GEORGIA STATUTES AND CODES
               		§ 20-3-519.2 - Eligibility requirements for a HOPE scholarship at a public postsecondary institution; scholarship amount
               		
               		
               	 	
               	 	               	 	
               	 	
               	 	
               	 		
O.C.G.A.    20-3-519.2   (2010)
   20-3-519.2.    Eligibility requirements for a HOPE scholarship at a public postsecondary institution; scholarship amount 
      (a)  To  be eligible for a HOPE scholarship, an entering freshman student  seeking an associate or baccalaureate degree at an eligible public  postsecondary institution shall:
      (1)  Meet residency requirements by:
            (A)  Meeting  the requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as  established by the program regulations promulgated by the Georgia  Student Finance Commission which shall be based upon the in-state  tuition policy of the board of regents and the in-state tuition  guidelines set by the Technical College System of Georgia; and
            (B)  (i)  If the student was classified as a legal resident of Georgia at the  time of graduation from high school or from a home study program  meeting the requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must  have met the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this  paragraph for a period of at least 12 months immediately prior to the  first day of classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded; or
                  (ii)  If  the student was not classified as a legal resident at the time of  graduation from high school or from a home study program meeting the  requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must have met  the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for a  period of at least 24 months immediately prior to the first day of  classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded.
Notwithstanding  the foregoing, a dependent child of military personnel stationed in  Georgia shall be deemed to be a legal resident of Georgia and, subject  to meeting all other eligibility requirements, shall be eligible to  receive the HOPE scholarship as a freshman if the student graduated from  a high school located in Georgia or from a home study program meeting  the requirements of Code Section 20-2-690 that is located in Georgia;
      (2)  Meet achievement standards by:
            (A)  Having  graduated from an eligible high school while meeting the curriculum  requirements of his or her program of study in 1993 or thereafter and  meeting the requirements set out in the applicable subsection and  paragraph of Code Section 20-2-157;
            (B)  In the case of a student who is otherwise qualified but:
                  (i)  Did  not graduate from high school or complete a home study program meeting  the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690, having  received the general educational development (GED) diploma awarded by  the Department of Technical and Adult Education, now known as the  Technical College System of Georgia, after June 30, 1993, provided that  such student shall only be eligible for a HOPE scholarship pursuant to  subsection (e) of this Code section;
                  (ii)  Completed  a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of Code  Section 20-2-690 in lieu of graduating from an eligible high school,  earning a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at an eligible  public postsecondary institution at the end of the quarter or semester  in which the student has attempted 45 quarter hours or 30 semester  hours, provided that such student shall be eligible to receive a  retroactive HOPE scholarship for such student's freshman year to be paid  at the end of the freshman year; or
                  (iii)  Graduated  from a high school which is not an eligible high school, earning a  cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at an eligible public  postsecondary institution at the end of the quarter or semester in which  the student has attempted 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours,  provided that such student shall be eligible to receive a retroactive  HOPE scholarship for such student's freshman year to be paid at the end  of the freshman year; or
            (C)  In the case of an otherwise qualified student who:
                  (i)  Did  not graduate from high school or complete a home study program meeting  the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 but received  the general educational development (GED) diploma awarded by the  Department of Technical and Adult Education, now known as the Technical  College System of Georgia, after June 30, 1993;
                  (ii)  Completed  a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of Code  Section 20-2-690 in lieu of graduating from an eligible high school; or
                  (iii)  Graduated from a high school which is not an eligible high school,
earning  a score in the eighty-fifth percentile or higher nationally on a  standardized college admission test, such as the SAT or ACT; and
      (3)  Meet  enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an  undergraduate student in a matriculated status.
