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University of North Georgia scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$26,500per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

University of North Georgia is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 5 published awards, and 2 are based on those numbers.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
8 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. Georgia HOPE Scholarship (state award)100% of UNG bachelor on-campus / online tuitionAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Georgia HOPE Scholarship (state award)

    100% of UNG bachelor on-campus / online tuition

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.0 HOPE GPA (initial eligibility from high school)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Georgia HOPE Scholarship (state award)

    Who qualifies

    Georgia resident; new graduate from an eligible Georgia high school meeting all Georgia residency requirements; apply via GSFAPPS at GAfutures.org

    How to keep it

    Recipients must maintain a 3.0 HOPE GPA and a 67% completion rate of all coursework; the HOPE GPA is checked at the end of every Spring Semester and after attempting 30, 60, and 90 semester hours.

    Worth knowing

    STATE award, not UNG institutional merit, but it is the dominant tuition-lowering lever for in-state students. Per UNG's HOPE FAQ, for 2025-2026 HOPE covers 100% of the UNG bachelor on-campus and online tuition rate. HOPE pays toward TUITION ONLY — mandatory fees, lab fees, and inclusive material charges are still owed (see commonMistakes). No test score is required for HOPE.

  2. Georgia Zell Miller Scholarship (state award)100% of UNG bachelor on-campus / online tuitionAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Georgia Zell Miller Scholarship (state award)

    100% of UNG bachelor on-campus / online tuition

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.7 high school GPA
    SAT
    1200 on the Math and Reading portions
    ACT
    26 composite
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Georgia Zell Miller Scholarship (state award)

    Who qualifies

    Georgia resident; incoming freshman meeting all Georgia residency requirements; apply via GSFAPPS at GAfutures.org

    How to keep it

    Zell Miller Scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.3 HOPE GPA and a 67% completion rate of all coursework; the Zell Miller (HOPE) GPA is checked at the end of every Spring Semester and after attempting 30, 60, and 90 semester hours.

    Worth knowing

    STATE award, not UNG institutional merit. Automatic on stats for qualifying Georgia residents. Per UNG's HOPE FAQ, Zell Miller pays 100% of the UNG on-campus and online bachelor tuition rate. Like HOPE, it pays toward TUITION ONLY — fees and material charges remain. This is the strongest merit outcome at UNG for an in-state student who clears the 3.7 GPA + 1200 SAT/26 ACT bar.

  3. Presidential Scholarships (UNG Honors Program — Choate Family, William P. Roberts, Alexander Brevard Russell)Up to $1,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Presidential Scholarships (UNG Honors Program — Choate Family, William P. Roberts, Alexander Brevard Russell)

    Up to $1,000 per year

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Honors Program admission (first-semester freshmen: minimum 3.5 high school GPA per the Honors apply page)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Presidential Scholarships (UNG Honors Program — Choate Family, William P. Roberts, Alexander Brevard Russell)

    Who qualifies

    Incoming first-year students accepted into the UNG Honors Program are automatically considered; only 3-4 students selected each year; awarded competitively to the most academically qualified incoming freshmen; Dahlonega Campus only

    How to keep it

    Renewable for up to four years of study; available for up to 12 semesters, renewed annually, provided recipients enroll in and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester and maintain good standing in the Honors Program.

    Worth knowing

    UNG-FUNDED award but small ($1,000/yr) and very limited (3-4 recipients/year). 'Automatically considered' means no separate scholarship app once you are an Honors admit, but it is competitive, not automatic-on-stats. Recipients notified by March 15. Do not confuse this 'Presidential Scholarship' with the out-of-state 'Presidential Tuition Waiver' — different programs.

  4. Presidential Tuition Waiver (PTW) — out-of-state & internationalUp to $25,000 to $50,000 over four yearsNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Presidential Tuition Waiver (PTW) — out-of-state & international

    Up to $25,000 to $50,000 over four years

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Based on academic performance
    SAT
    Considered
    ACT
    Considered
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Presidential Tuition Waiver (PTW) — out-of-state & international

    Who qualifies

    Out-of-state and international students who are legally present in the US; competitively awarded based on academic performance and/or test scores; all admitted out-of-state/international students are considered

    How to keep it

    Full PTW lets recipients pay tuition at the in-state rate for up to ten semesters if renewal criteria are met. Specific renewal GPA not published on the page.

    Worth knowing

    UNG-FUNDED but a TUITION-RATE WAIVER, not a cash scholarship — it lowers the out-of-state tuition rate toward (Half PTW) or down to (Full PTW) the in-state rate. The '$25,000 to $50,000 over four years' is the savings versus the out-of-state sticker, not a check. Only valuable to out-of-state/international students; Georgia residents already pay in-state tuition. Apply via the Presidential Tuition Waiver Application.

