HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally)

HOPE Scholarships and Grants are available for qualified students attending MSC and may be applied to tuition and mandatory fees not covered by another source that is applied to student's tuition and fee charges.  Recipients receive a book allowance of up to $150 per semester.  Full-time enrollment is not required.  HOPE eligibility is determined using attempted hours according to HOPE Program regulations.

A. HOPE Scholarship

HOPE Scholarship qualifications for freshmen are:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien.
• Be a Georgia resident as defined by HOPE regulations.
• Be a 1993 or later Georgia high school graduate.
• Earn a high school "B" average in a CPC Diploma track.
• Apply for the HOPE Scholarship to attend MSC.
• Beginning Summer 2004, freshman attending one term full-time or three terms in a row part-time must have a cumulative 3.00 GPA at the end of Spring term to remain eligible.

HOPE Scholarship qualifications for sophomores, juniors, and seniors are:

• Have not attempted more than 127 semester hours.
• Meet the residency and citizenship requirements.
• Establish a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 at the completion of the 30th, 60th, and 90th attempted semester hour.
• Hold a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 at the end of Spring term.
• Maintain financial aid satisfactory progress as defined by SAP policy.

B. HOPE Grant

Georgia residents attending MSC to earn a certificate are eligible for HOPE assistance regardless of high school graduation or grade point average.  This grant covers only courses specified in the college catalog for the students' intended major.  These funds cover tuition and mandatory fees.  Recipients receive a book allowance of up to $150 per semester.  Recipients must maintain financial aid satisfactory progress as defined by MSC.

C. HOPE GED

A one-time $500 HOPE voucher is available for Georgia GED recipients.  Recipients must maintain financial aid satisfactory progress as defined by MSC.

D. PROMISE Teacher Scholarship Loan

A component of Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program - provides forgivable loans to students who aspire to be teachers in Georgia public schools. If you commit to teach in a Georgia public school, you will pay less for your education. For a four-year commitment, you can receive up to $6,000 in financial assistance.

Scholarship Amount - The maximum award for a student is $3,000 for the junior year and another $3,000 for the senior year. For a student taking less than six hours, the maximum award will be $1,500 per academic year.

The forgivable loan may be used for tuition and any other educational expenses - such as books, supplies, or room and board - at any eligible public or private college or university in Georgia. A recipient may also qualify for financial assistance through other components of the HOPE Program.

Eligibility Requirements - A student must:

• Have earned a minimum, overall grade point average of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale (including all courses attempted) and be academically classified as a college junior or senior.*
• Be accepted for enrollment into an approved teacher education program in Georgia leading to initial certification.

* This includes students seeking their first undergraduate degree in education OR students seeking a second undergraduate degree in education if their first undergraduate degree was not in education. For students seeking a second undergraduate degree in education, it generally requires an additional two years of study, but it may vary depending upon the institution's program requirements.

Loan Forgiveness - Under the PROMISE Program, you will be obligated to teach in a Georgia public school at the preschool, elementary, middle or secondary level one academic year for each $1,500 awarded through the scholarship.

For example, if you receive $3,000 per academic year for two years (a total scholarship of $6,000) and teach four years in a Georgia public school at the preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary level, your loan will be completely forgiven.

If a recipient is unable to complete his/her program or meet his/her teaching obligation, he/she must repay any outstanding loan amounts, plus interest, to the State of Georgia.

Applicants must complete their part of the application and obtain signatures from the institution's College of Education teacher certification official and the financial aid office. The completed application is then forwarded directly to the HOPE Scholarship Program for consideration.   Application can be downloaded at http://www.gacollege411.org/FinAid/LoanPrograms/promise_teacher_scholarship.asp.

Six hundred scholarships are available for the 2005-2006 academic year and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Scholarship funds will be provided directly to the school's financial aid office and will be disbursed on a term-by-term basis.