Zell Miller Scholarship

For decades, scholarships have always been the way out for the financially incapacitated all over the world who are in that state due to circumstances that surround them, which helps them to pursue their dream careers. These scholarships are provided by either private individuals or non-profit organizations and for different purposes. Zell Miller scholarship is on the list of such scholarships that help these individuals.

Zell Miller was an American politician who served as a United States senator representing Georgia from 2000 to 2005 and as the 79th governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999. During his time as a governor, Zell Miller was a dedicated promoter of public education and as a result of his dedication to education, he created the HOPE scholarship program, which was implemented in 1993.

Miller designed the program with the threefold purpose of improving the quality of education in Georgia’s high schools and colleges, encouraging top Georgia students to attend college in the state, and addressing racial and economic disparities in student enrollment at state institutions.

The  HOPE Scholarship helped to pay for the college tuition of Georgia students who both obtained a good GPA  in high school and maintained the same while in college and who were from families earning less than $66,000 per year. The Zell Miller scholarship is a type of scholarship that is available for the residents of Georgia at the time of high school graduation.

 Students must also meet all the eligibility requirements of the HOPE Scholarship and be enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate program. However, full-time enrollment is not required to receive Zell Miller funding. You can also find nursing scholarships in Georgia for individuals interested in pursuing a nursing degree. If you are also looking for other categories of scholarships, you can apply for the MAC makeup scholarship which is provided by a cosmetics company, or the Sephora scholarship for students with the passion to become licensed cosmetologists.

Zell Miller Scholarship

What does the Zell Miller scholarship cover?

The Zell Miller scholarship covers 100% of standard tuition but does not cover any costs associated with housing, dining, mandatory fees, or book expenses. The Zell Miller Scholarship pays 100% of the total cost of in-state tuition charged. This is a maximum of $10,258 for two semesters of enrollment in 15 credit hours per term.

For students who are enrolled for the summer semester, the Zell Miller Scholarship will pay per credit hour in conjunction with summer tuition cost in addition to the maximum mentioned above.

Zell Miller scholarship requirements (Including GPA and SAT requirements)

To be eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship, students must graduate from high school with a 3.70 cumulative GPA as calculated by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) AND an SAT score of 1200 OR an ACT score of 26. The other basic eligibility requirements are;

  • You must be a resident of Georgia.
  • You must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen to receive funding.
  • You must be in a degree-seeking program.
  • You must be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  • You must not be in default or owe repayment on any federal or state aid.
  • Male students must be registered for Selective Service if required.
  • You must comply with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990.
  • Once you earn your first Bachelor’s degree you are no longer eligible for the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarships. Click here for more information.
  • Initial eligibility for the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships is determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission

To meet residency requirements for the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships, you must be a resident of Georgia at the time of high school graduation. Students who are not Georgia residents when they graduate high school will not meet residency requirements for the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships until 24 months after they establish domicile in Georgia. If that date falls after the start of a semester, the student will not meet residency requirements for the scholarships until the following semester.

Zell Miller scholarship application – How to apply for Zell Miller scholarship

There are two methods of application for the Zell Miller scholarship. They are;

Complete the Georgia Scholarship/Grant Application (GSFAPP) at www.gafutures.org. This application only has to be completed once and it remains active for ten years;

OR

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year.

It is also recommended that all students complete the GSFAPP even if they are completing the FAFSA so there is always an application on file. Applicants must have an application on file by the last day of the semester to receive the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship for that semester. To apply for the scholarship, you can click on this link.

It is worthy of note that this scholarship is offered by all tertiary institutions in Georgia offering financial aid.

Zell Miller scholarship deadline

The application deadline is the last day of the school term or a student’s withdrawal date, whichever occurs first.

Conclusion

I have successfully walked you through all you need to know about the Zell Miller  Scholarship. Go through the eligibility criteria again, and shoot in your application if you qualify. I wish you the best of luck

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