Georgia Student Grants for College

Fund Your Education with Free Grant Money

Very few college-bound students can afford to pay all of their tuition costs entirely out of pocket. Even those students who have spent years diligently building a college fund may find that their savings fall far short of the mark when it comes time to apply to college. Fortunately, there are a wide range of financial aid opportunities specifically designed to help students fill the gaps in their college fund. These programs run the gamut from grants to scholarships to student loans. Without the availability of these financial aid programs, many students would be left struggling to meet the ever rising costs of a college education.

Like many states throughout the country, Georgia provides a number of grants to help its resident students find the additional funding they need to cover the cost of their college education. These grants are endorsed and funded by the Georgia state legislature, and are designed to offer valuable financial assistance to college-bound students in the Empire State of the South.

Filling Out The FAFSA

Before applying for any state-based financial aid, Georgia residents must first fill out and submit the Free Application For Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is required for all students seeking grants, scholarships or loans. The information students supply on their FAFSA application is used to determine their Expected Family Contribution, and to determine the levels of financial aid for which they are qualified. The FAFSA is the first step along the path to financial aid for college, and should be a priority of all college-bound students.

General Grants

Like many states across the country, Georgia is determined to make college more accessible for its residents. The government of Georgia understands that a well educated populace is one of the keys to a robust economy, and to further that goal they have developed a number of college grants to help students meet the costs of a college education. As with all state supported financial aid programs are subject to change according to legislation and the availability of funds.

The following college grants are currently being offered to Georgia residents.

• Georgia’s HOPE Grant Program – Georgia’s HOPE Grant is available to resident students who are working toward a certificate or degree at one of the state’s community colleges or four year universities. Applicants may be either full time or part time students, but must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA to be eligible for funding. More than 170,000 grants are awarded annually to deserving students. Final award amounts vary, and are determined by financial need, course of study and total cost of attendance.
• The Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant – The GTEG is designed to encourage and support Georgia residents who are attending college at one of the state’s private universities. To be eligible for a Tuition Equalization Grant, students must be legal residents of Georgia, must be enrolled full time in an undergraduate program at an accredited private college of university within the state, and must maintain the required academic progress as defined by their college of attendance. Grant recipients may receive up to $350 per semester for up to three semesters per year.
• The Accel Program – The Accel Program is designed to give financial support to high school students who wish to take college level coursework in order to earn credit towards their high school and college graduation. Students must be working towards a high school diploma at a state or private secondary educational institution, and must be enrolled as a dual credit student at a participating state university or technical college. Awards are determined solely by academic achievement, and recipients will receive a grant that covers their full tuition costs.
• Georgia’s HOPE GED Grant – The HOPE GED Grant is available to students who have earned a General Education Development diploma as awarded by the Technical College System of Georgia. Applicants must be Georgia residents, and must be enrolled at a participating state college or university. Grant recipients will receive a one time award of $500.
• The Georgia Public Safety Memorial Grant – This grant is available to the dependent children of public safety officers who have been disabled or killed in the line of duty. To be eligible, applicants must be legal residents of Georgia, and must be enrolled as a full time undergraduate or graduate student at a state college or university. Approved applicants will receive a grant that covers their full cost of attendance, less any financial aid already received. Total awards may not exceed $18,000 per year.
• The North Georgia College and State University ROTC Grant – This grant was designed to encourage Georgia residents to attend North Georgia College and State University while participating in the Reserve Officers Training Corps. To be eligible, students must be enrolled full time as an undergraduate degree seeking student at North Georgia College and State University and must fully participate an the school’s ROTC programs. Eligible students may receive up to $1500 in grant money per academic year. Students should understand that participating in an ROTC grant program requires a service commitment to the United States Military.

These grants form the basis of Georgia’s college financial aid programs for its resident students. Further state-based financial assistance is available through Georgia’s Department of Higher Education and Student Finance Commission. For more information on grants, scholarships and loan forgiveness programs available to resident students in the state of Georgia should visit GAcollege411.