GGC was built to be an access college, and it acts like one. The bar is a 2.0 GPA, which GGC recalculates using only the 17 core high school classes Georgia requires. Test scores are not used for admission, and about 95% of first-year applicants get in. Priority admission dates are Nov. 1 for spring and May 1 for fall.
Scores still help in one way: a decent SAT or ACT math or English score can let your student skip the extra “learning support” class that otherwise rides along with their first college English or math course.
Plain English: getting in is rarely the hard part at GGC. Paying for housing and staying on track to graduate are where families need a plan.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Georgia Gwinnett College (Read This First)
HOPE already covers about 99% of GGC tuition. HOPE pays $137 per credit hour and tuition is $138. Zell Miller pays the full $138, which works out to only about $30 a year more. Don’t spend money on test prep just to chase Zell for GGC.
Housing is the real bill, not tuition. Tuition and fees run about $5,394 a year. Housing and meals on campus run about $15,810. Living with family drops GGC’s budget estimate by about $5,300 a year.
Five neighboring states pay in-state tuition, but you have to file for it. Families in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee can get the in-state rate through the Border State Waiver. GGC’s cost of attendance page only shows “in-state” and “out-of-state,” so a lot of families never realize this applies to them.
“No application required” isn’t the whole story for Top Honors. The $1,000 Top Honors Scholarship needs Honors Program admission by Dec. 1, which means an essay, a recommendation letter, and an interview.
Most GGC scholarship money sits behind a login. The GGC Foundation portal lists 53 scholarships, and it opens after Grizzly Orientation. Families who never log in never see them.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Georgia Gwinnett College is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Georgia Gwinnett College? GGC's own scholarships run on GPA, not test scores. Scores only matter for Zell Miller (1200 SAT or 25 ACT in one sitting) and for skipping learning-support classes.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: Not used for admission; SAT: Not used for admission.
Average net price? About $15,225/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. It participates in Border State Waiver.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Georgia Gwinnett College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Georgia Gwinnett College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$400 to $1,100 more than the in-state total below.$700 to $1,700 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$21,204
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$5,394
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,810
Total billed cost
$21,204
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$33,624
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$17,814
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,810
Total billed cost
$33,624
That is $12,420 more per year than Georgia residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $15,225 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Border State Waiver: GGC charges in-state tuition ($138 per credit hour instead of $552) to residents of Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. It runs through the University System of Georgia Border State Residents Waiver, so it is not automatic. Students file the waiver through the links GGC sends to their GGC email, and the fall cutoff is about a month into the term (Sept. 10 for fall 2026).
Presidential Academic Out-of-State Award: For students from other states, GGC awards a limited number of in-state rate waivers to new students with at least a 3.0 core high school GPA who complete their admission application by May 1 for fall. It renews with a 3.0 GGC GPA. Mandatory fees are still owed.
For families in the five border states, this is the single biggest cost lever at GGC. It moves tuition and fees from about $17,814 to about $5,394 a year.
🏠 The Commuter Math
About 75% of GGC students come from Gwinnett County, and a lot of them live at home. GGC’s own 2026-27 budget shows why that matters:
roughly $28,834 a year living on campus versus $23,524 living with a relative, for a Georgia resident.
For a family whose student has HOPE, living at home can cut the real out-of-pocket cost of GGC to little more than fees, books, and gas.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Georgia Gwinnett College
We live in Tennessee (or Alabama, Florida, the Carolinas). Do we really pay out-of-state tuition?
Usually not. GGC gives residents of Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee the in-state rate of $138 per credit hour instead of $552 through the Border State Waiver. It is not automatic. Your student files the waiver through the links GGC sends to their GGC email, and the fall cutoff is about a month into the semester.
Is the average net price really $15,225?
That is the most recent federal figure (2023-24) for full-time freshmen who paid in-state tuition and got grant aid. It jumped from $11,037 the year before, and most of that jump came from GGC raising its estimate for living and personal expenses, not from tuition. Tuition and fees barely moved.
Does HOPE cover GGC tuition?
Almost all of it. For 2026-27, HOPE pays $137 per credit hour at GGC and tuition is $138. What HOPE does not touch is the roughly $622 a semester in mandatory fees, plus housing, meals, and books.
Does taking more than 15 credit hours cost extra?
