HOPE Tuition Program Georgia

[marybarbara60102]

I have a question about the HOPE college tuition program in Georgia. Can anyone help? We have been thinking (for a very long time) about relocating to GA. Does my child have to attend all 4 years of high school at a high school in Georgia to receive the HOPE tuition? Can we move after she finishes high school here in IL and then establish residency in GA & then apply for the program? How long does it take to determine residency?

I tried searching for information, but there is so much "legal talk" in what I've read that I am even more confused.

Thanks for any input you can give me.

 

[salmoneous]

Obviously you want to nail this down 100% before taking any actions, but I believe you need to be a resident for at least 12 months at the time of HS graduation. There is also an alternate route which allows you to get into the program after you've started college, but, again, you need to have been a 12 month resident at the time of enrollment.

 

[marybarbara60102]

So, I can wait until my daughter finishes high school, so she doesn't hate me for the rest of her life. Move her, have her start a community college for her first year, and then get residency and the Hope tuition?

 

[jennifer293]

http://gacollege411.org/FinAid/ScholarshipsAndGrants/HOPEScholarship/default.asp

I would most definately call somebody and get a positive answer. I would hate on her to miss out. My little sister is attending East Tennessee State University and thanks to the TN Lottery Scholarship my parents don't pay a dime of her schooling!!!

 

[PlaneJoy1]

It thought that you have to graduate from a high school in Georgia and had to attend school for at least 1 year (all of her senior year) at a minimum. I'm not real sure.

ETA:

Here is what I have found:

To qualify for in-state tuition:

403.02 CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS FOR TUITION PURPOSES
(1) If a person is 18 years of age or older, he or she may register as an in-state student only upon showing that he or she has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of registration.
Exceptions:

A student whose parent, spouse, or court-appointed guardian is a legal resident of the State of Georgia may register as a resident providing the parent, spouse, or guardian can provide proof of legal residency in the State of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of registration.
A student who previously held residency status in the State of Georgia but moved from the state then returned to the state in 12 or fewer months.
Students who are transferred to Georgia by an employer are not subject to the durational residency requirement.

(2) No emancipated minor or other person 18 years of age or older shall be deemed to have gained or acquired in-state status for tuition purposes while attending any educational institution in this state, in the absence of a clear demonstration that he or she has in fact established legal residence in this state.

If a parent or legal guardian of a student changes his or her legal residence to another state following a period of legal residence in Georgia, the student may retain his or her classification as an in-state student as long as he or she remains continuously enrolled in the University System of Georgia, regardless of the status of his or her parent or legal guardian.

(Reference: http://www.usg.edu/regents/policymanual/400.phtml#403)

Also: http://www.gsfc.org/Main/publishing/pdf/2006/2006_hope_regs.pdf

To qualify for HOPE you have to meet the in-state residency requirement set forth by the Board of Regents.

 

[marybarbara60102]

I'm so confused. Why wouldn't every out-of-state college student in Georgia apply for the HOPE fund during their second year of school (12 consecutive months of residency)? That sounds too easy, but that is how it sounds like it reads.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

Point #2 says that a person can not gain in-state status while attending any educational institution in the state. (referring to higher education, I believe)

So someone can not just go to college for a year then claim in-state residency.

The statue from the Board of Regents is very clear on that.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Regarding the out-of-state, in-state issue: I speak from PERSONAL experience (myself) that I was "out-of-state" for my first year of graduate school at UGA, and at the start of my second year, applied for "in-state" status and it was granted. To do this, I had secured a GA driver's license, showed that I had been living here (even retained my apartment for the summer) and signed an affidavit that I intended to remain in Georgia at the conclusion of my education. It was NOT a problem, and a lot of us did it. Of course, that was 10 years ago, right around when the HOPE scholarship/grant started. Since you can't get HOPE for graduate school, it only impacted the amount of loan money for which I was eligible.

(I did stay in GA by the way, and was being honest when I told them that was my intention!)