Understanding the HOPE Scholarship and Its Coverage at Kennesaw State University (KSU)

The HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) Scholarship is a merit-based financial aid program funded by the Georgia Lottery, designed to assist eligible Georgia residents with the cost of tuition at participating public and private postsecondary institutions, including Kennesaw State University (KSU). This article will delve into the specifics of the HOPE Scholarship, its eligibility requirements, and how it applies to students attending KSU.

HOPE Scholarship: An Overview

Established in 1992 by then-Governor Zell Miller, the HOPE Scholarship aims to increase college enrollment and completion rates among Georgia students. The HOPE Scholarship, along with the Zell Miller Scholarship, supports students pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree. It is awarded based on specific levels of academic achievement, often referred to as merit aid. The HOPE Grant assists students in certificate or diploma programs in technical colleges.

Academic Eligibility for HOPE Scholarship

To be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, applicants must meet certain academic requirements:

Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a Georgia Student Finance Applications (GSFAPPS).
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Be a Georgia resident enrolling in a degree program at KSU.
Demonstrate academic achievement.
Have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

For students graduating from an eligible high school, meeting rigorous course requirements is essential for HOPE Scholarship eligibility.

GPA Calculation for Scholarship Purposes

The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) calculates the GPA for scholarship purposes based solely on core course data transmitted from the high school. These core courses include English, math, social studies, science, and foreign language. The GSFC cannot alter this data, and any grade discrepancies or errors must be corrected by the high school and resubmitted to the GSFC.

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HOPE Scholarship for Out-of-State High School Graduates

Students graduating from a high school outside Georgia must be manually evaluated by the GSFC to determine their eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship. To be evaluated, students must:

Complete the GSFAPP at www.GAfutures.org.
Complete the “Student Information” section on the Request for Out-of-State High School Transcript Evaluation form and submit the form to their high school.

HOPE Scholarship for Home Study Students

A home study student may qualify for the Zell Miller Scholarship in one of two ways:

Score in the 93rd percentile on a national or state/district administration of the ACT or national administration of the SAT; test must be taken prior to home study completion
Attempt 30 semester/45 quarter postsecondary hours, excluding Dual Enrollment hours taken prior to home study completion, with a minimum 3.3 cumulative postsecondary GPA, along with the required test scores, and then retroactively receive Zell Miller Scholarship funds.

HOPE Scholarship at Kennesaw State University (KSU)

Kennesaw State University is committed to making post-secondary education accessible to qualified students. If you are a Georgia resident enrolling in a degree program at KSU, you may be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship.

Application Process at KSU

To apply for the HOPE Scholarship at KSU, students must complete either the FAFSA or the GSFAPPS. After submitting an application, students should check with the postsecondary institution’s financial aid office for scholarship eligibility.

Maintaining HOPE Scholarship Eligibility at KSU

To continue receiving the HOPE Scholarship, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 postsecondary GPA at designated checkpoints. These checkpoints are the end-of-spring and 30/60/90 attempted semester hours or 45/90/135 quarter hours. The cumulative 3.0 postsecondary GPA does not include Dual Enrollment coursework taken prior to high school graduation or home study completion. A student will lose the HOPE Scholarship if their GPA is below the minimum requirement at one of the checkpoints and may only regain the scholarship one time.

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HOPE Award Amounts at KSU

HOPE scholarship award amounts vary per eligible institution and are determined annually by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).

HOPE Transient Request Form

You will need to complete the HOPE Transient Request Form.

Zell Miller Scholarship: An Overview

The Zell Miller Scholarship, created in March 2011, is a merit-based scholarship program for Georgia's highest-performing students.

Academic Eligibility for Zell Miller Scholarship

The Zell Miller Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship that provides full tuition at a public postsecondary institution and tuition assistance at an eligible private postsecondary institution.

To be eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship, recipients must be Georgia residents who graduate from high school with a 3.7 GPA in core subjects and complete the same number of academically rigorous courses as HOPE scholars. They must also achieve a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT exam or a composite score of 26 on the ACT exam. These requirements must be met when students graduate from high school.

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Maintaining Zell Miller Scholarship Eligibility

In order to continue receiving the Zell Miller Scholarship, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.3 postsecondary GPA at designated checkpoints. The cumulative 3.3 postsecondary GPA does not include Dual Enrollment coursework taken prior to high school graduation or home study completion. Those checkpoints are: end-of-spring and 30/60/90 attempted semester hours or 45/90/135 quarter hours. A student will lose the Zell Miller Scholarship if their GPA is below the minimum requirement at one of the checkpoints and may only regain the scholarship one time.

Additional Financial Aid Opportunities at KSU

Kennesaw State University is committed to ensuring that a post-secondary education is accessible to qualified students and offers a wide variety of financial aid programs from scholarships, grants, employment, and loans are available to help students with educational costs. Most awards are based on financial need while some are awarded in recognition of merit or achievement.