No. GGC charges per credit hour up to 14 hours, then switches to a flat rate at 15 or more ($2,070 a semester in-state). A bachelor’s degree at GGC is about 123 credits, so taking 15 or more each semester is both the cheapest and the fastest path to graduating on time.
Is housing required?
No. GGC has on-campus suites with private bedrooms, but most students commute. If your student does live on campus, a resident meal plan is required, and suite prices run from about $3,300 to $5,600 a semester depending on the layout.
We’re out of state, but not from a border state. Any way to get the in-state rate?
Yes, possibly. GGC awards a limited number of Presidential Academic Out-of-State Awards to new students with a 3.0 core GPA who finish their application by May 1 for fall. It drops tuition to the in-state rate, which is worth about $12,400 a year.
Dec. 1: Be accepted to GGC (and to the Honors Program) by this date for the Top Honors Scholarship. Being early also puts your student first in line for GGC’s limited awards.
May 1: Last day to complete the application for the Presidential Academic Out-of-State Award (fall).
June 1: GGC’s fall FAFSA priority date. State DREAMS money and federal grants reward early filers.
After Grizzly Orientation: The GGC Foundation scholarship application opens. This is where most of the named scholarships live.
Parent rule of thumb: at GGC, the earliest date that touches money is Dec. 1 of senior year, even though admission stays open until spring.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Georgia Gwinnett College
GGC’s “automatic” money is small and limited, and that’s honest information, not a knock. Neither award below needs a separate application,
but both are given in limited numbers, so meeting the minimum does not guarantee the money. For Georgia families, the real automatic aid
at GGC is HOPE, which covers about 99% of tuition. Test scores are not used for any GGC-funded award.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidFull TuitionAutomatic
Zell Miller Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or GSFAPP on file by the last day of the term ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA)
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.7+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1200 SATGeorgia resident; 3.7 HOPE GPA plus 1200 SAT or 25 ACT from a single sitting before graduation; or valedictorian/salutatorian with a 3.0
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pays full standard tuition at GGC ($138 per credit hour, about $4,140 for 15 hours in fall and spring). Mandatory fees, housing, and books are not included. Replaces HOPE rather than adding to it, and stacks with GGC and Foundation awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Georgia Gwinnett College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent GA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who hit 1200 or 25 in one sitting before graduation. At GGC specifically, Zell is worth only about $30 a year more than HOPE, because HOPE already pays $137 of the $138 per-hour rate. The 3.3 renewal GPA is where most Zell students fall back to HOPE, which at GGC barely changes the bill.
State AidAutomatic
HOPE Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or GSFAPP on file by the last day of the term ✓ Renews (3 GPA)
$4,110/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPAGeorgia resident; 3.0 HOPE GPA at graduation plus four rigor credits; no test score needed
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pays $137 per credit hour at GGC for 2026-27, up to 15 hours a term ($2,055 a semester, $4,110 for fall and spring). That covers about 99% of GGC tuition. Fees, housing, and books are on you. State money that stacks with every college award.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Georgia Gwinnett College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent GA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Nearly every Georgia graduate with a 3.0 HOPE GPA. The losses happen at the 30, 60, and 90 hour checkpoints, and the 90 hour miss is permanent. Because HOPE pays by the credit hour, part-time GGC students keep it too; it simply pays for the hours they take.
State AidAutomatic
DREAMS Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA as early as possible; no separate application ✓ Renews
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
New for fall 2026. Pell-eligible Georgia resident at a USG or TCSG school, at least 6 hours; 60 hours of work per term and online Financial Toolkit sessions required
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $1,500 a semester toward unmet need after Pell, HOPE, and college aid. Public colleges only, from a fixed allocation, so early FAFSA filers get it first.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Georgia Gwinnett College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent GA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pell-eligible students who file early and then actually complete the work hours and toolkit sessions. The second disbursement is withheld from students who skip either one, which is the part the award letter does not make obvious.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Presidential Academic Out-of-State Award
📅 Deadline: Apply early; limited awards and earliest applicants get priority ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$12,420/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Out-of-state students only
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Limited number winners/yr3.0 core high school GPA (or 3.0 transfer GPA on all attempted college work); admitted as an out-of-state student with a permanent address outside Georgia; proof of lawful presence under USG rules. One waiver per student.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Works as a tuition waiver: GGC charges the in-state $138 per hour instead of $552. At 2026-27 rates that is worth about $12,420 a year. Mandatory fees ($622 a semester) are still owed. Stacks with Foundation scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renews automatically for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative GGC GPA and at least 24 credit hours completed per academic year (summer excluded). Renewal is checked after each spring semester.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Out-of-state students from outside the five border states who apply early. Residents of Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee usually do not need it, because GGC already gives them in-state tuition through the Border State Waiver. Awards are limited and early applicants get priority, so the May 1 cutoff is a real deadline.
