Georgia college students could expect higher tuition payouts according to Gov. Brian Kemp's proposed spending plan that includes $61 million in lottery proceeds to fully fund HOPE scholarship.
The plan would end the two-tier award system and cover full tuition for HOPE scholars — and on average, save full-time students $444 per year.
This will be the first time the scholarship program will be fully funded in over a decade since state legislation in 2011 created stricter eligibility requirements due to slower lottery revenues and higher demand.
In the years before that, students who kept at least a “B” average received full, in-state tuition. Since the 2011 revamp, it only provides a full payout to a smaller group of high-achieving students, while the rest of the HOPE recipients get 90% of their tuition covered.