How to Apply for HOPE Scholarship: Requirements & Procedures

The HOPE Scholarship helps students with the educational expenditures of attending a tertiary school in the state of Georgia.

Students must graduate from high school with a 3.0 cumulative GPA as measured by the Georgia Student Finance Commission to be qualified to apply for HOPE Scholarship (GSFC). Students must also be enrolled in an undergraduate degree-seeking program.

The HOPE Scholarship provides up to $7,680 for two semesters of 15 credit hours per term. Actual HOPE payments will be prorated for students enrolled in fewer than 15 qualifying hours.

This article will show you how to apply for HOPE Scholarship.

How To Apply For HOPE Scholarship: Requirements

Here are the requirements to apply for HOPE scholarship:

1. Meet the prerequisites for US citizenship or eligible non-citizenship;
2. Meet the Georgia Residency requirements for colleges;
3. Enrol in a degree-seeking program at a USG, TCSG, or qualifying private HOPE-eligible college or university in Georgia;
4. Georgia state law requires that you register for the federal Selective Service. Males born on or after January 1, 1960, who are at least 18 years old, citizens or eligible non-citizens who immigrated to the United States before the age of 26 are required to register.
5. Meet academic achievement criteria;
6. Maintain good standing on all student loans or other forms of financial help;
7. Observe the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
8. Not have exceeded any HOPE program’s maximum reward restrictions.

Applicants should note that Students must not be owing any federal and state of Georgia student loans, grants, and scholarships for them to apply for HOPE Scholarship. If a student defaults on a federal or state of Georgia student loan, the debt must be returned in full or the default status must be remedied before HOPE Scholarship eligibility may be established. Students should not owe a refund for participating in a state of Georgia scholarship or grant program. Before determining eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship, the payment amount must be paid in full.

If the institution determines that a student was not a Georgia resident at the time of high school graduation, home study completion, or GED diploma date, the student must: Meet the Georgia residency requirement for at least 24 consecutive months prior to the first day of the term for which state funding is sought.

How To Apply for HOPE scholarship

Even if you have got an eligibility certificate for HOPE, you must still apply for it. If the student simply wishes to be considered for the HOPE Scholarship, they can fill out the GSFAPP. If the student wishes to receive HOPE in addition to Federal Aid, such as grants and/or student loans, he or she must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For additional information on the application process, see The Financial Aid Process: Six easy Steps.

When applying for the HOPE Scholarship, students have two options:

Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Georgia Student Finance Application online (GSFAPP)
It should be noted that the FAFSA must be completed each year. The GSFAPP is valid for ten years.

Conclusion

At various points throughout their academic career, students are evaluated for continued eligibility in the HOPE Scholarship program. A cumulative 3.0 GPA must be earned at each checkpoint or the award will be forfeited.