Automatic
GGC Aspirational Grant
📅 Deadline: Priority given to early applicants ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited number winners/yrGGC's own pages disagree. The financial aid page lists a 3.0 core high school GPA minimum and says the grant is awarded after a student completes 15 GGC credits with a 3.0. The Foundation scholarship portal describes it as a grant for new students who enter below a 3.0 and raise their GPA above 3.25 after the first semester. Ask GGC Financial Aid which rule applies to your student.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A $1,000 a year award that stacks with HOPE, Pell, and Foundation scholarships. It is not a discount on the first bill; it arrives after the first semester of college grades.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renews for up to 3.5 years with a 3.25 cumulative GGC GPA, full-time enrollment (24 credits per academic year, summer excluded), and attendance at the annual scholarship recognition event. The Foundation portal also lists a Stephens Aspirational Scholarship Fund with the same $1,000 structure.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who start strong in their first semester at GGC. It rewards college grades, not high school stats, so a student who arrives with a modest transcript and then earns a 3.25 or better can still land it. Funding is limited, so earlier applicants get first look.
Data last verified Oct 31, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: GGC’s own pages describe the Aspirational Grant two different ways. One says it needs a 3.0 high school GPA, and the other describes it as a reward for students who come in below a 3.0 and raise their grades. If your student is counting on it, ask GGC Financial Aid which rule applies.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Georgia Gwinnett College)
Does GGC give automatic scholarships based on GPA and test scores?
Not in the way big state universities do. GGC has no scholarship grid. Its two no-application awards are the $1,000 Aspirational Grant and the Presidential Academic Out-of-State Award, and both are limited in number.
Is it worth chasing Zell Miller instead of HOPE at GGC?
Not by much. Zell needs a 3.7 HOPE GPA plus a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT from one sitting, and at GGC it pays only about $30 a year more than HOPE. If your student is choosing between GGC and UGA or Georgia Tech, Zell matters a lot more at those schools.
Who gets the Presidential Academic Out-of-State Award?
New students from outside Georgia with at least a 3.0 core GPA who finish the admission application by May 1 for fall. It charges them the in-state rate (worth about $12,400 a year). It renews with a 3.0 GGC GPA and 24 credits a year.
Do the Aspirational Grant and HOPE stack?
Yes. The Aspirational Grant is $1,000 a year of GGC money, and it stacks with HOPE, Pell, DREAMS, and Foundation scholarships.
What about need-based state money?
Georgia’s DREAMS Scholarship pays up to $1,500 a semester to Pell-eligible Georgia residents at public colleges like GGC. Your student has to complete 60 hours of work a term and online Financial Toolkit sessions to keep receiving it.
Does my student need test scores at all?
Not for GGC admission or GGC scholarships. Scores help with Zell Miller and can let your student skip the extra learning-support class in English or math.
Georgia Gwinnett College does not have a flagship, essay-and-interview scholarship program like the ones at UGA or Georgia Tech.
Its competitive money comes through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal, where awards run from a few hundred dollars up to a single full-tuition award.
Think of these as gap fillers stacked on top of HOPE, not as a way to cover the whole bill.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at GGC?
Aid Type
Stacks?
GGC Parent Translation
HOPE / Zell Miller
Zell replaces HOPE
You get one or the other. At GGC they are worth almost the same amount.
GGC Foundation scholarships
Yes
These are built to sit on top of HOPE and Pell and help with fees, books, and housing.
Tuition-only awards
Ask first
HOPE already covers about 99% of tuition, so a tuition-only award may have little room to pay out. Ask Financial Aid before counting on both.
Pell and DREAMS
Usually
Need-based money fills the gap after merit. File the FAFSA early, because DREAMS comes from a fixed pot.
Total aid cap
Hard limit
Total aid can’t exceed GGC’s cost of attendance. Commuters have a lower cost of attendance, so they hit this ceiling sooner.
If your student is chasing a big competitive award with interviews and finalist weekends, GGC is not that kind of school. Its value is a very low base price,
and the competitive awards below are bonuses that make a cheap school even cheaper.
