Financial Aid and HOPE Scholarship

Financial Aid

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) should be filed by ALL students between January and June of their 12th grade. This is the database used by most colleges for awarding local funds as well as federal funds. While restrictions do occur regarding total family income, the debt ratio is more important in the awarding of funds. NOTE: FAFSA can be used to be considered for HOPE.

Scholarships are monies that do not need to be repaid. They may be a one time award or may be renewable each year a student attends full time classes.

Employers, churches, rotary clubs, labor unions, and other organizations are potential sources of merit aid, and all should be researched. The internet has a number of excellent scholarship search sites. But, be careful if you are asked to pay a fee to apply for or search for a scholarship. Grants are monies that do not need to be repaid. They are often awarded for special interest or projects.

Loans are monies that must be repaid. Subsidized loans do not need to be repaid until after graduation. Unsubsidized loans begin to accumulate interest the monies are borrowed and often have a repayment schedule which began before graduation.

Perkins Loan generally awarded to students with the greatest need with a fixed interest rate.

Stafford Loan are made directly to students with a variable interest rate.

Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) are loans made to parents of dependent students with a variable interest rate.

Service cancelable loans are loans which are repaid by serving a specified numbers of years in a profession and sometimes in a specific location. (Example: nursing in a rural area)

Completing the new FAFSA is the first step in accessing more than $150 billion available in federal student aid, including grants, loans, and work-study funds. In addition, many states and colleges use FAFSA data to determine student eligibility for state and institution-based aid. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

HOPE Scholarship

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 2011 OR LATER:

Students graduating under the single diploma type must have a 3.0 GPA as calculated by GSFC. The HOPE Scholarship will pay a percentage amount of the standard tuition charges.

There are additional rigor requirements beginning with students graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2015.

For more details, click HERE.

For more Scholarship information, including but not limited to the FAFSA/HOPE/Zell Miller, visit gafutures.org or click HERE.