Federal Pell Grant

This is a federally funded program that provides need-based grants to undergraduate students without a previous bachelor’s degree. The application is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Eligibility is based on the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and the Cost of Attendance (COA). Students receive their EFC information on the Student Report (SAR) after the submitted FAFSA is processed. The EFC range for Federal Pell Grant eligibility and maximum award changes annually. Pell Grant is prorated according to enrollment by each term. Students receiving the Federal Pell Grant may also be eligible for other types of financial aid. Students are limited to one full-time award each academic year.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

This federally funded program is designed for undergraduate students without a degree with exceptional need seeking their initial degree. A student must have been awarded the Federal Pell Grant in order to receive this grant. Early FAFSA application is encouraged.

Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

The program provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FWS gives the student an opportunity to earn money to help pay for educational expenses while working on campus or in community service work. Early application with the FAFSA is recommended. There are a limited number of part-time jobs available in each division of the university. Funds for these jobs are provided by the department or college that employs the student. The Career Services Center maintains a listing of full-time and part-time off-campus jobs for students who need assistance in locating off-campus employment. Regular listings are posted on the online job postings at careerctr.kennesaw.edu.

Federal Direct Stafford Loans

The Federal Government guarantees low-interest loans made to qualified students. Students may apply for this loan by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Department of Education. Students are allowed to select their lender and loan amount up to their award maximums. Eligible freshman may borrow up to $3,500 per year, while sophomores (30+ earned hours) may borrow up to $4,500 per year. Juniors (60+ earned hours) and seniors (90+ earned hours) may borrow up to $5,500 per year. Students must be enrolled in at least 6 hours that apply to their program of study each term to receive a Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan. Funds are disbursed to the student through the university in two installments. Repayment begins six months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least halftime.

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans

This loan is available to dependent students up to $2,000 per year (above the amount of eligibility for the Subsidized Stafford Loan). This loan is also available to independent students who choose to borrow above their Subsidized Stafford eligibility or for dependent students who are not eligible for a Subsidized Stafford Loan. Independent freshmen and sophomores may borrow $6,000 per year. Independent juniors and seniors may borrow an additional $7000 (above the amount of eligibility for the Subsidized Stafford Loan). Funds are disbursed to the student through the university in two installments. The amount of eligibility is based on the dependent or independent status of the student and the student’s need. The application procedures and fees are the same as the Subsidized Stafford Loan Program. The student must be enrolled in at least 6 hours each term to receive a Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

This program is available to parents of dependent students. A credit check is required for a PLUS credit approval. If a parent’s PLUS loan application is denied, federal regulations allow the student to borrow additional Unsubsidized Stafford Loan funds. The student can then request additional unsubsidized loan funds. Loan approval, interest rates, and repayment requirements are prescribed by the lender. Additional information and application procedures are available from the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid or the lender.

Privately Supported Scholarships and Fellowships

Several privately supported scholarships for undergraduate students and fellowships for graduate students are available at Kennesaw State University. These awards are normally merit-based but some are need-based.

Key Considerations for HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships

Dual Enrollment Credit Hours

High school credit will be given for degree-level core courses taken as a Dual Enrollment student and is included in determining a student’s high school HOPE GPA. However, college credit hours taken as dual credit enrollment are not counted as attempted hours nor are they included in the combined paid hours limit for purposes of HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship eligibility.

Rigor Course Requirements

Current eligibility criteria require students to be Georgia residents and graduate from high school with a 3.0 grade point average in core academic subjects. They must also take academically rigorous classes such as advanced math, advanced science, foreign languages, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or postsecondary classes beginning in 2015. Students who graduated from high school that year are required to take two of these classes. In 2016 they are required to take three. In 2017 and beyond they must take four.

Impact of Scholarship Restrictions

The existing eligibility criteria are more stringent and the current award amount is lower than in the past. Big changes included no more money for fees and books, adding the rigorous courses requirement and restricting eligibility to the first seven years after high school graduation. Some changes are still taking effect so their full impact is uncertain.

The Importance of Financial Aid

Completing a postsecondary program is more important than ever for a student’s future well-being and the state’s economic growth. People with a postsecondary degree earn much more than those without one. Nationally the median weekly earnings of an individual with an associate’s degree were almost 18 percent higher than those of someone with a high school diploma in 2015. Earnings were 68 percent higher for those with a bachelor’s degree and almost 98 percent higher for those with a master’s degree.

Postsecondary degrees also buffer the impact of economic downturns. Unemployment rates are lower for people with a degree. The national unemployment rate for people with a high school diploma was 5.4 percent in 2015. It was 3.8 percent for individuals with an associate’s degree, 2.8 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree and 2.4 percent for those with a master’s degree.

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