The Brenau Promise for HOPE and Pell Recipients ensures that an eligible student’s full tuition and Institutional & Instructional (I&I) development fee are covered after all applicable institutional, state and federal scholarships and grants have been awarded. These are all types of financial aid that do not need to be repaid, which means that a student who qualifies for and maintains the Brenau Promise will pay $0 out of pocket for their tuition and I&I development fee over the course of their undergraduate education at Brenau.
The Brenau Promise does not cover the cost of transportation, supplies, books, housing, meals or additional fees.
All students, both in and out of state, will be considered for need-based and academic merit-based financial aid.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the Brenau Promise, a student must meet all the following:
- Be a first-time, full-time freshman attending classes on-ground beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year
- Meet the Georgia residency requirements associated with state financial aid programs
- Be confirmed eligible for the Zell Miller or HOPE Scholarship by the Georgia Student Finance Commission
- Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and qualify for any amount of Pell Grant funding
- A student must release their FAFSA to Brenau using school code: 001556
- Sign the Brenau Promise agreement
In order to renew the Brenau Promise, a student must meet all the following:
- Maintain full-time enrollment on-ground on the historic Gainesville campus.
- Continue to meet applicable Georgia residency requirements
- Maintain eligibility for the Zell Miller or HOPE Scholarship (with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA)
- Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually and continue to qualify for any amount of Pell Grant funding
- A student must release their FAFSA to Brenau using school code: 001556
The Brenau Promise amount is determined and applied to a student’s account after all other institutional, state and federal scholarships and grants are calculated and applied. The following are a few examples of each type of aid.
Institutional aid
- Merit scholarships/grants
- Athletic scholarships
- Talent scholarships
- Other Brenau scholarships awarded for special characteristics
State aid
- Zell Miller or HOPE Scholarship
- Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG)
Federal aid
- Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Iraq & Afghanistan Service Grant
- VA Education Benefits
Example students
HJ Golden qualifies for the Brenau Promise
HJ Golden is a Georgia resident who has filed his FAFSA and qualifies for a $4,000 Federal Pell Grant and the HOPE Scholarship of $4,992. He receives a merit scholarship of $14,000 and the Ga. Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG) of $1,000, but does not receive any additional institutional, state or federal aid.
This means that HJ’s total grant and scholarship package is $23,992 which is less than the total tuition and I&I development fee of $31,775.
Because HJ has a gap between his total grants and scholarships and the cost of tuition and the I&I Development fee, he is eligible for the Brenau Promise in the amount of $7,783.
| Aid type | Aid Amount |
|---|---|
| Pell | + $4,000 |
| HOPE | + $4,922 |
| Brenau Merit Scholarship | + $14,000 |
| GTEG | + $1,000 |
| Total aid before Brenau Promise | $23,992 |
| Cost or aid | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition and I&I Development fee | $31,775 |
| Total aid before Brenau Promise | – $23,992 |
| Brenau Promise aid | $7,783 |
Lucile Tiger doesn’t require the Brenau Promise to meet tuition and the I&I fee
Lucile Tiger is a Georgia resident who has filed her FAFSA and qualifies for a $7,000 Federal Pell Grant and the HOPE Scholarship of $4,992. She receives a $17,000 merit scholarship and the Ga. Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG) of $1,000. Lucile is also a recruit for Brenau’s competitive cheer team and she receives a $5,500 athletic scholarship.
This means that Lucile’s total scholarship and grant package is $35,492 which is more than the total tuition and I&I development fee of $31,775.
Because Lucile’s total scholarships and grants exceed the cost of tuition and the I&I Development fee, Lucile would not be eligible for the Brenau Promise. She would actually have extra funds to apply toward other fees or to housing/meals if she resides on campus.
| Aid type | Aid Amount |
|---|---|
| Pell | + $7,000 |
| HOPE | + $4,922 |
| Brenau Merit Scholarship | + $17,000 |
| GTEG | + $1,000 |
| Athletic Scholarship | + $5,500 |
| Total aid before Brenau Promise | $35,492 |
| Cost and aid | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total aid before Brenau Promise | $35,492 |
| Tuition and I&I Development fee | $31,775 |
| Extra funds | $3,717 |
| Brenau Promise aid | $0 |
Other financial aid
Federal loans, anticipated Federal Work-Study Program earnings, Parent Plus Loans and private scholarships are not included in the Brenau Promise calculation and can be used to cover additional expenses such as housing/meals, books, the Women’s College Comprehensive fee, the University Services fee and course fees.
More resources
- Use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to find out find out how much federal student aid they may be eligible for.
- Fill out your FAFSA to get started!