Georgia HOPE Grant & HOPE Scholarship
By: Karen Rinehart, CFP^®
The Henssler Financial Group Position Paper

The Georgia HOPE Scholarship was established in 1993. There are several types of HOPE programs.

The HOPE Grant is for Georgia residents that are attending a Georgia public technical college trying to earn a certificate or a diploma. Grade point average and high school graduation date are not taken into consideration in this program. The HOPE Grant may be received for an unlimited number of programs that qualify under the set guidelines. Students are not required to be enrolled full-time, however, they must make satisfactory academic progress to maintain eligibility. A "B" average is not required to renew a HOPE Grant.

HOPE Grants cover tuition, HOPE-approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance up to $100 per quarter. HOPE funds may only be used for tuition and mandatory fees not covered by Pell or other Federal grants.

The HOPE Scholarship is available for recent high school graduates who are enrolling in a degree program at a Georgia technical college, or a diploma from one of Georgia's public or private colleges or universities. To be eligible you must meet the following criteria:

• Legal Resident of Georgia
• Must be a 1993 or later graduate of an eligible high school
• Earn a "B" average in high school (3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the college preparatory curriculum, or a 3.2 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the technical curriculum track).

The HOPE Scholarship for Non-Traditional Students is available to those who graduated from high school prior to 1993, assuming that the following requirements are met:

• Legal Resident of Georgia
• Maintained a 3.0 HOPE cumulative grade point average after the quarter in which you have attempted 45 hours of degree credit. (All attempted degree credit and coursework converted to degree credit after high school graduation is used to determine your eligibility.)
• You cannot have earned a baccalaureate (four-year degree), or have attempted more than 190-quarter hours (127 semester hours) of college credit.

HOPE scholarship awards include tuition, HOPE-approved mandatory fees and a book allowance of up to $100 per quarter. Full-time enrollment is not required. HOPE funds may be applied only to tuition and mandatory fees not covered by Pell or other Federal grants.

All HOPE applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the HOPE Alternative Application each year. These applications are available at the financial aid office of any Georgia public college. You can also go to the following web site www.fafsa.ed.gov. For more information regarding this topic, please contact The Henssler Financial Group at 770-429-9166 or comments@henssler.com.