Scholarships and Grants

• Hope Scholarship
• Federal Pell Grant
• Zell Miller Scholarship

Hope Scholarship

Georgia Gwinnett College is a HOPE-eligible institution. HOPE eligible students enrolling in GGC are eligible for the HOPE scholarship by completing the Georgia Student Financial Aid Application (GSFAPPS) on the GAcollege411.org website. After establishing a GAcollege411 user profile, complete the GSFAPPS application.

HOPE Scholarship Application Instructions

• Go to www.gacollege411.org.
• Log in using the same ID that you used to submit your GGC Application.
• Click on the tab at the top labeled “Applications & Transcripts.”
• Click on the link for “GSFAPPS.”
• Click the “Apply Now” link at the bottom of the screen.
• Click the “Submit New Application” link.
• Select the “HOPE Scholarship Program” by clicking on the box next to it. This will open an informational box. At the bottom of the dialogue box, click “Apply for this Program.” Click Select.
• Fill out the information requested and submit your Hope Scholarship Application to GGC.

Eligibility for HOPE Scholarship

• Student must have graduated from an eligible high school with a 3.0 GPA in college prep or a 3.2 GPA in technical prep, as defined by the HOPE program, or have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average at the college level at specific credit-hour checkpoints.
• Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student.
• Meet the residency requirements determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
• Meet U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements.
• Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements.
• Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990.
• Not be in default or owe a refund on a student financial aid program.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
• Must have a completed HOPE application or current year FAFSA on file.
• Must be within seven years of High School graduation if the student has never been invoiced for HOPE Scholarship in the Spring 2011 semester or earlier. Students who were invoiced for a HOPE Scholarship during the Spring 2011 semester or earlier will have until seven years after their high school graduation date or June 30, 2015.

The HOPE Scholarship covers up to $96 per credit hour of college level courses. It does not pay for any learning support courses, institutional fees or books.

If you graduated from a Georgia high school after May 1, 2007 or later, you may view your initial HOPE eligibility status at www.gacollege411.org.

If you graduated from a Georgia high school before May 1, 2007, but never attended a college or university, you will need to submit an official high school transcript to the Georgia Student Finance Commission for a complete review.

Checkpoint Requirements

Eligible students may continue to receive the HOPE Scholarship if they have a 3.00 or better HOPE GPA at the end of the semesters in which they attempt their 30/60/90th credit hours. In addition, there is an End-of-Spring Semester Checkpoint for all HOPE Scholarship recipients. You must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the end of each Spring term in order to continue eligibility, except for Freshman recipients who enrolled in fewer than 12 hours for each of their first three terms.

Students not meeting the academic requirements following high school may be eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship after attempting the equivalent of at least 30 semester hours of coursework, provided they meet the Georgia residency and U.S. citizenship requirements set forth above and have a HOPE GPA of 3.00 at the end of the term in which the 30th semester credit hour is attempted. Students who have attempted more than 30 hours of coursework must have had at least a 3.00 HOPE GPA at the end of the semester in which the 30th/60th/90th hours were attempted in order to gain HOPE. Students may only lose HOPE Scholarship two times. After the second time HOPE has been lost, the student will never be eligible to receive HOPE Scholarship again.

Attempted means all course work including W's and developmental courses taken after high school graduation and before Fall 2011 regardless of whether HOPE paid for the course or not.

HOPE Limits

• A college degree-seeking student is ineligible for the HOPE Scholarship if the student has:
• Received payment from any combination of HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Grant and Accel Program funds (through Spring term 2011) totaling 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of credit; or
• Attempted 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of college degree credit, regardless of whether or not HOPE funds were received while attempting the hours; or
• A student earned a baccalaureate (four-year) college degree, regardless of whether or not HOPE funds were received while earning the degree; or
• Reached the Seven Year Expiration of Eligibility date.

