The HOPE scholarship program in Georgia provides financial aid for tens of thousands of college students. The scholarships are merit-based. Students need to have obtained a 3.0 grade point average in high school in order to be eligible for HOPE awards to help them finance higher education.
In 2011, there were 74,278 Georgia students who qualified for HOPE scholarships. Of these, 45,127, or 60.8 percent, were women.
The Zell Miller Scholarship Program is for top performing students and provides enough money for students to pay their complete tuition costs at state universities. Students need a 3.7 grade point average in high school and to score a 1200 on the reading and mathematics sections of the SAT college entrance examination. In 2011, a total of 10,629 students in Georgia qualified for Zell Miller Scholarships. Of these, 6,231, or 58.6 percent, were women.