Purpose and Philosophy
Southern Polytechnic State University subscribes to the principle that the primary purpose of a financial assistance program is to provide aid to students who without such assistance would be unable to attend or remain in school.

The financial aid program is intended to assist students in meeting normal university expenses and to help as many students as possible. An applicant should realize, however, that the amount of financial aid granted seldom meets all the student's educational expenses.

Steps to Apply for Financial Aid
Usually, step one in applying for financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available at the Student Financial Aid Office, or on the World Wide Web.  The only exception to this is in the case of a student who will ONLY be applying for HOPE.  HOPE applicants should apply directly to the Financial Aid office using the HOPE alternate form.

Transfer and readmitted undergraduate students must have financial aid transcripts sent to the Student Financial Aid Office from each college they previously attended.

Although applications are processed until all federal funds are expended, students who apply by the March 15 deadline have a greater chance of receiving financial aid than those who apply late.

Aid awarded to a student one year does not mean that he or she is eligible to receive aid in a subsequent year, unless the student continues to demonstrate need as defined by the U.S. Office of Education. An application, each year, is required to continue to receive financial aid.

Information and applications concerning financial aid may be obtained by writing to:

Director of Financial Aid
Southern Polytechnic State University
1100 South Marietta Parkway
Marietta, Georgia 30060-2896

Types of Financial Aid

Types of aid that one might be eligible include:

• The Federal Pell Grant
• The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• The Federal Work Study Program (FWSP)
• The Federal Perkins Loan,
• The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
• The Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program

The total undergraduate loan amount is $23,000.

The Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program enables parents with good credit histories to borrow funds for each child who is enrolled at least half-time and is a dependent student.

The HOPE Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to students attending Georgia post-secondary institutions who achieve academic excellence throughout their high school studies.

To be eligible for HOPE, a student must:

• Be a Georgia resident
• Have graduated from a Georgia High School in 1993 or later
• And have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0

Satisfactory Academic Progress
When adding, dropping, and withdrawing from classes, It Is Important to understand that any attempt to complete a class counts in the formula used to calculate satisfactory academic progress.  The following table shows the maximum attempted hours you may accrue for any degree program.  If you accrue too many attempted hours, you could lose your eligibility for financial aid.
 

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