Students seeking to become teachers in Georgia can seek financial aid.
Many types of financial aid are available to help alleviate some of the financial burden of paying for college. The state of Georgia offers a wide range of scholarships. Three scholarships, in particular, address the needs of students seeking higher education in preparation to become an educator in Georgia. These scholarships range from loan reimbursement programs to forgivable loan funds to merit-based awards.
HOPE Teacher Loan Scholarship Program
The HOPE Teacher Loan Scholarship Program is a service cancelable loan allotted to students pursuing an advanced degree in education in "critical shortage fields of study." There are three types of eligible recipients for this award: current teachers seeking a master's degree in a critical field of study; current teachers or individuals already in possession of a master's or specialist's degree pursuing another master's or authorization in a critical field of study; or individual residents of Georgia pursuing an advanced degree in a critical field of study. With the HOPE Teacher Loan Scholarship Program, awards are calculated based on hours of study completed. Public school students receive $125 per unit of study and private school students $200. There are many specific eligibility requirements for this scholarship, the most noteworthy being an agreement to teach in a Georgia public school in their chosen critical area of study.
PROMISE Teacher Scholarship Loan
The PROMISE Teacher Scholarship Loan is a forgivable loan. Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree and wish to teach in the Georgia public school system. The award for this scholarship is only allotted during junior and senior years of college, with the maximum of $3,000 per year. Like the HOPE Teacher Loan Scholarship Program, there are numerous eligibility requirements for the PROMISE Teacher Scholarship Loan. The most significant of these requirements includes an agreement to teach in a Georgia public school at a preschool, elementary or secondary level for one academic year for every $1,500 awarded.
Charles McDaniel Teacher Scholarship
Unlike the PROMISE Teacher Scholarship and the HOPE Teacher Loan Scholarship Program, the Charles McDaniel Teacher Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship and requires no repayment. The scholarship is awarded in three annual $1,000 payments. A student eligible to receive this award must be a U.S. citizen or national, a full-time student at a Georgia public university in his junior or senior year admitted to the department or college of education, a Georgia resident for at least 12 months, a graduate of a Georgia public high school, must agree with all Selective Service registration requirements and have earned a 3.25 grade-point average or higher.
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