(b)  To  be eligible for a HOPE scholarship, a sophomore student seeking an  associate or baccalaureate degree at an eligible public postsecondary  institution shall:
      (1)  Meet residency requirements by:
            (A)  Meeting  the requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as  established by the program regulations promulgated by the Georgia  Student Finance Commission which shall be based upon the in-state  tuition policy of the board of regents and the in-state tuition  guidelines set by the Technical College System of Georgia; and
            (B)  (i)  If the student was classified as a legal resident of Georgia at the  time of graduation from high school or from a home study program  meeting the requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must  have met the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this  paragraph for a period of at least 12 months immediately prior to the  first day of classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded; or
                  (ii)  If  the student was not classified as a legal resident at the time of  graduation from high school or from a home study program meeting the  requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must have met  the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for a  period of at least 24 months immediately prior to the first day of  classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded;
      (2)  Meet achievement standards by meeting the following criteria:
            (A)  Earning a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at a postsecondary institution:
                  (i)  At  the end of the quarter or semester in which the student has attempted  45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours if such student is a full-time  student; or
                  (ii)  At the end of  three consecutive quarters or semesters if such student is a part-time  student and has maintained part-time student status for three  consecutive quarters or semesters; and
            (B)  Maintaining  satisfactory academic progress in a course of study in accordance with  the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the  postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled; and
      (3)  Meet  enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an  undergraduate student in a matriculated status.
(c)  To  be eligible for a HOPE scholarship, a junior student seeking a  baccalaureate or first professional degree at a public postsecondary  institution shall:
      (1)  Meet residency requirements by:
            (A)  Meeting  the requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as  established by the program regulations promulgated by the Georgia  Student Finance Commission which shall be based upon the in-state  tuition policy of the board of regents and the in-state tuition  guidelines set by the Technical College System of Georgia; and
            (B)  (i)  If the student was classified as a legal resident of Georgia at the  time of graduation from high school or from a home study program  meeting the requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must  have met the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this  paragraph for a period of at least 12 months immediately prior to the  first day of classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded; or
                  (ii)  If  the student was not classified as a legal resident at the time of  graduation from high school or from a home study program meeting the  requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must have met  the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for a  period of at least 24 months immediately prior to the first day of  classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded;
      (2)  Meet achievement standards by meeting the following criteria:
            (A)  Earning  a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at a postsecondary  institution at the end of the quarter or semester in which the student  has attempted 90 quarter hours or 60 semester hours; and
            (B)  Maintaining  satisfactory academic progress in a course of study in accordance with  the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the  postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled; and
      (3)  Meet  enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an  undergraduate student in a matriculated status or, in the case of an  otherwise eligible student who is classified as a first professional  degree student rather than an undergraduate student, being accepted into  the first professional degree program of study prior to receiving a  baccalaureate degree.
(d)  To be eligible  for a HOPE scholarship, a senior student seeking a baccalaureate or a  first professional degree at a public postsecondary institution shall:
      (1)  Meet residency requirements by:
            (A)  Meeting  the requirements to be classified as a legal resident of Georgia as  established by the program regulations promulgated by the Georgia  Student Finance Commission which shall be based upon the in-state  tuition policy of the board of regents and the in-state tuition  guidelines set by the Technical College System of Georgia; and
            (B)  (i)  If the student was classified as a legal resident of Georgia at the  time of graduation from high school or from a home study program  meeting the requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must  have met the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this  paragraph for a period of at least 12 months immediately prior to the  first day of classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded; or
                  (ii)  If  the student was not classified as a legal resident at the time of  graduation from high school or from a home study program meeting the  requirements of Code Section 20-2-690, then the student must have met  the requirements set forth in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for a  period of at least 24 months immediately prior to the first day of  classes for which the HOPE scholarship is to be awarded;
      (2)  Meet achievement standards by meeting the following criteria:
            (A)  Earning  a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at a postsecondary  institution at the end of the quarter or semester in which the student  has attempted 135 quarter hours or 90 semester hours; and
            (B)  Maintaining  satisfactory academic progress in a course of study in accordance with  the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the  postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled; and
      (3)  Meet  enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an  undergraduate student in a matriculated status or, in the case of an  otherwise eligible student who is classified as a first professional  degree student rather than an undergraduate student, being accepted into  the first professional degree program of study prior to receiving a  baccalaureate degree.