  5. Georgia ROTC and Future Officer Grant (Corps of Cadets)Up to $750 per semester; up to $2,000 per semester with a commissioning agreementNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Georgia ROTC and Future Officer Grant (Corps of Cadets)

    Up to $750 per semester; up to $2,000 per semester with a commissioning agreement

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Not specified
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Georgia ROTC and Future Officer Grant (Corps of Cadets)

    Who qualifies

    Georgia residents only; the higher tier requires signing an agreement to commission as an Army officer; application process begins after enrollment

    How to keep it

    Paid at the end of each semester; continued participation in the Corps / ROTC required. Specific renewal GPA not published on the page.

    Worth knowing

    Tied to the senior-military-college Corps of Cadets / Army ROTC path, not general admission. The $2,000/semester tier requires committing to commission as an Army officer. Georgia residents only. The named 'UNG Military Scholarship (Georgia Military Service Scholarship)' and 'Army ROTC Scholarship' are also offered but the cadet page publishes no dollar amounts for them (deadline Feb 15 for the Military Scholarship).

Lights up against University of North Georgia's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office.

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The fine print

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

University of North Georgia's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes University of North Georgia different

UNG is a low-sticker Georgia public (senior military college) where the real merit story is the state HOPE/Zell Miller scholarships — which pay 100% of UNG bachelor tuition for qualifying Georgia residents — not a published institutional GPA/test dollar grid; the few UNG-funded awards (honors Presidential up to $1,000/yr, out-of-state Presidential Tuition Waivers) are small or competitive.

Merit tiers52 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take University of North Georgia's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

Straight from the aid office

What University of North Georgia's aid office says

Per the Undergraduate Admissions Office, University of North Georgia, August 2026. How we verify

Basis of Presidential Tuition Waiver

How is the Presidential Tuition Waiver determined?

The waiver is merit-based and considers a few different factors.

“The Presidential Tuition Waiver is a merit-based waiver that takes a few different factors into consideration.”
Minimum GPA requirement

Is there a minimum GPA for the waiver, and is it fixed?

There is a minimum GPA, but it varies depending on the GPA and test scores reported each fall semester.

“There is a minimum GPA, but it changes based on the GPA and test scores reported each fall semester.”
50% waiver eligibility

Who is eligible for the 50% waiver?

The only 50% waivers awarded are for international students who work with the Center for Global Engagement.

“The only 50% waivers that we award are for international students who work with our Center for Global Engagement.”
What the Presidential Waiver covers

What does the Presidential Waiver actually pay for?

If approved, the waiver covers the out-of-state portion of tuition and fees.

“If you apply, and are approved, for a Presidential Waiver, it would waiver the out-of-state portion of your tuition and fees.”
Waiver eligibility by residency

Who can apply for the Presidential Waiver based on residency?

This waiver is only available to out-of-state or out-of-country students.

“This waiver is only available to out-of-state or out-of-country students.”
How to apply

How does a student apply for the Presidential Waiver for spring 2027?

Interested students can apply via the New Student Scholarship page on the university website.

“If you are interested in applying for the Presidential Waiver for the spring 2027 semester, you can do so by visiting our New Student Scholarship”

What families often miss

  1. Per UNG's HOPE FAQ, both pay 100% of bachelor on-campus/online TUITION only. Mandatory fees ($1,180/yr), lab fees, inclusive-material charges, and all of housing, food, books, transportation and personal costs are still owed — the 2026-27 in-state on-campus Dahlonega COA TOTAL is $26,500, while in-state tuition is only $5,790.

  2. UNG does not publish a GPA/test dollar grid for its own institutional aid. The 'New Student Scholarship Application' is one form for all Undergraduate Admissions Academic and Leadership Scholarships, but no amounts or cutoffs are published and 'only students selected to receive a scholarship will receive a notification.' Your automatic merit at UNG effectively IS HOPE/Zell Miller (state).

  3. They are different programs. The honors Presidential Scholarship is a small ($1,000/yr) cash award for 3-4 Honors students on the Dahlonega campus. The Presidential Tuition Waiver only helps OUT-OF-STATE / international students by lowering their tuition rate toward the in-state rate; it does nothing for Georgia residents who already pay in-state.

  4. That number is the SAVINGS versus the out-of-state sticker tuition, realized by being charged the in-state (Full PTW) or in-state-plus-half (Half PTW) rate. It is a rate waiver, not a scholarship check, and it is competitive — not guaranteed.

