Financial Aid at Augusta State University

HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships

WHAT IS THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM?

Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) programs are funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education. HOPE scholarships are available to eligible Georgia residents who graduated from a HOPE-approved high school. Students not eligible out of high school can gain HOPE after attempting 30 semester hours as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements. In 2011, changes were made to the HOPE Scholarship program and the Zell Miller Scholarship was established.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

HOPE Scholarship: Graduating high school seniors must have at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) as determined by Georgia Student Finance Commision (GSFC). HOPE recipients must also maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average while in college.

Zell Miller Scholarship: Graduating high school seniors must have at least a 3.7 GPA as determined by Georgia Student Finance Commision (GSFC). In addition, students must have at least a 1200 SAT combined Reading and Math Score or 26 ACT score from one test sitting. Valedictorians and Salutatorians as reported to GSFC automatically qualify for the Zell Miller Scholarship. While in college, Zell Miller recipients must maintain a 3.3 cumulative grade point average.

AWARD RATES:

HOPE Scholarship and Zell Miller Scholarship award rates for 2011-2012 are available on the HOPE Program Changes page at www.GAcollege411.org.

HOPE Scholarship: For Fall 2012/Spring 2013, HOPE will pay $128.22 per eligible credit hour. Each year GSFC will determine the new award rate.

Zell Miller Scholarship: The Zell Miller Scholarship will cover full tuition for all eligible credit hours.

Effective Fall 2011, the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships will not pay for Learning Support coursework.

Starting Fall 2011, the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships will no longer pay for institutional fees or provide a book allowance.

Awards posted in ELROY are based on anticipated enrollment in 15 credit hours per semester. Once registered, awards will pay based on enrollment in eligible credit hours.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

Students must meet Georgia residency requirements. Students receiving a military out-of-state tuition waiver may be eligible under new guidelines. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Students' grade point average is reviewed at the end of each Spring Semester as well as after the 30th, 60th, and 90th attempted semester hour . This includes attempted courses at all prior institutions attended as well as Augusta State University.
If you lose eligibility due to failure to maintain the required GPA, you are eligible to reapply at the 30th, 60th or 90th attempted semester hour. A student may only regain eligibility one time and will then no longer be able to reapply if they lose eligibility again. Students who lose Zell Miller eligibility may still receive HOPE Scholarship funds provided their GPA is at least 3.0.
The HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships only pay up to 127 attempted semester hours or 127 paid hours, which includes prior institution attempted hours and ASU attempted hours. Attempted hours include any letter grade of A, B, C, D, F, W, WF, WP, WY, WH, I, IP, U, S. Effective Fall 2011, GSFC instituted a hard cap of 127 attempted/paid hours. Therefore, students close to the cap will only receive payment for their remaining hours up to 127.
Students have 7 years from their high school/home school/GED completion date to use HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship funds. Students who received HOPE funds prior to Summer 2011 will remain eligible until June 30, 2015. Students who serve in the military after high school graduation may receive an extension to this limit. For more information, click here.
All grades count in the GPA calculation. This includes the first attempt for any course you repeat. If you repeat any courses, your Augusta State University GPA will vary from your HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship GPA.
Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by our institutional policy.

More information can be found at www.GAcollege411.org. If you have questions, contact the Financial Aid Office at (706) 737-1431 or contact GSFC at (800) 505-4732.

Keep track of your HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship hours!

To view your Attempted hours, go to Elroy, click “Student,” then “View Student Information,” select the most recent term, and scroll down to “HOPE Eligibility Status.”

To view your Paid hours, log into www.GAcollege411.org, select the “Financial Aid Planning” tab, and then select “Scholarship and Grant Status/Info” located under “Quicklinks.”

HOW TO APPLY :

First, you must complete the current year FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you are not a current recipient at ASU, please also submit a HOPE Scholarship Request Form. Graduating high school seniors do not need to submit a request form. GSFC reports eligible students in early July. Please check with our office after July 15th if you believe that you are eligible but have not yet been awarded.

Transient Students: If you are a transient student attending Augusta State University, your HOME Institution must electronically send a HOPE Transient Certificate of Eligibility to our office before we will be able to award funds. Depending upon your HOME Institution's transient policy, you may need to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed. Your HOME Institution must be a HOPE-approved institution in order to receive funds.

If you are an ASU student attending elsewhere as a transient, please submit a copy of your Request for Transient Studies Form to our office.

***You must complete and transmit the current year FAFSA no later than the last day of the term for which you are seeking the HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship in order to be considered for that term.

HOPE GED, ACCEL, and HOPE GRANT

HOPE GED: Students who receive their GED from the state of Georgia are eligible for a one time $500 award to be used towards college costs. For more information, click here.

ACCEL: Eligible high school juniors and seniors may joint-enroll at Augusta State University and receive ACCEL funds to cover college costs. Students will receive awards covering full tuition, $190 towards fees, and a book allowance ($150 if enrolled at least half time, $75 for less than half time). Interested students should speak to their high school counselors for additional details.

HOPE Grant: The HOPE Grant is not available at Augusta State University. It is only available at technical colleges.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact the ASU Financial Aid Office at (706) 737-1431. For the complete HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship Program regulations, visit the Georgia Student Finance Commission's web site address at www.gsfc.org.