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HOPE Career Grant

(formerly the Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant)

The HOPE Career Grant can be the boost a student needs to get started on a rewarding career in a well-paying job, and without accumulating a lot of student debt. It also helps Georgia employers by creating a pipeline of skilled workers they can hire well into the future. To be eligible for the HOPE Career Grant, students must first qualify for and be receiving the HOPE or ZELL Grant. Please review eligibility requirements below. The two grants together will cover all tuition in these programs of study. Students will still be responsible for student fees and any equipment necessary, although in some cases, financial aid is available for those as well.

Eligibility for the HOPE Grant All eligibility requirements for the HOPE Grant and Zell Miller Grant apply to the HOPE Career Grant, formerly known as the Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant.

Basic Eligibility All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

Meet HOPE's U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;

Be a legal resident of Georgia;

  1. Meet enrollment requirements;
  2. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
  3. Meet academic achievement standards;
  4. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
  5. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
  6. Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE or Zell Miller programs;
  7. Must be eligible for, and receiving, HOPE or Zell Miller Grant funding.

Program Eligibility Full-time enrollment in a certificate or diploma program is not required and students are not required to graduate from high school with a specific GPA, however, they must have a postsecondary cumulative 2.0 GPA, at certain checkpoints, in order to maintain eligibility.

Programs of Study

Beginning with Fall Semester 2013, students who are receiving the HOPE or Zell Miller Grant may also be eligible for additional financial assistance from Georgia’s HOPE Career Grant for specific programs designated by Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).

To qualify, a student must be fully admitted to the college, enrolled in one of the programs designated by GSFC, and receiving the HOPE or Zell Miller Grant for the same term. The amount of the Hope Career Grant Award is a fixed amount for each term of enrollment:

Enrolled Hours Award Amount
9+ hours $1,000.00* Only for Commercial Truck Driving
9+ hours $500.00
3 - 8 hours $250.00
1 - 2 hours $125.00

The HOPE GED Grant, HOPE or Zell Miller Grant, and HOPE Career Grant Award can be awarded in the same term, if all other eligibility requirements are met up to cost of attendance. High school students in dual enrollment programs are not eligible for the HOPE Career Grant Award.