App Required
Peach State Federal Credit Union First-generation Scholars
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal after Grizzly Orientation; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ First-generation students
👥 ~One new recipient per year winners/yrIncoming freshman who is the first in the family to attend college.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and other GGC awards. At $2,500 a year it is one of the largest named awards a new GGC freshman can win.
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by a $250,000 Peach State Federal Credit Union pledge to the GGC Foundation. Worth $10,000 over four years when renewed. Renewal requires a minimum 2.0 GPA and a renewal application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One first-generation freshman per year, so it is a long shot for any single student. The practical edge is timing: complete the Foundation application as soon as the portal opens after orientation instead of waiting until classes start.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
President's Choice Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$500–$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFull-time (12 or more hours a semester). Preference for students with financial need, a cumulative GGC GPA of at least 3.0, and little access to other substantial aid.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Built to fill gaps for strong students who fall between the cracks of bigger programs, so it generally layers on top of whatever else they have.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awards generally range from $500 to $1,000 and may renew for up to four years as funds and eligibility allow.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Continuing GGC students with a 3.0 or better who have need but miss out on bigger programs, for example students who lost HOPE or do not qualify for Pell. GGC can also use it for recruiting, but the stated purpose is keeping strong students enrolled.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Georgia Foundation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. Non-Renewable
$4,140/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Georgia residents only
👥 ~One student winners/yr🎓 All UndergradGeorgia resident enrolled full time in an undergraduate program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Tuition only. Because HOPE and Zell already cover nearly all GGC tuition, ask Financial Aid how this award interacts with HOPE before counting on both in full.
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed in the portal as a full-tuition award (about $4,140 at 2026-27 rates). CollegeReadyParent does not flag it as a full-tuition program because it goes to a single student. The listing does not say whether it renews.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
One Georgia student. It matters most for a Georgia resident who does not have HOPE, since HOPE already pays about 99% of GGC tuition.
Data last verified Oct 31, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
When do we apply for GGC’s competitive scholarships?
After your student is admitted and attends Grizzly Orientation, they log in to the GGC Foundation scholarship portal and complete the application. Deadlines are posted in the portal each cycle, and many awards also look at the FAFSA, so file it early.
What’s the biggest named award for a new freshman?
The Peach State Federal Credit Union First-generation Scholars award is $2,500 a year (up to $10,000 over four years), but it goes to one first-generation freshman per year.
Is there really a full-tuition scholarship?
The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Georgia Foundation funds one full-tuition award for a Georgia resident. Since HOPE already covers about 99% of tuition, it matters most for a Georgia student without HOPE.
What is the President’s Choice Scholarship?
It’s an award of $500 to $1,000 for full-time students with financial need and a 3.0 GGC GPA, especially those who miss out on bigger programs. It can renew for up to four years.
Does GGC participate in National Merit, QuestBridge, or Stamps?
No, GGC is not a sponsor or partner in any of those programs.
How can my student stand out in the Foundation application?
Be specific about goals, service, and financial situation. Families can use our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder to organize what to say.
Most of GGC’s named scholarships live in one place: the GGC Foundation scholarship portal.
It holds 53 awards, and the application opens after Grizzly Orientation. Here’s the order that works:
File the FAFSA (GGC school code 041429). Many of these awards are partly need-based.
Attend Grizzly Orientation, then log in and complete the general Foundation application.
Search the portal by major (nursing, business, IT, education, exercise science) and by situation (first-gen, veteran, Gwinnett law enforcement family).
Save or screenshot every confirmation page.
Parent translation: if your student skips the portal, they still get HOPE, but they leave the stackable money on the table.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards aren’t automatic, but they stack with HOPE and Pell and can pay for the parts HOPE doesn’t touch. Most need the Foundation application and a FAFSA on file. Several narrow the field to a specific major or family situation, and that’s exactly what makes the odds good.
App Required
Goizueta HACER Recruitment Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPANew first-year student admitted to GGC; full time (12 or more credits a semester, 24 a year); minimum 2.5 high school or transfer GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $1,000 a semester, fall and spring only. Stacks with HOPE and Pell.
