Academic Eligibility in College

HOPE Scholars have academic requirements that must be met to maintain HOPE Scholarship eligibility while in college. The information below highlights the academic requirements.

Maintaining Academic Eligibility

College/University Enrollment

• HOPE Scholars must:
  • Be enrolled in an undergraduate major or program of study (associate or bachelor’s degree)
  • Attend an eligible college or university in Georgia
    • Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG)
      • No minimum number of hours per semester of enrollment required for eligibility
      • No minimum number of hours per semester of enrollment required for eligibility
      • A minimum of six (6) hours per semester or quarter of enrollment required for eligibility

      Attempted Hours

      Academic eligibility is tracked by the student’s Attempted Hours and calculated HOPE GPA (grade point average).

      All courses attempted after high school graduation or equivalent and corresponding grades, as shown on official transcripts, are counted toward the HOPE Scholarship Attempted Hours and HOPE GPA calculation.

      • Credit hours and grades for each time a course is taken are included in the Attempted Hours and HOPE GPA
      • Credit hours for withdrawn courses are included in the Attempted Hours, but are not included in the HOPE GPA
      • Credit hours and grades for courses in which the student did not receive HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship are included in the Attempted Hours and HOPE GPA
      • Note: Remedial or Learning Support courses attempted since Fall term 2011 are not included in the Attempted Hours and HOPE GPA
      • Note: Credit hours earned by examination or coursework taken prior to high school graduation, home study completion or High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma test date are not included in the Attempted Hours and HOPE GPA

      Checkpoints and HOPE GPA

      HOPE Scholarship requires a minimum 3.0 calculated HOPE GPA at each Checkpoint to maintain eligibility.

      Attempted Hours Checkpoint

      Scholarship Attempted Hours Checkpoint

      - Continue eligibility with required minimum HOPE GPA

      - Lose eligibility if required minimum HOPE GPA is not met

      - Regain eligibility with required minimum HOPE GPA

      End of Spring Checkpoint

      Scholarship End of Spring Checkpoint

      - Continue eligibility with required minimum HOPE GPA

      - Lose eligibility if required minimum HOPE GPA is not met

      - Eligibility cannot be gained at this checkpoint.

      Checkpoint at the end of every Spring term when the scholarship is received any term during the aid year.

      Note: Students who attended a non-HOPE eligible college or university may have a Checkpoint at the end of spring as they transfer into a HOPE eligible institution. Checkpoint dependent upon the student’s enrollment term(s) and hours.

      First Three-Term Checkpoint

      Scholarship Three-Term Checkpoint

      - Continue eligibility with required minimum HOPE GPA

      - Lose eligibility if required minimum HOPE GPA is not met

      Checkpoint at the end of the first three paid semesters or quarters, if enrolled for less than 12 hours during each of those three terms.

      A Three Term Checkpoint is not conducted if the student enrolls more than 12 hours during the first three terms.

      Checkpoint Notes

      • If at the end of a Spring term, a student is at their Attempted Hours Checkpoint, it is applied instead of the End of Spring Checkpoint
      • All HOPE Scholarship recipients must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress as determined by your college/university even if you have not reached the Attempted Hours or End of Spring Checkpoint

      Hours Limit

      • Students meeting the Checkpoints and HOPE GPA requirements can be eligible to receive the scholarship up to a total of 127 semester or 190 quarter Attempted or Paid Hours
      • Note: Total Paid Hours are calculated by including any combination of hours in which the student received HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Grant, Zell Miller Grant and Accel

      Gaining and Regaining Eligibility in College

      If you have lost HOPE Scholarship eligibility at a Checkpoint it may be possible for you to regain eligibility. The information below highlights the academic requirements to regain academic eligibility for HOPE Scholarship.

      Gaining HOPE Scholarship Eligibility

      • HOPE Scholarship may be gained as a college/university student
      • Eligibility can be checked after you have attempted 30 semester or 45 quarter college credit hours
        • You must have a minimum 3.0 calculated HOPE GPA and meet all other eligibility requirements for HOPE Scholarship
          • If eligibility is not gained after you have attempted 30 semester or 45 quarter college credit hours your eligibility may be checked again after attempting 60/90 semester or 90/135 quarter college credit hours

          Regaining HOPE Scholarship Eligibility at Attempted Hours Checkpoint

          • HOPE Scholarship eligibility may be regained when a student continues enrollment and has a minimum 3.0 calculated HOPE GPA at their next Attempted Hours Checkpoint
          • The 90 Attempted Hours Checkpoint is the last checkpoint to regain HOPE Scholarship eligibility or gain HOPE Scholarship eligibility
          • You cannot regain HOPE Scholarship eligibility at the End of Spring Checkpoint
          • If at the end of a Spring term, a student is at their Attempted Hours Checkpoint, it is applied instead of the End of Spring Checkpoint
          • HOPE Scholarship eligibility may be regained one time at an Attempted Hours Checkpoint
          • On the second loss of HOPE Scholarship, you become permanently ineligible for HOPE Scholarship

          College Transfers and Transient Eligibility

          The information below highlights the requirements to maintain HOPE Scholarship eligibility when transferring to or attending as a transient student at another HOPE eligible college/university.

          Transferring Colleges

          • HOPE Scholarship eligibility may continue when transferring from one HOPE eligible college/university to another HOPE eligible college/university by continuing to meet all the eligibility requirements at the new college/university
            • HOPE Scholars are not eligible to receive HOPE Scholarship at a non-HOPE eligible college/ university
            • If after high school, you attend an out of state or non-HOPE eligible college/university and later transfer to a HOPE eligible college/university all the hours taken at the out of state and non-HOPE eligible college/university count in the Attempted Hours and HOPE GPA calculation for HOPE Scholarship. Eligibility is determined with a checkpoint calculation as the student transfers into the HOPE eligible college/university.

            Transient Enrollment

            • Transient enrollment is when your college/university (home institution) approves your enrollment in a course(s) at a “host” institution with the purpose of applying the credit earned to your major or program of study at your college/university
            • HOPE Scholarship may be received for transient courses if:
              • You are receiving HOPE Scholarship at your college/university
              • Your college/university approved the course(s) for Transient and will accept the credit
              • The college/university where the course will be taken is another HOPE eligible college/university
              • All college/university degree credit hours attempted at any college/university, and the corresponding grades, are counted toward the calculated HOPE GPA, even if those hours and grades are not accepted by your transfer college/university
              • Note: Georgia graduates who go to college out of state (are not attending a HOPE eligible college/ university) cannot receive HOPE Scholarship for a transient course or course enrolled while at home at a HOPE eligible Georgia college/university
                • The college/university where the student is pursuing their degree must be a HOPE eligible college/university

                *Students must meet all eligibility requirements