HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship at UGA: GPA Requirements, Checkpoints, and How to Keep Your Funding

Losing your HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship is one of the most financially consequential academic events that happens to UGA students, and it happens more often than people expect. The GPA requirements sound straightforward on paper, but the checkpoint system, the difference between your UGA GPA and your HOPE GPA, and the rules around regaining eligibility create genuine confusion.

This guide breaks down exactly how the system works, when you’re evaluated, and what to do if you’re at risk.

The Basics: HOPE vs. Zell Miller

Both scholarships are funded by the Georgia Lottery and available to Georgia residents attending eligible Georgia institutions. The key differences are in coverage and GPA thresholds.

HOPE Scholarship: Covers a portion of tuition costs. Requires a 3.0 HOPE GPA from high school and a 3.0 HOPE GPA to maintain eligibility in college.

Zell Miller Scholarship: Covers 100% of standard tuition. For the 2025–2026 year, that’s a maximum of approximately $10,512 for two semesters at 15 credit hours per term. To qualify initially, you need a 3.7 high school HOPE GPA plus a 1200 SAT (math and evidence-based reading/writing) or a 25 ACT composite. Valedictorians and salutatorians from eligible Georgia high schools are automatically eligible. To maintain in college, you need a 3.3 HOPE GPA at each checkpoint.

You can receive one or the other, not both simultaneously. If you lose Zell Miller but still have a 3.0, you drop down to HOPE. If you lose HOPE, you lose both.

Your HOPE GPA Is Not Your UGA GPA

This is the single most common point of confusion. UGA uses a plus/minus grading system, so an A- counts as 3.67 and a B+ counts as 3.33 on your UGA transcript. But HOPE and Zell Miller GPA calculations do not count plus or minus modifiers. An A- is an A (4.0) and a B+ is a B (3.0) for HOPE purposes.

This means your HOPE GPA can be higher or lower than your UGA GPA depending on your grade distribution. A student with many A-minuses and B-pluses will have a HOPE GPA that differs noticeably from their UGA GPA.

You can check your current HOPE/Zell Miller GPA at gafutures.org under “My College HOPE Profile.” Check it regularly. Don’t wait until a checkpoint to find out where you stand.

The STEM Course GPA Boost

Starting fall 2017, HOPE and Zell Miller GPA calculations include an additional 0.5 weight added to grades of B, C, and D in approved STEM courses. This means a B in organic chemistry counts as 3.5 instead of 3.0 in your HOPE GPA calculation, and a C counts as 2.5 instead of 2.0.

This is significant for pre-med and STEM students who are taking difficult science courses. The boost partially offsets the GPA impact of challenging science coursework. It does not apply to grades of A (already 4.0) or to grades of F.

The approved STEM course list is maintained by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Not every science or math course qualifies, so verify that your specific courses are on the list.

When You’re Evaluated: The Checkpoint System

Your HOPE/Zell Miller eligibility is evaluated at the following points:

Attempted Hours Checkpoints:

• 30 attempted hours
• 60 attempted hours
• 90 attempted hours

End-of-Spring Checkpoint: Every spring semester after your first checkpoint.

Key details that matter:

All courses attempted after high school, at any institution, count toward your attempted hours and are included in the HOPE GPA calculation. This includes courses at other schools, summer courses, and even courses in which you didn’t receive HOPE/Zell Miller funding. Withdrawn courses count toward attempted hours but are not included in the GPA calculation.

If an attempted hours checkpoint and a spring checkpoint happen to coincide (you reach 60 hours at the end of a spring semester, for example), the attempted hours checkpoint takes precedence.

Losing Eligibility: What Happens and When

Losing Zell Miller: If your HOPE GPA drops below 3.3 at any checkpoint, you lose Zell Miller. If you still have a 3.0 or higher, you automatically receive HOPE instead.

Losing HOPE: If your HOPE GPA drops below 3.0 at any checkpoint, you lose HOPE (and Zell Miller if applicable).

Losing at an end-of-spring checkpoint: You can lose eligibility at the spring checkpoint, but you can only regain it at an attempted hours checkpoint (30, 60, or 90 hours). This asymmetry is important. Losing at the end of spring means you could be without scholarship funding until you hit the next attempted hours milestone.

Regaining Eligibility

Regaining HOPE: If you lost HOPE, you can regain it if your HOPE GPA is at least 3.0 when you reach the next attempted hours checkpoint (30, 60, or 90 hours). The 90-hour checkpoint is the last opportunity to regain HOPE.

Regaining Zell Miller: You can regain Zell Miller one time if your HOPE GPA is at least 3.3 at the next attempted hours checkpoint. This is a one-time opportunity. If you lose Zell Miller a second time, you are permanently ineligible for Zell Miller (though you can still receive HOPE if your GPA is 3.0 or higher).

Permanent ineligibility: If you lose HOPE at two checkpoints, you cannot regain it. If you lose Zell Miller twice, you cannot regain it. The 90-hour checkpoint is the final opportunity for any regaining.

Transfer Students and Scholarship Portability

Zell Miller and HOPE eligibility can transfer when you move between HOPE-eligible Georgia institutions. All your attempted hours and grades from every institution factor into the calculation. This matters particularly for students transferring to UGA from Georgia community colleges or other USG schools: your pre-transfer coursework directly impacts your HOPE GPA at UGA.

Students who transfer must ensure that all transcripts from previous institutions are sent to UGA promptly. Late transcripts can trigger retroactive GPA recalculations that affect eligibility for semesters already completed, potentially creating repayment obligations.

The 127-Hour Limit

You can receive HOPE or Zell Miller for up to 127 attempted semester hours or through your first bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first. Hours from all HOPE-funded programs (HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller, HOPE Grant, Accel) count toward this combined limit.

Students who change majors or add minors and certificates should be aware that extending your time at UGA doesn’t extend this hour cap. Plan your coursework efficiently to complete your degree within the funded window.

The 10-Year Expiration

As of 2019, HOPE and Zell Miller eligibility expires 10 years after your high school graduation date, GED test date, or home study completion date. Students who received HOPE/Zell Miller prior to spring 2019 have a 7-year window instead.

Common Mistakes That Cost Students Their Scholarships

Not checking gafutures.org regularly. Your UGA GPA is not your HOPE GPA. Students who only monitor their UGA GPA can be blindsided at checkpoints.

Taking too many difficult courses in one semester. A single rough semester in organic chemistry, physics, and calculus can drop your HOPE GPA below the threshold. Course sequencing matters for scholarship preservation as well as academic progress.

Ignoring the STEM boost. Some students don’t realize the boost exists and panic unnecessarily about B grades in approved STEM courses.

Withdrawing from courses late. While W grades don’t affect your HOPE GPA, the attempted hours still count. Excessive withdrawals can push you toward the 127-hour limit or the next checkpoint faster than expected.

Not understanding the “two losses” rule. Students who lose eligibility once and regain it sometimes don’t realize that the next loss is permanent. The second chance is your only second chance.