Primary Sources of Financial Aid for Shorter's Professional Programs Degree Programs

• Sources for Scholarships
• Federal Grants
• Federal Loans
• State Grants
• Local & Private Grants
• Military Financial Aid

Sources of Scholarships

Click on these links to check them out.

• FinAid provides information on the financial aid process, grants, scholarships and loans.
• Mapping Your Future is a great resource for more information on scholarships and grants.
• FastWeb offers a scholarship search tool along with email notifications

Beware of Scams!!!

As you investigate scholarship opportunities, beware of scams. Many sources will charge a fee to deliver scholarship information. Usually this is the same information you can find on your own. So why pay for something you can get for free?

Many outside scholarships can be used at any accredited 2- or 4-year institution. However, some scholarships are limited to local schools.

Federal Grants

Grants are a type of "gift aid" awarded to students who demonstrate a financial need based on formulas established by federal and state governments and/or the school. Unlike a loan, grants do not have to be repaid. Grants are available from the federal government, state governments, schools and private organizations.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a grant that does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree. Pell Grant is need-based and the FAFSA is required to determine eligibility. The Financial Aid Office will notify you if you qualify.

Click here for more information>

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is for undergraduates with exceptional need and gives priority to students who receive Federal Pell Grants. SEOG does not have to be repaid. Students may be awarded FSEOG based on the availability of funds. The FAFSA is required to determine eligibility.

Click here for more information>

TEACH Grant Program

This grant is for teacher education majors planning to teach in a low income, school; high need field. The award of $4000 will convert to a Stafford unsubsidized loan for recipients who fail to meet award criteria of teaching a high need subject for 4 years in a low-income school. Students must file a FAFSA and at Shorter students must pass transition point 1, be officially accepted into the teach education program in order to be eligible, and score above the 75 th percentile in the SAT, ACT, or GRE; or have a 3.25 GPA.

TEACH Grant Forms

Click here for TEACH Grant forms
High Need Teaching Fields by State
Click here for more information

Note!
Changes to the TEACH Grant for 2011-2012

The Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listing was just released by the U. S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education.  (http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.doc) This is the official list of high-need teaching fields by state that qualify for the receipt of the TEACH grant for service cancellation. Unfortunately, elementary education is no longer listed as a high-need field for the state of GA.  In fact, the high-need fields for GA are only Math, Sciences, Spanish and Special Education.

Due to this change, our elementary education students will not qualify to receive the TEACH grant for the 11-12 award year. The good news is that because elementary education was listed as a high-need field at the time you received the grant, it will still qualify for service cancellation. This change to the original regulations is highlighted in the Dear Colleague letter published by the Department of Education. (http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0910.html)

We wanted to notify you of this change as soon as we became aware. Please feel free to contact the financial aid office with any questions or concerns.

State Scholarships & Grants

Hope Scholarship

The Hope Scholarship is for degree-seeking students attending private colleges and universities. Private institutions became eligible for this scholarship in the fall term of 1996. To be eligible to receive the Hope Scholarship of $3,600 per academic year for the 2011-12 year, a student must meet the following eligibility requirements.

• Must be a legal resident of Georgia. If you were a GA resident at the time of your high school graduation then you  must be a GA resident for 12 months prior to receiving the HOPE scholarship.  If you were not a GA resident at the time of your high school graduation then you must be a GA resident for 24 months prior to receiving the HOPE scholarship.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or a Permanent Resident Alien who meets the definition of an eligible non-citizen under federal Title IV requirements.
• Must be admitted, enrolled, and classified as an undergraduate student in a matriculated status.
• A student, who has received a HOPE Scholarship payment prior to summer term 2011, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until June 30, 2015, as long as the student continues to meet all other eligibility requirements.
• Beginning Fall 2011, a student who has not received a HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for the HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship if his/her first day of class is within seven years of his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date or date the student stopped pursuing a diploma. Expiration date is June 30th of the 7th academic year following the date of high school graduation or equivalent.
• Must have a cumulative 3.0 grade point average at the end of each spring semester and at the 30th, 60th and 90th attempted hours at the post-secondary level.
• You can only receive HOPE for up to 127 attempted credit hours. This includes all credits taken at any college.

