Scholarships & Aid

You will need to create a Federal Student Aid account to electronically sign and submit your FAFSA.  If you do not already have an FSA account, you can obtain one at https://studentaid.gov/.  Parents of dependent students should also apply for a separate FSA account so they can electronically sign their student’s FAFSA.

Submit the FAFSA, at https://studentaid.gov/, as soon as possible after October 1 of each year for the following year of enrollment.  The FAFSA is required for federal grants, need-based (subsidized) federal student loans and other sources of need-based financial aid.  Don’t forget to list Truett McConnell University’s school code number, 001597, on your FAFSA! After the federal government processes your FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) by e-mail.  This document reflects your calculated Student Aid Index (SAI) number and allows you to correct any errors that you made on the original FAFSA. The TMU Financial Aid Office will receive your FAFSA electronically within 1 to 3 business days and will be in contact with you by email.

You will need to submit all documents and transcripts needed for acceptance to the TMU Admissions Office.  A student will be “Provisionally Accepted” until the final H.S. transcript is received.  Financial aid can be awarded once a student is at least provisionally accepted.

The main State aid application is the FAFSA.  Georgia residents, who waive the completion of the FAFSA, may complete an application for the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG) and the HOPE Scholarship at www.gafutures.org.  Students should also apply for as many private outside scholarships as possible, utilizing web-based scholarship search engines, contacting organizations in your community, and requesting information from your high school guidance counselor.

You’ll need to provide any missing documents requested by the Financial Aid Office. Missing document requests will be sent to students by email, or can be viewed on the Student Financial Aid Portal. The Dept. of Ed. randomly chooses 30% of all FAFSA applicants for a process called “Verification” (an audit of the financial information submitted on the FAFSA).  If you are selected for verification, TMU will request signed copies of Federal Income Tax Returns, W-2’s, and a completed Student Verification Worksheet (available on the student portal).

First-time federal loan borrowers at Truett McConnell University will need to complete a required basic online loan counseling session (Entrance Counseling) and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) available at https://studentaid.gov/.  To do so, log in to the website using your FSA ID and password from Step 1. If the parent desires an additional Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan, the application and MPN can be completed by the parent at https://studentaid.gov/, using the parent’s FSA ID and password.

Once all applications are complete and all documents are received, you will be sent an emailed Award Letter detailing any aid for which you are eligible.  You are required to notify Truett McConnell University if there are any changes to the aid listed, or if ANY other sources of financial aid (i.e. an outside scholarship, etc.) are awarded to you.  Login to the Student Financial Aid Portal to view and accept your awards.

In order to receive a billing statement and be processed for registration, you will need to submit your Admissions enrollment deposit in your Admissions Application portal. You will also need to submit all documents and transcripts needed for final acceptance, to the TMU Admissions Office.  A student will be “Provisionally Accepted” until the final H.S. transcript is received.

Once accepted, your financial aid will appear on your student account.  Login to your Student Payment Portal to view your student account billing statement, make student account payments, or setup a payment plan.  Please make sure to review the charges and financial aid on your account and reconcile any remaining balance with the Business Office.

Applicable to Full-time Students Enrolled in On-Campus Courses

Freshmen Academic Scholarships:
*Students will receive one Academic Scholarship based on unweighted GPA.
Freshman Status – less than 30 earned college hours after high school/home study graduation.

Transfer Academic Scholarships:
*Students will receive one Academic Scholarship based on GPA.
Transfer Status – 30 or more earned college hours after high school/home study graduation.

Institutional Scholarships
Institutional Scholarships are stackable with all other student financial aid.

Institutional Scholarships
Institutional Scholarships are stackable with all other student financial aid.

Institutional Scholarships
Institutional Scholarships are stackable with all other student financial aid.

Institutional Scholarships
Institutional Scholarships are stackable with all other student financial aid.

The Zell Miller Scholarship of $5,970 requires a GPA of 3.7, meet rigor requirements, and a 1200 SAT score or a 25 ACT score. Students must be full-time or part-time, be in a degree seeking program and maintain 3.3 GPA at the end of each spring semester and 30, 60 and 90-hour check points. If a student loses the Zell Miller scholarship but is eligible for HOPE they may receive HOPE in its place. After the student attempts 127 credit-hours they will no longer be eligible for Zell Miller scholarship. For 2024-2025, full-time students (12 or more semester hours) will receive $2,985.00 per semester and part-time students (6 through 11 semester hours) will receive $1,493.00 per semester.

