Financial Aid & FAFSA Info

IMPORTANT FAFSA INFORMATION!

The 2024–25 FAFSA form will be available in December 2023, not Oct. 1

Advisors,

Good afternoon, please share out this information to your advisement students. We have more HOPE scholarship scholars graduating this year than we’ve had in the six years that I’ve been here at a Savannah High and we are on track to have even more next year!!!

Why is that important? Here are a few thoughts:

· Georgia has 26 universities as part of the University System of Georgia (USG) and 22 colleges as part of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG)

· HOPE scholarship pays 90% of tuition to state schools (USG or TCSG)

o If a student goes to:

§ Savannah Tech, they’d pay just $300 in tuition for a FULL year

§ Savannah State, they’d pay just $360 in tuition for a FULL year

§ Georgia Southern, they’d pay just $452 in tuition for a FULL year

o While this does NOT include room/board; it also doesn’t include what they may get from the Pell grant (up to $7,395) or any other scholarships!

· Zell Miller Scholarship pays 100% tuition!!!!

But what if they haven’t performed as well in high school and don’t qualify for the HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship?

Then they have access to the HOPE/Zell Miller Grants. These grants DO NOT depend on a high school GPA but both have GPA requirements to remain active while in a diploma or degree seeking program.

· The HOPE grant acts like the HOPE scholarship in that it will pay 90% of tuition but only at a TCSG school like Savannah Tech

· The Zell Miller grant will pay 100% tuition

· The HOPE Career Grant is an additional grant that awards additional money for degrees/certificates that the state of Georgia has deemed in short supply

· All of this is available while also potentially receiving a Pell Grant based on financial need

While I hope I still have your attention, do you know of a Georgia graduate who never got their degree (2 or 4 year) or never took advantage of these opportunities? The TCSG schools, such as Savannah Tech, offer 17 programs with FREE tuition!!!!

Need Help with FAFSA?

FAFSA Info

What is Financial Aid?

Financial aid is any type of financial assistance that covers tuition, books, room and board, fees and/or supplies.

What type of Financial Aids are available?

Typical types of financial aid include Scholarships, Loans, Grants, and Work-Study.

Scholarships: A scholarship is money for college that you don’t have to pay back. The criteria may be based on academic merit, financial need, community service or involvement, athletics, etc. Scholarships may be awarded by the institution you plan to attend or by outside organizations.
Loans: A loan is money provided by the federal government or in some cases a private lender that must be repaid at the end of a specified amount of time. Most loans are given by the federal government and come in 2 forms; subsidized-interest is paid by the government while you are in school and unsubsidized-the interest on the loan accrues while you are in school. BE SURE TO KNOW THE TERMS OF YOUR LOAN!!!!! Also, do not accept more money than you actually need.
Grants: A grant is a non-repayable type of aid that is typically based on financial need. The most commonly known grant is the PELL Grant which is awarded to low income students seeking their first undergraduate degree. The current maximum PELL Grant award is $6,195 however you may not receive the full amount and the amount may change from year to year. Other grants include:
- TEACH Grant: Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants of up to $3,764 per year to students who commit to teaching in a high-need field in a school or educational service agency that serves low-income students.
- FSEOG: The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program is for undergraduates (student’s that have not earned a bachelor’s degree) based on exceptional financial need. Not all schools participate in the FSEOG program so be sure to check with the financial aid office at the institution you are planning to attend.
- Iraq, and Afghanistan Service Grant: Students whose parent or guardian served in the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11. Recipients cannot be eligible for the PELL Grant.
- Institutional Grants: Grants or money provided by the institution you are attending. Criteria typically vary.
- For additional information on federal grants please visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships#federal
Work-Study: Federal Work Study is a program that allows college students to work part-time to earn money to assist with educational expenses. The job may be on or off campus and is based on availability and need.

How do I apply for Fiancial aid?

Need help completing the FAFSA?

This video from the Trellis Company provides step by step instructions for completing the FAFSA.