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of the Goizueta Foundation HACER program at GGC. The portal tags it with Hispanic and Latino keywords, but the posted criteria do not list an ethnicity requirement. A companion HACER Success Retention award (up to $2,000) helps low-income students within 30 credit hours of graduating.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Motivated students with a solid but not spectacular transcript, the B-minus range that gets shut out of merit money at most schools. Renewal favors students who raise their GPA, so first-semester grades matter.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Wellness and Recreation Scholarships (Strickland and Georgia Banking Company)
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradExercise science majors, or students who show involvement in and interest in wellness and recreation at GGC; 3.0 GPA and good standing.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $2,000 a semester, and the money can go toward tuition, fees, program equipment, meal plans, and housing. That flexibility is rare for a donor scholarship.
💡
Strategic Detail
Two separate donor funds (Clyde L. and Sandra J. Strickland, and Georgia Banking Company) with matching criteria. Renewable up to four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Exercise science students and students who are visibly involved at the Wellness and Recreation Center (rec staff, intramurals, Outdoor Adventures trips). Getting involved in the first year is the quiet way to qualify.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Andersen Family Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ First-generation preference
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFinancial need, full time, 2.5 GGC GPA. Preference for entering freshmen with a 2.8 high school GPA who are first-generation and have a history of service.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Need-based Foundation award; stacks with HOPE and Pell.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-generation freshmen with steady grades and a real volunteer history. Students who never think to list service hours on a scholarship form are exactly who this one is written for.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Gartrell Endowed Scholarship Fund
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Business majors; first-gen preference
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFull time with a 2.5 GGC GPA. Preference for declared School of Business majors who are first-generation and from groups historically underrepresented in higher education.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and other Foundation awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: First-generation business majors. Business is GGC's largest bachelor's program, but the first-gen preference shrinks the field considerably.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Clyde L. and Sandra J. Strickland Nursing Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Nursing Program students
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradEnrolled full time in the GGC Nursing Program with a GGC GPA of 3.0 or above. Preference for Gwinnett County residents.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and other nursing awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Nursing students with a 3.0 or better, with a preference for Gwinnett County residents. About three in four GGC students come from Gwinnett, so local nursing students should not assume this is out of reach.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Women in the Nursing Program
🎓 All UndergradFemale students with financial need enrolled in the GGC Nursing Program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Need-based; stacks with other aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Amount and renewal terms are not published in the portal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Women in GGC's nursing program who have financial need. The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation funds awards at more than 200 Southern schools; at GGC the money is earmarked for nursing.
App Required
Goizueta P-12 Teacher Recruitment Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Future teachers
🏫 2.5+ GPAIncoming students planning to pursue, or pursuing, a bachelor's degree in education at GGC. Preference for students who keep a 2.5 GPA in the first two (pre-education) years and come from backgrounds historically underrepresented in higher education.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE and Pell.
💡
Strategic Detail
A companion Goizueta P-12 Teacher Hardship Scholarship helps education students facing financial hardship stay enrolled. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming students set on teaching. It is one of the few GGC awards aimed at new students by intended major, so a future teacher should apply in the first cycle, not after declaring.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Carl D. White, Sr. Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Gwinnett law enforcement families
🏫 2.8+ GPA🎓 All UndergradDependent children of full-time employees of the Gwinnett County Police Department, Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, city police departments within Gwinnett County, or Gwinnett County Public Schools resource officers. Full time with a 2.8 GGC GPA; need preferred.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and other Foundation awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Children of Gwinnett law enforcement families. If that is your family, this is one of the narrowest applicant pools in the Foundation portal, which makes it one of the better odds.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Lee and Marshall Boutwell Veterans Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Veterans and their children
🏫 2.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFull time with a GGC GPA above 2.0. Priority order: veterans wounded or disabled in service, then combat arms veterans, then all veterans, then dependent children of those groups. Need preferred.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with GI Bill benefits and other aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four academic years. Amount is not published. GGC holds a Silver 2025-2026 Military Friendly School designation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Veterans first, with wounded or disabled veterans at the top of the list, then dependent children of veterans. The GPA bar is just above 2.0, so this is about service history, not grades.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Herschend David Burkart Memorial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ IT and MIS majors
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFull time with a GGC GPA of 3.0. Preference for information technology or management information systems majors with financial need.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and other Foundation awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: IT and MIS majors with a 3.0 and need. IT is GGC's second largest bachelor's program by graduates, so this is worth a look for anyone in that pipeline. The Chen-Lin Foundation Endowed Scholarship is a second MIS-focused option in the same portal.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Gwinnett County Bar Association Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Pre-law students
🏫 2.8+ GPA🎓 All UndergradLiberal Arts or Business majors who plan a career as an attorney or in a related legal field. Full time with a 2.8 GGC GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and other Foundation awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who can clearly explain a plan for law school or a legal career. Preference goes to the highest GPA and the best-written career essay, so the essay carries real weight here.
