, reserved for high school valedictorians, salutatorians, and graduates with strong GPAs and test scores who plan to attend an eligible public college or university.  Zell Miller Scholars attending a private Georgia college would receive an award of $4,000 per year.  Zell Miller Scholars must be their high school’s valedictorian or salutatorian, or earn a 3.7 high school GPA or higher and post, in one sitting, an SAT combined score of 1200 or higher in math and reading or an ACT score of 26 or higher.

The post What is the difference between Hope Scholarship and Hope Grant? appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

 The chart clearly shows the problem with the ballooning in award amounts especially from 2002-2003 to 2010-2011 where the award totals doubled while the number of recipients only change by about 20%.  What this indicates is that the tuition and fees are what is crippling the program and not the number of eligible recipients.

Given this data, I am still in the camp that Georgia does not need to “tweek” the eligibility requirements by adding a financial need component or by continuing to tighten the academic requirements.  It is not the number of students in the program, it is the cost increases from the institutions that are weighing down the program.  Until these costs are brought in line, the problem will continue.  The cuts made in 2010-2011 are a temporary band-aid on the problem.  The next round of cuts need to be on the university system’s shoulders and not on those of the students.

Attribution:  The chart is from the Georgia Student Finance Commission’s website.  The chart provide the Georgia Hope Scholarship Grant and Award Amounts for the history of the program.

The post Georgia Hope Scholarship Grant and Award Amounts appeared first on Hope Scholarship.

Georgia’s HOPE Grant is available to residents of Georgia who are attending eligible colleges or universities in Georgia to earn a certificate or diploma regardless of high school graduation date or grade point average (GPA). However, continuing education programs are not eligible.  Beginning in the Fall 2011, the HOPE Grant Award Amount will cover a portion of a student’s tuition.

Full-time enrollment is not required, but you must be making satisfactory academic progress to maintain eligibility.

Award Amounts for Fall Term 2011 and Beyond

Students that qualify will receive the HOPE Grant Award (see amounts).

Award Eligibility

A HOPE Grant recipient is ineligible for the grant if the student has:

• Received HOPE Grant payment for more than 63 semester or 95 quarter hours; or
• Received payment from any combination of HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and, through Summer term 2011, Accel Program funds totaling 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of credit, or
  • Dual Credit Enrollment hours for which a high school student received HOPE Grant payment are not included in these totals.
• Earned a baccalaureate degree.

Application Procedure

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
   By using your GAcollege411 account and accessing the FAFSA application from GAcollege411, you can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete this form.
2. If you just want to apply for the HOPE Grant by:
   1. electronic application at GAcollege411.
   2. printable paper application.

Application Deadline

You must file an application by the last day of classes or exams in order to receive HOPE funds for that semester or quarter.

Where to Go for Help

If you need help filling out an application or have other questions relating to the HOPE Grant, contact the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend, talk with your high school counselor, or contact the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).

You can contact the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) by:

E-mail:
gacollege411@gsfc.org

Telephone:
Call us toll-free at: 1-800-505-GSFC (4732)
In Metro Atlanta: (770) 724-9000
A representative is available Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The post Georgia Hope Grant Requirements appeared first on Hope Scholarship.