Save Money on Georgia Tuition

Updated: Feb 8, 2023

Get Georgia In-State Tuition

One of the more affordable ways to get a bachelor’s degree typically is to attend an in-State public school. Here is the law that defines how to qualify as a Georgia resident (see 4.3.2.2): https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section4/C329/#:~:text=An%20independent%20student%20who%20has,in%2Dstate%20for%20tuition%20purposes. While in-State tuition for a public institution is not financial aid, it is subsidized. The cost of attending an in-State public institution should be compared against the cost of other institutions after financial aid awards are offered. Families often do not pay the sticker price.

Get a Georgia Government Grant to Go to a Private School

The Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) Program provides grant aid for Georgia residents to attend private schools listed here: https://www.gafutures.org/media/2ajfijq5/teg-eligible-institutions.pdf. Recipients receive around $900 a year.

Since in-State tuition for Georgia public schools is subsidized by the State, these grants help to “level the playing field” by providing a subsidy for Georgia residents to attend private schools in Georgia.

Students apply for TEG by:

1. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or,

2. Completing the Georgia Student Finance Application (GSFAPP).

Georgia Merit-Based Financial Aid

Application

Students apply for Georgia merit-based aid by using one of two options:

1. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or,

2. Completing the Georgia Student Finance Application (GSFAPP).

HOPE Scholarships

Georgia has a significant merit-based financial aid program, HOPE Scholarships. The scholarship is awarded to Georgia students based on their GPA in core academic subjects:

· Math,

· English,

· Science,

· Social studies, and

· Foreign languages.

The minimum high school HOPE GPA for HOPE eligibility is 3.0. In addition, students must complete at least four somewhat rigorous academic courses from this list: https://www.gafutures.org/media/kswotdbu/rigor-list-november-2021-print-ready.pdf. HOPE scholarships may be used at a variety of public, private, and technical colleges in Georgia listed here: https://www.gafutures.org/media/zfvnqsu5/hope-scholarship-eligible-institutions-fy-2023.pdf. Once enrolled in postsecondary schools, HOPE scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.0 postsecondary GPA to remain eligible.

Georgia students who attend unaccredited home study programs or out-of-State high schools may still apply for the HOPE scholarship by submitting documents related to their course of study.

Zell Miller Scholarships

The eligibility standards for the Zell Miller scholarship are:

· A high school HOPE GPA of at least 3.7.

· Completion of at least four somewhat rigorous academic courses from this list: https://www.gafutures.org/media/kswotdbu/rigor-list-november-2021-print-ready.pdf.

· A standardized test score of at least 1200 on the SAT or 26 on the ACT.

Zell Miller scholarships may be used at a variety of public, private, and technical colleges in Georgia listed here: https://www.gafutures.org/media/zfvnqsu5/hope-scholarship-eligible-institutions-fy-2023.pdf. Once enrolled in postsecondary schools, Zell Miller scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.3 postsecondary GPA to remain eligible.

Georgia Need-Based Financial Aid

Georgia is one of the few states in the U.S. that does not have a broad need-based financial aid grant program. Georgia, however, does have a loan program for students who have a “gap” in financial need – the School Access Loan (SAL) program. The SAL program offers a 1 percent interest loan.

The loan program has a cap of $8,000 for students in the University of the State of Georgia (USG) system and private colleges. The loan has forgiveness options for people employed in public service or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields.

The SAL program has a cap of $3,000 for Georgia technical colleges. In addition, there is a loan forgiveness option for graduates with a 3.5 postsecondary GPA.

As is typical in most States, no Georgia public university meets the full financial need of its students on average.