Undergraduate Catalog 2022-2023

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HOPE Scholarship (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally)

HOPE Scholarship (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) provides students with funds for tuition. The tuition award amount is determined annually by the Georgia Student Finance Commission and the "per credit hour rate" is published on their website: www.GAfutures.org.

HOPE Check-Points for Continued Eligibility

Students are evaluated to insure they attained a "B" average at the following checkpoints:

30 attempted semester hours
60 attempted semester hours
90 attempted semester hours

At the end of every Spring Semester (except for beginning Freshmen enrolled below full-time)

HOPE attempted hours include: All regular coursework attempted after high school graduation, non-credit course work (LSS and Regents), all attempted transfer coursework, withdrawals, and dropped courses.

NOTE: To regain eligibility, students must reach 30, 60 or 90 attempted hours.  Students cannot regain their eligibility at the End-of-Spring check point. 

 Limit of Eligibility

  • Students are eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship up to 127 attempted or paid hours whichever is reached first.

  • Students are not eligible to receive HOPE Scholarship funds if they have attempted 127 semester hours or more.

  • Students are eligible for a combined payment maximum of 127 semester hours. Hours for which students received payment from the HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant and the Accel program (through Spring 2011) are included in calculating the total Paid hours.

A student who has received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, may receive the HOPE Scholarship for up to 127 attempted hours, as long as the student continues to meet all other eligibility requirements.

A student who has not received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until seven years after his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date, the date the student stopped pursuing a diploma, or the date the student completes a first undergraduate degree. A student who received his or her first HOPE (Zell Miller) Scholarship payment Summer 2019 or later, and meets all other eligibility requirements, may receive HOPE Scholarship funding until then years after the date of their high school graduation, GED test date, Home Study completion date, or the date of his or her petition to receive a high school diploma.

HOPE Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

HOPE GPA includes:

All earned grades since high school graduation (including both grades when a course is repeated)
Grades for non-credit coursework when given
Grades from all transfer work (even if courses are not accepted at GC)

HOPE GPA does not include:

Grades given of S, U, IP, W
Grades earned in college courses prior to high school graduation
Grades earned by examination (i.e., AP credit and CLEP)
Grades of I (incomplete) temporarily assigned.  Once the final grade is assigned a review will be performed.  If final grade affects eligibility, student may be required to repay funds dispersed.
Note: In some instances, the HOPE GPA may not be reflected on the student's official transcript.

Second Chance to Regain HOPE

Students who lose HOPE Scholarship after 30 attempted hours or an End-of-Spring check-point may regain eligibility if they have a “B” average at the point of attempting 60 or 90 semester hours.  A student can lose and regain HOPE Scholarship ONLY ONE time.