GA Futures, HOPE & Zell Miller Information

For ALL information about HOPE and Zell Miller please visit GA Futures.

Academic Rigor Requirements for Scholarships

A student meeting the requirements to be a HOPE Scholar at the time of high school graduation must earn a minimum of four full rigor credits from the Academic Rigor Course List prior to graduating from high school.

Credits received for academic rigor courses must be from the categories below:

1. Advanced math, such as advanced algebra and trigonometry, math III, taken at the high school, or an equivalent or higher course taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution;
2. Advanced science, such as chemistry, physics, biology II, taken at the high school, or an equivalent or higher course taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution;
3. Foreign language courses taken at the high school, or taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution; or
4. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Enrollment degree-level core courses.

HOPE Grant

Georgia's HOPE Grant (a separate program from the HOPE Scholarship) is available to Georgia residents who are working towards a certificate or diploma (continuing education programs are not eligible) at an eligible college or university in Georgia.

The HOPE and/or Zell Miller programs have Paid-Hours and Combined-Paid hours limits:

• Hours paid while enrolled in high school or as a college student are included in the Combined-Paid Hours and/or Paid-Hours limits.
• The Grant and Scholarship Combined-Paid Hours limit is 127 semester hours. All hours paid by HOPE and/or Zell Miller Grant or Scholarship are counted in the Combined-Paid hours limit.
• The Grant Paid-Hours limit is 63 semester hours. All hours paid by HOPE and/or Zell Miller Grant are counted in the Grant Paid-Hours limit.

Students who receive HOPE Grant or Zell Miller Grant funding for an eligible program at an Eligible College will have all paid hours count towards the student’s HOPE or Zell Miller Grant 63 Paid-Hours limit and the grades earned will count towards the student’s HOPE or Zell Miller Grant GPA. Credit hours paid by HOPE or Zell Miller Grant will also count towards the HOPE and/or Zell Miller Scholarship 127 Combined-Paid hours limit.