(e) (1) (A)  A  full-time student who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average  of at least 3.0 at the end of the quarter or semester in which the  student has attempted 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours may attend  the next 45 quarter or 30 semester hours without a HOPE scholarship. An  otherwise eligible full-time student who regains a cumulative grade  point average of at least 3.0 at the end of a quarter or semester in  which the full-time student has attempted 90 or 135 quarter hours or 60  or 90 semester hours may requalify for a HOPE scholarship.
            (B)  An  otherwise eligible part-time student who regains or attains a  cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of a quarter  or semester in which the part-time student has attempted 45, 90, or 135  quarter hours or 30, 60, or 90 semester hours may attain or requalify  for a HOPE scholarship.
      (2)  In addition  to other requirements, and regardless of quarter hours or semester hours  of coursework attempted, a student who fails to possess a cumulative  grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of each spring quarter or  semester or at the end of three consecutive quarters or semesters for a  part-time student pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this  Code section shall be ineligible for a HOPE scholarship until such time  as the student regains or attains a cumulative grade point average of at  least 3.0 at one of the 45, 90, or 135 quarter hour grade point average  checkpoints or at one of the 30, 60, or 90 semester hour grade point  average checkpoints, at which time the student will regain or attain  eligibility if other terms and conditions in this Code section are also  satisfied.
(f)  For students eligible for a HOPE scholarship under this Code section, no minimum number of hours of enrollment is required.
(g)  (1)  Except as set out in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a student  may receive the HOPE scholarship until the first of these events:
            (A)  The student has earned a baccalaureate degree; or
            (B)  The student has attempted at any postsecondary institution a total of 190 quarter hours or 127 semester hours.
      (2)  A  student enrolled in an undergraduate or first professional degree  program designed to be more than 190 quarter hours or 127 semester hours  in length is eligible to receive the HOPE scholarship for the lesser  of:
            (A)  A total of 225 attempted quarter hours or 150 attempted semester hours; or
            (B)  The  number of hours required for graduation if the student has a cumulative  grade point average of at least 3.0 after the term in which the student  attempted 190 quarter hours or 127 semester hours.
      (3)  Notwithstanding  anything herein to the contrary, attempted hours shall include all  postsecondary level course hours taken prior to high school graduation  if such student does not qualify for the HOPE scholarship as an entering  freshman based solely on his or her grade point average.  As used in  this paragraph, the term "postsecondary level course hours" means hours  accepted by the student's eligible postsecondary institution for credit  when the student enters as a freshman.
(h)  (1)  Subject to the amounts appropriated by the General Assembly and  provisions relating to the Lottery for Education Account in Code Section  50-27-13, a HOPE scholarship awarded under this Code section shall  include tuition, approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance not to  exceed $100.00 per quarter or $150.00 per semester, except as otherwise  provided for in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection.
      (2)  Effective  beginning with the fall quarter or semester commencing after July 1,  2004, the amount of mandatory fees paid shall be equal to such amount or  amounts that were paid on January 1, 2004, except as otherwise provided  for in Code Section 50-27-13.
      (3)  Paragraph  (2) of this subsection shall not apply to an eligible public  postsecondary institution established by law on or after January 1,  2004. For any eligible public postsecondary institution established on  or after January 1, 2004, the amount of the mandatory fees paid shall be  equal to such amount or amounts initially approved for that new  eligible public postsecondary institution for its first year of  operation by action of the board of regents or the Technical College  System of Georgia, as applicable, except as otherwise provided for in  Code Section 50-27-13.
(i)  A dependent  child of military personnel stationed in Georgia on active duty shall be  deemed to meet the residency requirements of paragraph (1) of  subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this Code section.