If the application requirements do not specify, a good rule is to ask a former instructor, an adviser and a work supervisor to write letters of recommendation for you.The instructor should be a teacher or professor whose class you performed well in. Developing a healthy correspondence with instructors of the courses that interest you is encouraged. Provide them with the necessary information three weeks in advance of the day you hope to gather your materials for mailing. Do not ask friends or relatives to write letters of recommendation for you.

In Person
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In most cases, the number of scholarships awarded and the award amounts for scholarships are not listed. University-wide awards are one-time and may either be paid in one semester or split between fall and spring semester of the year awarded. Other awards, such as the Presidential, Berner, Rice, Goizueta and Netzel are four-year awards. See individual scholarship descriptions for more details.

Finalists for university scholarships are reviewed by a committee and will be notified via email in mid-May. Check your student email before contacting the scholarship office about the status of your scholarship application. If selected, your notification email will include instructions on completing the necessary paper work to receive the award. Awards from the spring cycle are posted to the following academic year. (For example, if you apply in spring 2015 and are awarded, your scholarship will be applied to your fall 2015 account.) Check your student email before contacting Georgia State about the status of your scholarship application.

Scholarships vary, but preference is often given based on financial need determined from your FAFSA. If you receive federal aid, you likely qualify for other scholarships.

The deadline for university-wide scholarships is  in February . Departmental scholarships vary.

Yes. You must acquire an institutional grade point average by attending at least one semester at Georgia State.

The personal essay is usually the most important part of a scholarship application. Judges frequently give the most weight to the essay because it is your chance to stand apart from other qualified applicants. It is the window into who you are, your passions and your potential for being a good match. Instead of listing credentials, focus on how you have grown from your experiences and how you have provided unique contributions. Tell readers why they should invest in your future.

Instead of writing one standard personal essay for all scholarships, applicants will be required to submit a separate essay for each scholarship based on the prospective prompts. Applicants must write an essay that accurately reflects the requirements stipulated in each prompt.

For more information, attend a Writing a Winning Essay Workshop or other workshops.

Yes. Each scholarship has its own separate application and essay prompt. Students must respond to each prompt with a separate essay. Fill out each application separately and upload your personal statement/essay with that application.

As long as the scholarship does not specify this as a stipulation, students may apply. The exception for this rule is the HOPE Scholarship, which does not pay for a second degree.

Incoming freshmen and transfer students classified as out-of-state for tuition purposes are eligible to apply for the Campus Atlanta Scholarship, which reduces tuition from out-of-state to in-state rates. Students are still required to pay in-state tuition. Check the Campus Atlanta Scholarship description for minimum academic requirements. Students 62 and older may be eligible for a tuition waiver. Visit GSU-62 Program for more information.

Transient students are only eligible for aid offered at their home institution.

Because of federal and state laws, undocumented students are not eligible for federal or state funding. Eligibility for privately funded scholarships are dependent on the stipulations of the donor. Be aware of the new admissions standards adopted by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Incoming freshmen who are Latino are eligible for the Goizueta Scholarship. Check the Goizueta Scholarship description for minimum academic requirements. Latino students are also encouraged to contact the Latino Services and Outreach office for the contact information of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund student coordinator on campus and for information on additional funding sources.

As long as the scholarship does not specify that the student be a citizen or a resident alien, any international student may apply. International students who are incoming freshmen or incoming transfer students with a valid F1, F2, or H4 visa are eligible to apply for the Campus Atlanta Scholarship, which reduces tuition from out-of-state to in-state rates. Students are still required to pay in-state tuition. Check the Campus Atlanta Scholarship description for minimum academic requirements. Enrolled international students are not eligible for the Campus Atlanta Scholarship but may be eligible for a need-based scholarship if they are in the last semester before graduating and meet stringent guidelines demonstrating financial need. Contact International Student & Scholar Services if you have questions about your visa status or eligibility for aid.

You must email the contact listed for major- or college-specific awards for additional information.

Georgia State offers scholarships based on financial need and academic merit. We offer university-wide awards that enrolled students may apply for and departmental scholarships that are major-related. Students may apply for scholarships for the next academic year beginning  in December . The deadline is  in February..

If you are an incoming student, you will receive information about recruiting scholarships in your acceptance letter if you are eligible.

You can edit some personal information by logging in to your PAWS account. If this is not possible, contact the Enrollment Services Center to edit financial information or the Office of Admissions to edit grade point average, residency and school information.

Don’t wait until January of your student’s senior year of high school to start working on your college financial aid planning.  Financial aid is based on your previous year’s income and assets, so it is imperative to start planning with your student as soon as possible. If you want to legally set your income and assets so you can maximize your eligibility for financial aid, start working on this at least a year in advance. The beginning of your student’s junior year of high school is a great time to start.

It's not advisable to let your CPA or tax preparer fill out your financial aid forms, even if she or he is qualified. They are experts at tax planning and preparation, not financial aid planning. They might suggest that you put some or all of your assets in your child’s name to save on taxes, but following this advice will usually hurt your chances of getting financial aid.

They are not trained in filling out financial aid forms, so they may fill them out improperly. These minor mistakes can bump your forms and cause delays. You will have to re-submit them and it will put you at the bottom of the list, causing you to lose time and probably thousands of dollars.

Do not assume that only minority students, athletes and academically gifted scholars get financial aid. Need-based financial aid is solely awarded based on financial need, which is calculated by taking the cost of attendance at a school and subtracting the family contribution (the minimum amount the government feels you can afford to pay, based on your income and assets and your child’s income and assets). Whatever is left over after you subtract these two numbers is your financial need, your eligibility for financial aid at a particular school.

COA (Cost of Attendance)
-FC (Family Contribution)
= FN (Financial Need)

By filling out the FAFSA early, you will be able to determine what financial aid your student is eligible for. Make sure the information is accurate so you can see if your student qualifies for need-based financial aid.

Most students whose families make $40,000-$100,000 per year are eligible for some form of financial aid. More than $30 billion is available each year from the federal government, the states, colleges and universities, and private foundations and organizations. You have to figure out how to get your share of aid. Most parents give up before they start because they assume they won’t be eligible, but that's a misnomer. Do apply because you will probably be eligible for some money.