App Required⚠ Senior Only
GGC Finish Line Grant
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; awarded as funds allow. Non-Renewable
$2,000
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.0+ GPA🎓 SeniorCurrent GGC students with financial need, a GPA above 2.0, and within 30 credit hours of graduating. Priority to full-time students.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $2,000; stacks with remaining aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Not a freshman award, but worth knowing about on day one. GGC also offers a Small Balance Grant (up to $750) and Primerica grants for Pell students with an unpaid balance.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students close to graduation who hit a money wall, for example after losing HOPE or running out of Pell eligibility. It can be received at most twice.
Data last verified Oct 31, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Can these stack with HOPE?
Yes. Foundation scholarships are designed to sit on top of HOPE and Pell. The only real ceiling is that total aid can’t go over GGC’s cost of attendance.
Many of these don’t list an amount. Why?
Most Foundation awards depend on how much the endowment earns each year. Treat the unlisted ones as a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and apply to every one your student fits.
Is there anything for a student with a B-minus average?
Yes. The Goizueta HACER Recruitment Scholarship accepts a 2.5 high school GPA and pays up to $1,000 a semester to new full-time students. Several need-based awards only require a 2.5 GGC GPA.
What if my student runs short of money near graduation?
Look at the GGC Finish Line Grant (up to $2,000 for students within 30 hours of graduating) and the Small Balance Grant (up to $750). These exist because running out of money late is common at commuter colleges.
Can continuing students apply?
Yes. Most portal awards are open to current students, and some (like the nursing and pre-law awards) only make sense once a student is in the major.
GGC has an Honors Program, not a separate Honors College. It’s built around four values: scholarship, leadership, service, and creativity.
True to GGC’s access mission, the bar to get in is a GPA, not a test score, but students still apply separately.
GPA to apply: 3.5 or higher
What it takes: an Honors application, a personal essay of at least 500 words responding to one of five quotations, a recommendation letter, and an interview with the selection committee
What members get: smaller Honors sections of core classes, a first-year Honors seminar, interdisciplinary Honors 3000 seminars, and the Honors Learning Lounge
Graduating “with honors”: keep a 3.2 GPA, complete two Honors 3000 classes, and stay in the program at least four semesters
Honors Program Scholarships
App Required
GGC Top Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors Program admission required
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~Limited number, awarded by committee winners/yr3.5 high school core GPA; accepted to GGC by Dec. 1; admitted to the Honors Program (Honors application, 500-word essay, recommendation letter, and interview). Priority to early applicants.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Zell, Pell, and Foundation awards. Paired with HOPE, it can cover most of the leftover mandatory fees.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to GGC early in the fall of senior year. Submit the Honors Program application with the 500-word personal response essay and a recommendation letter, then complete the Honors interview. All of it needs to land before Dec. 1.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Renews up to four years with a 3.5 cumulative GGC GPA, continuous full-time enrollment (12 or more hours a semester, 24 a year), active Honors participation, and attendance at the annual scholarship recognition event. The Foundation portal also lists a Stephens Top Honors Scholarship Fund with the same $1,000 structure.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who treat Dec. 1 as the real deadline. GGC lists no separate scholarship application, but the Honors Program application, essay, recommendation, and interview all have to be finished in time to be admitted by Dec. 1. That timing is where most families lose this award.
App Required⚠ Transfer Only
GGC Top Honors Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 3 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors Program admission required
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~Limited number, awarded by committee winners/yr🎓 Transfer3.5 transfer GPA; 30 to 60 transferable college credits; admitted to the Honors Program; accepted to GGC by Dec. 1 for priority.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with HOPE, Pell, and Foundation awards.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renews up to three years with a 3.5 cumulative GGC GPA, full-time enrollment, Honors participation, and attendance at the annual recognition event. The portal also lists Hughes Endowed and White Family Top Honors Transfer funds ($1,000 a year) for students moving into the Honors Program, including from within GGC.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Community college and other transfer students with a 3.5 who plan a full semester ahead. The Dec. 1 acceptance date lands well before most transfer students start thinking about fall.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Garrard Family Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the GGC Foundation scholarship portal; deadlines are posted each cycle. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFull-time GGC student with financial need and at least a 2.5 GGC GPA. Preference for Honors Program students.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Need-based Foundation money that stacks with Top Honors, HOPE, and Pell.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable up to four years. Amount is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students who also have financial need and remember to complete the Foundation application. The Honors preference narrows the field compared with general need-based awards.