Students graduating from an approved GA high school in 1996 or later with a 3.0 GPA and meets rigor requirements may qualify for a HOPE Scholarship of $4,992 per year. Students must be full-time or part-time, be in a degree seeking program, and maintain a 3.0 GPA at the end of each spring semester and at the 30, 60, and 90-hour checkpoints. HOPE can only be earned at the 30, 60, 90-hour checkpoints. After the student attempts 127 credit-hours they will no longer be eligible for HOPE scholarship. HOPE scholarship will not pay for remedial classes, nor will they count toward HOPE attempted hours or HOPE GPA. For 2024-2025, full-time students (12 or more semester hours) will receive $2,496.00 per semester and part-time students (6 through 11 semester hours) will receive $1,248.00 per semester.

The GA Tuition Equalization Grant of $1,100 is applicable to each full-time student who is a legal resident of the state of Georgia and meets ALL other requirements. The semester amounts are as follows: 2024 Fall semester – $550, 2025 Spring semester – $550.

The GTEG award amount for the 2025-2026 year has not yet been set by the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Student Finance Authority. 

Federal Pell Grant

This federally funded grant is awarded to high-need students pursuing their first Baccalaureate degree. The amount of the award is prorated based on the student’s expected family contribution and enrollment status.  A student may receive a Federal Pell Grant up to 600% (the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters of enrollment).  The regulations are to provide fractional equivalents for terms in which a student is enrolled less than full-time.

The amount of Federal Pell Grant for which a student is eligible is determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation, derived from the student’s annual FAFSA submission.  The maximum amount for academic year 2025-2026 is currently $7,395.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant

Student eligibility is determined only through the Central Processing System of the Department of Education using the Federal Methodology need analysis formula.  Students must meet the eligibility requirements for the federal Pell Grant and be awarded a Pell Grant.  In addition, the FSEOG is awarded only to first-time undergraduates who are Pell eligible.  TMU will award FSEOG funds to students with -1,500 to zero SAIs first.

The regulated maximum amount of FSEOG is $4,000 and the minimum is $100.  However, the OFA self-imposes minimum and maximum awards to ensure that the greatest number of students have an opportunity to receive a portion of the FSEOG allocation. The total FSEOG allocation (federal plus institutional share) is divided by the previous year’s number of students with a -1,500 to zero SAI to determine the current year’s award amount for full-time traditional students.  Students in the online program are awarded a lower prorated amount, because of the reduced costs of the program.

Student Loan Providers

The Stafford Student Loans are processed through the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid.  Federal loans available are: Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and Federal Direct Parent Plus Loan (available to eligible parents). You can still choose a lender of your choice for a Private/Alternate Loan, if needed.

The Federal Direct Loan Programs

Students must be enrolled at least half time in an eligible program and meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards to qualify for Federal Direct Student Loans or benefit from a Federal Direct PLUS loan. Federal Direct Loans include subsidized and unsubsidized options: subsidized loans receive a federal interest subsidy during enrollment, grace, and deferment periods, while unsubsidized loans do not. Eligibility for subsidized loans is determined through the FAFSA based on financial need (cost of attendance minus expected family contribution and other aid). In addition to standard limits, dependent undergraduates may borrow an extra $2,000 in unsubsidized loans annually, while independent students may borrow an additional $6,000 in their first two years and $7,000 per year in their third year or beyond; students whose parents are denied a PLUS loan may also borrow at the independent unsubsidized level.

Yearly loan limits for the Federal Direct Student Loan program

The lifetime Federal Direct loan limits for student borrowers

Federal Work Study Program

The Federal Work Study (FWS) program provides employment positions for undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need.  These earnings assist students with educational expenses.

The objectives and purpose of the FWS program are to provide:

1. A source of financial aid to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need.
2. Work experience which enhances the participant’s education whenever possible.
3. An employment pool to the University, and to federal, state and local public agencies that would not exist otherwise.

Alternative (private) loans can help students cover educational expenses after they have reached federal loan limits, are enrolled less than half time, have a Parent PLUS loan denial, or need additional funds. These loans are funded by private lenders, typically have higher interest rates than federal loans, and often require a credit-worthy co-signer, with interest accruing while in school. Students should consider federal loans first and research lenders carefully, as terms vary and credit approval is required for each application. Truett McConnell University does not endorse specific lenders but will certify loans from any lender chosen by the student.

Historical List of Lenders: ELMSelect (opens in new window)