We Advocate for Georgia College Students

At The Higher Foundation, we aim to see every Georgian college educated and fulfilled in his or her career. To see this vision come to pass, we must advocate for Georgia college students from all walks of life by reminding Georgia state and federal decision makers that all Collegiate Georgians deserve a fair chance in going higher in their education and career. We would love for our Higher Community to join us in our advocacy efforts by tracking bills and issues that relate to our mission and by contacting your legislators. Your voice matters, and we want your voice to be heard for all things concerning Georgia Higher Education. Together, let’s take Georgia higher.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Students

Low-income Georgia college students battle with food insecurity, and the current SNAP requirements for college students creates additional barriers that they have to overcome to go higher in their education and career. Generally, students ages 18 through 49 who are enrolled in college at least half time are not eligible for SNAP unless they meet one of the student exemptions (as shown below) and unless they do not receive the majority of their meals through either a mandatory or optional meal plan. For a complete description of student eligibility rules, you can view the USDA’s Student Eligibility Requirements (7 CFR 273.5). We believe that by improving the SNAP Program for college students on the federal and state level will enable more Collegiate Georgians to gain food security and to accomplish their college and career goals.

Age

Student Exemption

To meet the age student exemption, a qualified college student must be younger than 18 or older than 50.

Work

Student Exemption

To meet the work student exemption, a qualified college student must meet one of the below work conditions:

  • Work at least 20 hours per week in paid employment.
  • Work at least 20 hours a week in self-employment and receive weekly earnings at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 20 hours.
  • Participate in a state or federally financed work study program.
  • Participate in an on-the-job training program.

Disability

Student Exemption

To meet the disability student exemption, a qualified college student must be physically or mentally unfit. Please consult with your doctor to determine if you are medically disabled.

Childcare

Student Exemption

To meet the childcare student exemption, a qualified college student must meet one of the below childcare conditions:

  • Care for a child under the age of 6.
  • Care for a child aged 6 to 11 and lack the necessary childcare enabling you to attend school and work 20 hours a week or participate in work study.
  • Are a single parent enrolled full-time in college and taking care of a child under 12.

TANF

Student Exemption

To meet the TANF student exemption, a qualified college student must Receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance. You may learn more about the TANF program here.

Special Programs

Student Exemption

To meet the Special Programs student exemption, a qualified college student must be in one of the following programs:

  • A SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program;
  • Certain other E&T programs for low-income households, which are operated by a state or local government and have an equivalent component to SNAP E&T;
  • A program under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) (PL 113-128);
  • A Trade Adjustment Assistance Program under Section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Apply for SNAP Benefits
Find Your Food Bank

Georgia Post-Secondary Tuition Waiver for Foster Youth

Georgia foster youth receive many state benefits to help them overcome socioeconomic barriers, and one of those state benefits is free college to specific Georgia colleges under The State of Georgia Post-Secondary Tuition Waiver Program. This program exempts or waives payment of tuition and fees (and where applicable, on-campus housing) for students attending a technical college within the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Eligible students must be a youth or young adult under the age of 28 who is currently in foster care, has experienced foster care, or who was placed for adoption by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. We believe that with a greater focus on this program from the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Family & Children Services, and Technical College System of Georgia, more foster youth can create a better life for themselves and go higher in their education and career. Our opinion on what this greater focus would look like is shown below.  

Awareness

The Department of Education and The Department of Family & Children Services should ensure foster families know this program exists.

Preparation

The Department of Education and The Department of Family & Children Services should help foster youth prepare for this program in high school.

Recruitment

The Technical College System of Georgia recruiters and admissions team should recruit foster youth by visiting foster care facilities.

Monitoring

The Technical College System of Georgia should track and report their foster students’ college admission, retention, and completion rates.

Learn about the Tuition Waiver
Find a TCSG College

Georgians for College Affordability Coalition

“Georgians for College Affordability (GCA) is a coalition of organizations and institutions committed to making postsecondary education affordable for Georgians. GCA seeks to advance policies, programs, and practices that address the barriers to postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion in our state.” The Higher Foundation is a proud member of the coalition, and we agree with their set priorities as defined below.

Georgia is one of a handful of states that does not provide aid to students based solely on financial need. Further, current state aid programs that consider a student’s ability to afford college (among other factors), including REACH and the Georgia College Completion Grant, are limited in size and scope. To ensure more students across the state can access a postsecondary credential, regardless of their family income we recommend:

  • Creating a Georgia need-based aid grant program: The General Assembly laid the groundwork for such a program in 2018 by codifying a need-based financial aid program into Georgia statute. Unfortunately, the development of that program stalled without appropriations. We support fulfilling this promise through a statewide program for Georgia students across the academic spectrum with demonstrated financial need who enroll at a public or independent postsecondary institution in the state.

  • Expanding Georgia’s College Completion Grants: This state program provides need-based completion grants to a limited number of Georgia students. We support lowering the credit threshold at which students become eligible and expanding the definition of “financial gap” to include indirect costs within the full cost of attendance, such as housing and food. In addition, we urge policymakers to increase funding for the program to allow more students to access the grants.

  • Restoring the 75% state share of costs for the University System of Georgia (USG): The original intent of the USG funding formula was to provide a 75%/25% split where the state would pay for 75% of the funding necessary to educate students, and students would pay the remaining 25% in tuition dollars. Today, that ratio is 57%/43%.[5]

  • Increasing Georgia Tuition Equalization Grants: These grants help Georgia students attend private colleges in the state, allowing students to choose the postsecondary institution that meets their needs. We support increasing the grant award as well as providing a larger grant for Pell-eligible students. Nearly half of students attending private institutions in Georgia are Pell Grant recipients.[6]

This initiative alerts students to Georgia colleges where they are likely to be admitted, but barriers remain to students fully utilizing this resource. Building in college cost and financial aid information to the tool would help students match to colleges that are a strong academic and financial fit. Eliminating application fees for Pell-eligible students (beyond the November and March windows) who apply to colleges on their list would allow more students to follow through with their applications.

Twenty-five states provide in-state tuition to public colleges and universities for state residents, regardless of immigration status, including Florida and Texas. Another eight states extend in-state tuition to certain populations such as DACA students, and/or specific higher education institutions. Allowing all students who graduate from Georgia high schools—with residency requirement guardrails—to pay in-state tuition prices would ensure more Georgia students remain in the state to earn postsecondary credentials and eventually become members of our workforce. Just as in other states, this would allow Georgia to retain homegrown talent, reduce workforce shortages, and increase tax revenue.

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Our Voices Will Make a Difference

To advocate for the issues that closely align with our mission, we attend events and meetings hosted by elected officials, and we create programs to reach the targeted audience of our advocacy efforts. As we continue our advocacy efforts, we hope to meet with more elected officials, collaborate with more organizations, and reach more of our targeted audience, so Georgians from all walks of life can go higher in their education and career – unhindered and well supported. If you would like us to attend an event or meeting to further our advocacy work, please let us know by emailing us at info@higherfoundation.org.