FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Scholarship FAQs
Please contact the Student Financial Management Center/Office of Financial Aid in Sparks Hall #227 or contact them at 404-413-2600 or submit a panther answer ticket.
You can email [email protected] at anytime for assistance.
No. The system uses a blind matching system. Based on the information and essay responses provided, the profile matches the scholarships you qualify for based on the criteria for each award in the system. Thus, you must provide all the requested information.
No, Unfortunately, the SRC does not manage or have access to view the status of the departmental scholarship process.
You must contact the department's website regarding application deadlines and processes.
You will be notified by email at [email protected] if you are selected as a scholarship recipient. The scholarship committee will decide within a few weeks after the application deadline. You may not receive a notification if you have yet to be selected. It would be best if you kept an eye on your GSU student email for any updates.
The SRC- Scholarship deadlines are from November 1st to August 1st each academic year. Priority deadline February 15th.
By submitting the Georgia State University General scholarship application at: gsu.academicworks.com.
No. The SRC does not manage out-of-state waivers.
The scholarship amount varies.
It depends on the scholarship criteria.
Yes. You must have a campus ID and Password to login to the portal to complete the scholarship applications.
What Should You Be Doing?
- Visit the colleges and universities in which your child is interested.
- Have your child take a good test preparation course to get a better SAT or ACT score.
- Start looking for private scholarships.
- Start setting up your income, assets and personal finances to get the maximum amount of money from each school.
529 Savings Plan
Additional Resources
- Find out which resources are available through the federal government by visiting the Parents of Students page on Federal Student Aid website.
- College Parents of America is an organization dedicated to providing scholarship resources free of charge. Visit the College Parents website.
Parents FAQs
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.
Donors
Private gifts allow for programs that government funding does not or cannot support. Scholarships, special acquisitions, equipment purchases and the creation of endowments to attract and keep top faculty are just a few of the ways private gifts enhance the quality of a Georgia State education. The Georgia State University Foundation welcomes gifts of all types and will work with you and your financial advisers to maximize your tax benefits and the value of your gift to the university.
There are several options available to give to the Georgia State University Foundation. The Foundation accepts cash, stocks and bonds, planned gifts, gifts of real estate and matching gifts. If you are interested in finding out more information on which areas you can support, ways to give, donor highlights and upcoming events, visit Georgia State University Foundation website or email [email protected].
Contact Us
We offer guidance and support to students seeking financial assistance by providing year-long promotion of scholarship opportunities. We are open to all students regardless of financial status.
All Campuses
[email protected]*
404-413-2611
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.
*Any email sent after 5:15 p.m. will be answered the following business day.
Additional Contact Information
Panther Retention Grant, Hope and Zell Miller Scholarships
Any inquiries, questions, or concerns regarding the Panther Retention Grant, Hope and Zell Miller Scholarships should be directed to the Student Financial Management Center Panther Answer website or by calling 404-413-2600
Departmental Scholarships Application Process
Departmental/College scholarship application deadlines vary, and you MUST contact the department directly or visit their website for additional information. Find your department on the university's A-to-Z index.