HOPE for GED Recipients

Legal residents of Georgia who earned a General Education Development (high school equivalency) diploma awarded by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education after June 30, 1993 may receive a one-time $500 HOPE award. This award can be used toward tuition, books, and other educational costs at an eligible public technical institute or public or private college/university in a degree, diploma, or certificate program. Full-time enrollment is not required. Students must use their GED HOPE eligibility within 24 months of the date of the GED diploma. Military personnel have 52 months to exercise eligibility. Students receiving this award may also qualify for other HOPE programs.

HOPE for Transient Students

Transient students who are eligible for HOPE Scholarship funds must have their home institution provide a HOPE Transient Certificate to Georgia Gwinnett College before receiving HOPE Scholarship funds.

For complete information on HOPE eligibility, please refer to the GAcollege411.org website.

FEDERAL PELL GRANT

The Federal Pell Grant is a federally funded program that provides need-based grants to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree. The application is the FAFSA.  The Office of Financial Aid will notify you if you qualify.  Students receiving the Federal Pell Grant may also be eligible for other types of financial aid.

For more information, visit the Department of Education website.

Zell Miller Scholarship

Georgia's Zell Miller Scholarship is available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement. The scholarship provides money to assist students with their educational costs of attending college in Georgia.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Meet one of the following academic requirements:

• Graduate from a HOPE-eligible high school as the Valedictorian or the Salutatorian.
• Graduate from an eligible high school with a minimum 3.7 grade point average combined with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a 26 composite score on the ACT test in a single test administration.
• Complete a HOPE eligible home study program with a 3.7 grade point average combined with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a 26 composite score on the ACT test in a single test administration.
• Graduate from an ineligible high school or complete an ineligible home study program with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a 26 composite score on the ACT test in a single test administration., and then earn a 3.3 grade point average on 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college degree-level coursework taken after high school graduation or home study completion. This option allows for payment of the first 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours after they are taken.
• Have first enrolled in an eligible post-secondary institution between 2007 and 2010, meeting one of the academic qualifications listed above and having earned a 3.3 cumulative grade point average at the most recent HOPE Scholarship checkpoint.

2. Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student.
3. Meet HOPE's Georgia residency requirements.
4. Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements.
5. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements.
6. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990. A student may be ineligible for Zell Miller Scholarship payment if he or she has been convicted for committing certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs.
7. Not be in default or owe a refund on a student financial aid program.
8. Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the college.

The Zell Miller Scholarship covers 100% of tuition for college level courses. It does not pay for any learning support courses, institutional fees or books.

Checkpoint Requirements

Eligible students may continue to receive the Zell Miller Scholarship if they have a 3.30 or better cumulative college GPA at the end of the semesters in which they attempt their 30/60/90th semester hours. In addition, there is an End-of-Spring Semester Checkpoint for all Zell Miller Scholarship recipients. You must have a cumulative 3.3 GPA at the end of each spring term in order to continue eligibility.

Students who have lost the Zell Miller Scholarship may gain it back one time by having a 3.3 cumulative college GPA at 30/60/90 attempted hours. Students may only lose the Zell Miller Scholarship two times. After the second time the Zell Miller Scholarship has been lost, the student will never be eligible to receive the Zell Miller Scholarship again.

Attempted means all course work including W's and developmental courses taken after high school graduation and before Fall 2011 regardless of whether the Zell Miller Scholarship paid for the course or not.

Zell Miller Scholarship Limits:

A college degree-seeking student is ineligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship if the student has:

• Received payment from any combination of HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and Accel Program funds (through Spring term 2011) totaling 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of credit; or
• Attempted 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of college degree credit, regardless of whether or not Zell Miller funds were received while attempting the hours; or
• Has earned a baccalaureate (four-year) college degree, regardless of whether or not Zell Miller funds were received while earning the degree.
• Graduated from high school more than seven years ago and did not receive a HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011.

ROTC

Students who enroll in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program may be eligible for additional aid which is not administered by the GGC Office of Financial Aid.  For information about those options, contact the GGC ROTC program.