When do UGA students receive Zell Miller Scholarship results after FAFSA submission?

Congrats on your daughter's acceptance! UGA typically includes Zell Miller/HOPE scholarship information in their financial aid package, which usually comes out in March-April. The good news is that Zell Miller isn't competitive - if your daughter meets the academic requirements (3.7+ GPA and either 1200+ SAT or 26+ ACT), she'll get it. It's an entitlement program, so everyone who qualifies receives it as long as they maintain the requirements through graduation. Just make sure she maintains those grades during her final semester of high school!

my son got zell miller last yr and we got notice mid march. but his friend didnt get notice til almost may for some reason lol. dont panic if u dont hear right away

Are you SURE her GPA is calculated correctly for Zell Miller? They don't just use the school GPA - Georgia uses a specific calculation method for HOPE/Zell Miller that only counts core academic courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language). My daughter had a 3.8 overall but after HOPE calculation it dropped to 3.65 which didn't qualify for Zell Miller. You can ask your guidance counselor to calculate the "HOPE GPA" to make sure.

To add some additional details: UGA financial aid packages are typically released in late March through mid-April for incoming freshmen. Zell Miller/HOPE eligibility is determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), not UGA itself. Once GSFC determines eligibility (which they do after final high school transcripts are processed), that information is sent to UGA who then incorporates it into your overall financial aid package. Some important things to know: 1. The 3.7 GPA requirement is based on the HOPE calculation (core academic courses only) 2. The SAT requirement is 1200 combined Critical Reading and Math (not including Writing) 3. Zell Miller covers 100% of standard tuition, while HOPE covers approximately 80-85% 4. Both require maintaining specific GPAs throughout college (3.3 for Zell Miller, 3.0 for HOPE) If you need to check on your daughter's application status, I recommend contacting the Georgia Student Finance Commission directly. Their phone lines can be very busy this time of year, but a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) can help you get through without spending hours on hold. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. I used them last year when we had issues with my son's HOPE verification.

wait im confused cuz i got a letter about zell miller eligibility from gsfc in december before i even got accepted to uga? do they send something different after fafsa?

Anybody else worried about the budget cuts to the University System of Georgia? I heard they might be reducing Zell Miller funding or making the requirements stricter soon. My daughter's getting her hopes up for full tuition coverage but I'm worried the rules might change before she starts in Fall 2025.

I don't think anyone here mentioned that you need to submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline to make sure you get all aid you're eligible for! I think UGA's priority deadline is sometime in February. Did you make sure to submit before then?? If not, your daughter might end up on a waitlist for some financial aid components!!

Since your daughter has such strong qualifications, make sure to look into additional UGA scholarships too!! My son got Zell Miller PLUS a departmental scholarship from the business school that covered his housing. UGA has tons of scholarship opportunities beyond just Zell/HOPE. Check with her specific college/department at UGA to see what else might be available!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this process recently! My daughter received her Zell Miller notification from UGA in early April last year, and it was indeed included in her comprehensive financial aid package rather than as a separate letter. One thing that really helped us was creating a checklist to track everything - FAFSA submission, final transcript submission to GSFC, and following up on any missing documents. Also, don't forget that even with Zell Miller covering tuition, you'll still need to budget for fees, housing, meal plans, and other expenses. UGA's cost estimator tool on their financial aid website is really helpful for getting a complete picture of what you'll actually pay out of pocket. Best of luck to your daughter - sounds like she's got excellent qualifications!

Congratulations on your daughter's acceptance to UGA! As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I can share that the waiting period is definitely nerve-wracking, but it sounds like your daughter has excellent qualifications for Zell Miller. One thing I'd recommend is setting up an account on the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) website if you haven't already - you can check the status of her scholarship application there and see if they need any additional documentation. Also, make sure her high school guidance counselor knows to send her final transcript directly to GSFC at the end of the school year, as that's what triggers the final eligibility determination. The good news is that once she's approved, Zell Miller automatically renews each year as long as she maintains the required GPA in college. The peace of mind that comes with having tuition covered is incredible!

As a new member here, I wanted to add that if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the different deadlines and requirements, UGA's financial aid office is actually really helpful! I called them last month with questions about my younger daughter's upcoming application process, and they walked me through the entire timeline. They also mentioned that they send email reminders about important deadlines, so make sure UGA has your correct email address in their system. One thing that surprised me was that they recommended applying for financial aid even if you think you won't qualify for need-based aid, because some merit scholarships (beyond Zell Miller) require a FAFSA on file. Your daughter sounds like she's in great shape academically - try not to stress too much about the waiting period!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share what I learned when my nephew went through this process two years ago at UGA. One thing that really helped reduce our family's stress was understanding that the Zell Miller scholarship system is pretty reliable - it's not like some competitive scholarships where you're left guessing. Since your daughter has a 1380 SAT and 3.9 GPA, she should be in good shape, but definitely follow the advice others gave about verifying the HOPE GPA calculation with her counselor. Also, I'd recommend bookmarking the GSFC student portal and checking it periodically rather than calling - their online system updates faster than their phone representatives sometimes get information. And don't be surprised if you see some back-and-forth communications between GSFC and UGA in March/April as they finalize everything. The process can seem a bit disjointed since it involves multiple agencies, but it does work! Your daughter is lucky to have such an involved parent keeping track of all these details.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to chime in with some encouragement! Your daughter's stats sound very strong for Zell Miller eligibility. I just went through this process with my son last year, and while the waiting period is definitely anxiety-inducing, everything worked out smoothly once we got organized. One tip I didn't see mentioned yet - if you're like me and tend to worry about paperwork getting lost, you can request email confirmations from both GSFC and UGA when they receive documents. This was a lifesaver for my peace of mind! Also, keep copies of everything in a dedicated folder (physical or digital) - you'd be surprised how often you might need to reference submission dates or confirmation numbers. The fact that you're being so proactive and asking all the right questions tells me your daughter is in great hands. The Georgia scholarship system really is designed to reward students like her who've worked hard academically. Best of luck with the process!

Welcome to the community! As a newcomer here, I wanted to share something that might help ease your anxiety about the timing. My daughter just finished her freshman year at UGA with Zell Miller, and I remember being in your exact position last spring - constantly checking emails and worrying about deadlines! One thing that really helped us was understanding that even if there are any hiccups with the initial notification, Zell Miller awards can be processed retroactively. So if for some reason there's a delay in March/April, it won't affect her actual enrollment or ability to register for classes. UGA's billing system is set up to handle scholarship adjustments even after the semester starts. Also, since your daughter is planning to attend UGA, I'd recommend joining the UGA Parents Facebook group if you haven't already - there's a wealth of real-time information from other parents going through the exact same processes. The Georgia scholarship system can seem complicated from the outside, but it really is designed to work in favor of students who meet the qualifications like your daughter clearly does. Hang in there - you're doing everything right!