The Zell Miller Scholarship Program is a merit-based scholarship program with specific academic and grade point average eligibility requirements. The purpose of the Zell Miller Scholarship Program is to encourage the academic achievement of Georgia’s high school students seeking degrees from postsecondary institutions located in Georgia.
ELIGIBILITY
To receive Zell Miller Scholarship funding, students graduating from Cambridge High School must:
- Meet one of the following academic requirements:
- Graduate as the Valedictorian or the Salutatorian.
- Graduate from an eligible high school with a minimum 3.7 HOPE GPA combined with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a 26 composite score on the ACT test in a single test administration.
- Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at an eligible public or private college or university or technical college in Georgia. View a list of HOPE eligible colleges and universities .
- Meet HOPE’s HOPE Rigor Course List.
- Meet HOPE’s Georgia residency requirements.
- Meet HOPE’s U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements.
- Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements.
- Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990. A student may be ineligible for Zell Miller Scholarship payment if he or she has been convicted for committing certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs.
- Not be in default or owe a refund on a student financial aid program.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the college.
AWARD AMOUNTS
The money provided to Zell Miller Scholars varies and depends on the type of institution you are attending and your specific enrollment. You can view the Zell Miller Scholarship Award Rates here .
Students attending public colleges or universities receive an award for the following: Current academic year standard undergraduate tuition for number of hours enrolled whether full time or part time
Students attending private colleges or universities receive the following: Full-time students: $2,000 per semester, $1,333 per quarter; Half-time students: $1,000 per semester, $666 per quarter
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applying for the Zell Miller Scholarship is easy, but you should always check with the college you are going to attend to make sure you are completing the applications they require. Students have three options for applying for the Zell Miller Scholarship.
- A current year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – available after January 1st of the senior year. A student who applies for HOPE Schoarlship by completing and submitting a FAFSA must complete and submit a new FAFSA for each Award Year.
- A GSFAPPS electronic application, click here.
- A paper HOPE Scholarship and Grant application, click here
APPLICATION DEADLINE
While you have until the last day of classes or exams to submit your application in order to receive Zell Miller funds for that semester or quarter, we highly recommend submitting your HOPE application as early as possible. The earlier you apply, the earlier the funds are disbursed to your school and credited to your account.
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
If you need help filling out an application or have other questions relating to the Zell Miller Scholarship, we suggest contacting the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend or contacting the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).
You can contact the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) by:
E-mail:
gacollege411@gsfc.orgTelephone:
Call us toll-free at: 1-800-505-GSFC (4732)
In Metro Atlanta: (770) 724-9000
A representative is available Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.