Eligibility

• Eligible HOPE scholarship applicants must be U.S. citizens or hold legal resident status and reside in Georgia. Applicants must be enrolled in a Georgia college, university or technical school, either public or private, accepting HOPE scholars. Male applicants must register with the Selective Service. All applicants must comply with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990, so students convicted of felony drug offenses are ineligible for consideration. Applicants cannot be in default for any type of educational financial aid.
  
  

Keeping the HOPE

• HOPE scholars enrolled in public institutions do not have to fulfill a minimum number of hours each semester, but those attending private institutions must be enrolled either full or half-time to retain the award. Students receiving HOPE as freshmen may receive funding through the term in which the number of attempted credits are a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours. These do not have to be earned credit for qualification. All HOPE recipients must have a 3.0 GPA at the end of every spring term to receive further funding, excepting freshmen enrolled for under 12 credit hours in each of the initial three school semesters. These students must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the end of the third semester for HOPE renewal consideration. Students meeting the criteria may renew the HOPE scholarship for "31 through 60 semester hours or 46 through 90 quarter hours attempted." Meeting the same GPA criteria after this phase, students may receive the HOPE scholarship for "61 through 90 semester hours or 91 through 135 quarter hours attempted." After this phase with the same criteria, a student may receive the HOPE scholarship "91 through 127 semester hours or 136 through 190 quarter hours attempted," which is the maximum amount permitted.
  
  

Filing an Appeal

• If a student's HOPE scholarship renewal is denied, the student may file a written appeal with the Georgia Student Finance Commission within 45 days of the denial notification. The student must include documents supporting the reasons for the appeal request or exception consideration. The GSFC Board of Commissioners makes the decision, which is final with no further appeal.
  
  

Possible Appeal Criteria

• The GFSC administrative review process may consider certain criteria in a student's appeal application. Students who can document fully or partially withdrawing from classes due to a serious injury or illness, death in the immediate family or mental disorder requiring psychiatric drug treatment may have the HOPE scholarship reinstated Students demonstrating they had to withdraw from classes to care for a member of the immediate family, with no other person able to provide that care, may be eligible for denial reconsideration. Students reaching a HOPE Scholarship checkpoint and losing eligibility due to not earning a "cumulative post-secondary grade point average" may also have their appeals considered.