Data last verified Oct 31, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Award amounts reflect GGC’s current published figures. Honors scholarships are limited and awarded by committee.
Deadline Note: The $1,000 Top Honors Scholarship goes to students who are accepted to GGC and admitted to the Honors Program by December 1.
GGC says there’s no separate scholarship application, but the Honors application, essay, recommendation, and interview all have to happen before then. Start in October.
Program-Based Money (Beyond Honors)
Nursing: Strickland Nursing, Lettie Pate Whitehead, Kaiser Permanente, and the GGC Nursing Scholarship Fund in the Foundation portal.
Business: Gartrell, Strickland Business, Harley/Walsh (finance and marketing), and the Hardin awards for juniors and seniors.
IT and MIS: Herschend Burkart and Chen-Lin Foundation awards.
Education: Goizueta P-12 Teacher Recruitment and Cathy Moore awards.
Honors Program FAQs (Georgia Gwinnett College)
Is Honors admission automatic with a 3.5?
No. A 3.5 lets your student apply. Admission is holistic and includes an essay, a recommendation, and an interview.
Is the Honors scholarship automatic once my student is in Honors?
Not quite. Top Honors awards are limited and decided by committee before Dec. 1, with priority to early applicants. Students admitted to Honors later can still join, but may miss that year’s awards.
Can transfer students join?
Yes. Transfers with a 3.5 college GPA and 30 to 60 transfer credits can apply, and there’s a matching $1,000 Top Honors Transfer Scholarship that renews for up to three years.
Does Honors stack with HOPE or Zell?
Yes. Top Honors is GGC money and stacks with state aid, Pell, and Foundation awards.
Is the AI policy real on the essay?
Yes. GGC’s Honors instructions specifically ask for no AI-generated responses, so the essay needs to be in your student’s own voice.
Georgia Gwinnett College is young. It opened in 2006 as the first four-year public college founded in the U.S. this century, and it was built for working students and first-generation families in one of Georgia’s fastest-growing counties.
About 39% of GGC students are the first in their families to go to college, and U.S. News has ranked GGC the most ethnically diverse Southern regional college every year from 2015 to 2025.
The academic strengths line up with what metro Atlanta employers hire for: business, technology, health care, and teaching.
Nationally Accredited Program: School of Business. GGC’s largest program is AACSB-accredited, the same business accreditation held by schools like UGA and Georgia State.
Students choose from eight concentrations, and the school runs a business simulation lab. That’s a real credential at a public price of about $138 a credit hour.
Information Technology: GGC’s second-largest bachelor’s program by graduates, with a cybersecurity certificate available.
Nursing: A CCNE-accredited BSN, with a strong set of nursing-only scholarships in the Foundation portal.
Education: Teacher preparation in elementary, middle grades, and special education, plus teacher certification inside biology, chemistry, English, history, math, and political science.
Cinema and Media Arts Production: A film degree with access to Georgia Film Academy courses, tied to Georgia’s large film and TV industry.
Popular Pathways: Psychology, biology, health science, exercise science, and criminal justice round out the most-graduated majors.
🔗 Official Georgia Gwinnett College Links
Use GGC’s official pages below to double-check admissions details, scholarship rules, costs, and residency questions. Always treat these pages as the final word on deadlines and award terms.
Big picture? Georgia Gwinnett College is one of the cheapest ways in Georgia to earn a bachelor’s degree, and HOPE does most of the heavy lifting. For a Georgia student with a 3.0, tuition is nearly covered. The real decisions are about housing (living at home can save about $5,300 a year) and about logging in to the Foundation portal after orientation, where the stackable money lives.
For families in Alabama, Florida, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, GGC quietly offers in-state tuition through the Border State Waiver, which makes it a surprisingly cheap option. Just remember to file the paperwork.
One honest note: GGC serves many part-time and working students, and its federal six-year graduation rate is low, about 21%, with another 38% transferring elsewhere. The students who do best take 15 or more hours a semester (it costs nothing extra), use the faculty mentoring GGC is built around, and treat finishing as the goal from day one.
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