Georgia programs offer scholarships for adults attending private and public colleges.
Government programs, universities and nonprofit organizations offer scholarships to help adult Georgia residents and nonresidents pay for their college educations. The state of Georgia offers need-based and merit-based student aid for Georgia residents, along with funding based on field-of-study and personal background. Georgia universities administer scholarships for in-state and out-of-state students, and certain programs provide renewable funding. Award amounts can depend on the type of school attended or enrollment status.
State-Sponsored Scholarships
The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) administers multiple scholarship programs, which base eligibility on academic achievement, personal background or field of study. The Hope Scholarship, for example, bases eligibility on academic qualifications and offers funding to Georgia residents attending technical schools and private and public four-year postsecondary institutions. The Hero Scholarship provides funding for certain military reserve and Georgia National Guard members and their spouses and children. The GSFC also awards non-need-based grants, including the Leap Grant for students with a financial need for support and the Hope Grant for students enrolled in diploma and certificate programs.
Federal Scholarships
Federal scholarship programs offer funding based on field of study and applicant merit. For example, the Smart Scholarship offers full-tuition funding for graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in technology, mathematics, engineering and science programs. Past Smart Scholarship recipients have included Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Georgia students. The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program offers funding based on academic achievement. While the federal government funds the program, the GSFC administers Byrd scholarships in Georgia. The federal government also sponsors need-based student aid programs, including the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.
Institutional Scholarships
Georgia colleges and universities often sponsor scholarships for their students. The University of Georgia in Athens (UGA), for instance, administers numerous scholarships, which base eligibility on academic achievement, personal characteristics, financial need or a combination of criteria. UGA's Foundation Fellowship extends eligibility to students with a minimum grade point average of 3.75 and offers up to $9,000 per school year, as of the time of publication, to students who hold Georgia residency. The Shaw-White Family Scholarship provides support for students who graduated from high schools in Northwest Georgia and bases awards on academic achievement and financial need. The Goizueta Foundation offers multiple scholarships for UGA students and extends eligibility to individuals fluent in Spanish. As of June 2011, Goizueta Foundation scholarships pay between $3,000 and $7,500 per school year.
Nonprofit Organizations
Certain Georgia nonprofit organizations sponsor scholarship programs for college students. Scholarships offered by private organizations often extend eligibility only to certain types of students or students enrolled in specific fields of study. The Georgia Executive Women's Network (GEWN), for example, awards the Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship to female students, 24 years of age or older. The GEWN program requires full-time enrollment and pays up to $3,000, as of the 2010 to 2011 school year. The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) in the State of Georgia awards two scholarships each year to students pursuing studies in historic preservation and American history. The NSCDA Georgia program pays up to $1,500 per award, as of the time of publication.
Tags: academic achievement, eligibility academic, financial need, funding based, Georgia residents