  5. The incoming-student scholarship priority window runs roughly September 1 to February 1; the Honors one-time/study-abroad deadline is November 15; and the UNG Military Scholarship deadline is February 15. The Fall 2026 Undergraduate Admissions Scholarship Application is already closed as of this review — late applicants miss UNG-funded consideration.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Georgia residents who can hit the HOPE (3.0) or Zell Miller (3.7 GPA + 1200 SAT/26 ACT) bar and want most or all of a low public-tuition bill covered by the state; out-of-state/international students chasing a competitive Presidential Tuition Waiver; and students drawn to the Corps of Cadets / ROTC path. Not the school for a guaranteed automatic institutional merit grid — UNG does not publish one with dollar amounts.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $26,500 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at University of North Georgia, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at University of North Georgia, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$6,981
$30,001–$48,000$7,261
$48,001–$75,000$10,118
$75,001–$110,000$12,059
$110,001+$13,481
All income levels (average)$9,823

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$5,285
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$16,503
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$9,823

That works out to roughly a 46% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $18,177 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

University of North Georgia is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
37%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
73%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$17,750 (~$188/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$50,135
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
32%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
21%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

UNG does not publish an outside-scholarship displacement policy on its public scholarship pages. The only outside-scholarship mechanic stated is administrative: privately-awarded scholarships are automatically split half/half across fall and spring unless the donor letter says otherwise. How an outside award interacts with HOPE/Zell Miller or other UNG aid is NOT documented publicly and must be confirmed with the Financial Aid office.

HOPE and Zell Miller are state tuition-only awards; UNG's private-scholarships page states only that private scholarships are split between fall and spring. No federal over-award / displacement ordering (loan-first vs grant-first) is published. UNG-funded awards (Presidential honors, PTW) do not state stacking rules with the state scholarships.

Source

Other University of North Georgia scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

AmountVaries (range in amount by donor)EligibilityAwarded by the Office of Cadet Admissions to Corps of Cadets students; completed FAFSA required.

UNG-funded cadet awards; no fixed dollar amount published — 'the award amount depends on the scholarship awarded.' Contact wyatt.campbell@ung.edu.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityCorps of Cadets students; deadline February 15.

Named on the cadet scholarships page with a Feb 15 deadline but no dollar amount published.

Source

AmountAmount not published (national Army program)EligibilityCorps of Cadets / Army ROTC participants.

Listed on the cadet page; no UNG-specific dollar amount published. Governed by the U.S. Army ROTC program.

Source

AmountVariesEligibility450+ different scholarship funds; new incoming students apply Sept 1 to Feb 1 (priority); current students Oct 1 to Feb 14.

Donor-funded; UNG Foundation provided a record $3.7M to ~1,400 students in 2023-24. Individual award amounts and criteria vary by fund and are not published as a single grid.

Source

University of North Georgia merit aid FAQ

  • Does UNG have automatic merit scholarships based on GPA or test scores?

    Not as a published institutional dollar grid. For Georgia residents the automatic, stats-based aid is the state HOPE Scholarship (3.0 GPA, no test required) and the Zell Miller Scholarship (3.7 GPA plus 1200 SAT or 26 ACT) — both pay 100% of UNG bachelor tuition. UNG's own admissions scholarships are awarded through one application with no published amounts, and 'only students selected to receive a scholarship will receive a notification.'

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    For incoming students, the UNG scholarship priority window is roughly September 1 to February 1 (the Fall 2026 application is now closed). Honors one-time and study-abroad awards close November 15. The UNG Military Scholarship deadline is February 15. File the FAFSA and the Georgia GSFAPPS (for HOPE/Zell Miller) early.

  • Will an outside scholarship reduce my UNG aid?

    UNG does not publish an outside-scholarship displacement policy. The only stated rule is that private scholarships are split half/half across fall and spring unless the donor says otherwise. Because HOPE/Zell Miller are tuition-only and federal over-award rules can apply, confirm the interaction with the Financial Aid office (finaid@ung.edu, 706-864-1412) before counting on stacking.

  • Do I have to keep my grades up to renew?

    Yes for the state awards: HOPE requires maintaining a 3.0 HOPE GPA and 67% completion rate; Zell Miller requires a 3.3 HOPE GPA and 67% completion. The honors Presidential Scholarship requires 12+ completed credit hours per semester and good standing in the Honors Program, renewable up to 12 semesters.

See sources and other schools

How University of North Georgia compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    University of North Georgia is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    University of North Georgia is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    University of North Georgia is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against University of North Georgia’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring University of North Georgia merit aid

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