A new state Senate study committee convenes Monday to explore additional ways to fund college tuition in Georgia, potentially reshaping how higher education is supported across the state.
Since its launch in 1993, Georgia’s lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship has covered most or all tuition costs for more than 2.2 million students. The merit-based program has long been hailed as one of the nation’s most successful state scholarship initiatives.
But lawmakers are now considering whether Georgia should go further by creating a need-based scholarship to help students who don’t qualify for HOPE or who need extra financial support. Georgia and New Hampshire are the only two states that do not currently offer a need-based scholarship at their public four-year colleges and universities.
A central question before the committee will be where to target new aid: Should the state prioritize giving low-income high school graduates access to college, or should it focus on helping students who are close to completing their degrees but struggling to cover the final credits?
The cost of such a program will be another key issue shaping the debate. Expanding state-funded aid could require tens of millions of dollars in new spending, raising concerns among lawmakers about the impact on taxpayers.
As the committee begins its work, the outcome could determine whether Georgia continues to rely solely on the merit-based HOPE Scholarship or joins the national trend of offering broader financial assistance to students based on need.