 Go to www.gacollege411.org to apply.

Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant

The Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG) is a state aid program administered by the Georgia Student Finance Authority (GSFC) for Georgia residents who are attending approved private (independent) colleges in Georgia.

• A student must meet the five eligibility requirements for state grant programs.
• In addition, the student must be enrolled in or accepted for admission by an eligible independent college/university in Georgia (such as Shorter University).
• The GTEG is $700 per academic year for 2011-2012.
• Must be a legal resident of Georgia. If you were a GA resident at the time of your high school graduation then you  must be a GA resident for 12 months prior to receiving the HOPE scholarship.  If you were not a GA resident at the time of your high school graduation then you must be a GA resident for 24 months prior to receiving the HOPE scholarship.
• For the Shorter University College of Adult & Professional Studies Program only, the student becomes eligible after he or she has completed 12 consecutive hours. If you withdraw or drop a course, your 12 consecutive hours begins again. The student must complete the Georgia Student Grant Application online.
• You can only receive GTEG for up to 127 paid credit hours. This includes all credits taken at any college.

If you have questions about your HOPE Scholarship or GTEG eligibility, please call Beth Bryson 706-378-2970, Ext. 5570 or email at bbryson@shorter.edu.

Credit Hour Limits

A university degree-seeking student is ineligible for the HOPE Scholarship if the student has:

• Received payment from any combination of HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and Accel Program funds totaling 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of credit; or
• Attempted 127 semester (190 quarter) hours of university degree credit, regardless of whether or not HOPE funds were received while attempting the hours; or
• Has earned a baccalaureate (four-year) university degree, regardless of whether or not HOPE funds were received while earning the degree.

7-year Limit

• A student, who has received a HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, may receive the HOPE Scholarship until June 30, 2015, as long as the student continues to meet all other eligibility requirements.
• A student who has not received a HOPE Scholarship payment prior to Summer term 2011, and meets all other eligibility requirements for the HOPE Scholarship, may receive the HOPE Scholarship if his/her first day of class is within seven years of his or her high school graduation date, GED test date, Home Study program completion date or date the student stopped pursuing a diploma. Expiration date is June 30th of the 7th academic year following the date of high school graduation or equivalent.
• Active duty military members get active service time credit. An application and documentation are required.

Zell Miller Scholarship (ZMS)

• Have graduated in 2007 or later from high school with a 3.7 Hope GPA and 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT or 26 on the ACT.
• Students who graduated from an ineligible high school may get ZMS retroactively only if they have a 3.3 GPA after 30 semester attempted hours and have the SAT/ACT test score required a the time of graduation or home study completion.
• Must maintain a 3.3 GPA at all usual Hope checkpoints -- end of each spring semester, and once completed 30,60, and 90 attempted credit hours.
• If a student loses ZMS at any checkpoint, the student can still get HOPE assuming all requirements, including the 3.0 GPA are met.

Important: Unlike federal programs, funds for the GTEG, HOPE, and Zell Miller programs are sent from the state after the student has successfully completed the the necessary courses.

Local & Private Grants

Employer Tuition Reimbursement

If your company offers employer tuition reimbursement, your company policy must be on file with Shorter University. In addition, registration fees are due prior to the start of the first course. This will be covered during each orientation course at the beginning of each program.

American Association of University Women, Atlanta Branch

Preference is given to women who are at least 30 years old, US citizens, legal residents of Georgia, juniors or seniors at an Atlanta area college/university in Fall 2008, and in good academic standing. The AAUW award is for supplemental expenses such as child care, transportation, or books. Awards cannot be used for tuition.

Click here to download the AAUW Scholarship guidelines and application>