Scholarships & Aid
100% of Residential Students Receive Financial Aid
We are committed to equipping you with financial aid resources to fund your affordable, Christ-centered education at Toccoa Falls College. Learn more about options available to you including scholarships, grants, federal and state aid, work-study, and loans.
Institutional Scholarships & Grants
Toccoa Falls College offers scholarships and grants to residential students in three primary forms: academic scholarships, church matching grants, and need-based opportunity grants.
TFC Academic Scholarships
If a student is traditionally accepted residentially, they will automatically be considered for an academic scholarship based on their past academic success. Your scholarship is determined primarily by your unweighted GPA. We are test-optional at TFC. If submitted, test scores will not influence your scholarship amount.
What You Need to Know
-
- Academic Scholarships range from $2,000 to $10,000 per year
- The amount is determined by your past academic success, mainly your high school or college GPA
- They are automatically awarded upon acceptance to TFC
- You can raise your scholarship amount anytime before you officially enroll if your GPA increases
If a church gives towards a student’s education at Toccoa Falls College from their general budget or scholarship fund, TFC will match the donation for additional aid for the student. The maximum amount TFC will match is $1,500 per year or $750 per semester. However, churches are welcome to give as much or as little as they would like.
The TFC Opportunity Grant ranges from $500 a year to $4,000 per year and is need and merit based. In order to be considered, students must submit the FAFSA. The award amount will be listed on a student’s financial aid package and could vary year to year depending on financial need.
Toccoa Falls College offers Funded and Endowed Scholarships for current students to apply for. Students must be actively enrolled in an on-campus degree-seeking program and have a 2.0 GPA to be considered eligible to apply. Applications open in January each year for the following academic year. TFC offers leadership scholarship across campus for students that are hired to become a resident assistant or are elected to the Student Government Association.
Outside Scholarships
Outside scholarships are a great way to add to your financial aid package at Toccoa Falls College. One of the best ways to find scholarships is to check with your local high school counselor(s), chamber of commerce, utility bill companies or community centers. If you are starting your search online, check out some resources below.
Federal Aid
Federal aid is available for on campus and online students who complete the FAFSA. This aid is available in the form of loans and need-based grants.
There are several forms of federal aid for undergraduate students who complete the FAFSA. Federal aid is available in the form of loans and need-based grants. Students must meet the following criteria to receive federal aid:
- Have a high school diploma or GED certificate
- Be enrolled or accepted as a degree-seeking student
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Have a valid Social Security
- Make satisfactory progress
- Sign a statement saying they will only use federal aid for educational purposes and not default on any federal loans.
The Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who have financial need. The maximum award amount for the 2023-2024 school year is $7,395 and is awarded on a sliding scale determined by a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), cost of attendance, enrollment status, and number of semesters attended in the academic year. Students do not have to repay a Federal Pell Grant.
The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is for students with exceptional financial need, that is, students with the lowest EFCs. There are limited funds for the SEOG, so the earlier you submit the FAFSA, the more likely you are to receive the SEOG if you qualify. Like the Pell Grant, students do not have to repay a SEOG.
Federal Direct Loans are offered to every student regardless of credit history or academic performance, they are a great way to close the gap in educational costs.
State Aid
Undergraduate students who are residents of Georgia could qualify for state-funded aid programs that can be used at Toccoa Falls College. Read more about each program below or visit GA Futures to learn more.
The Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Scholarship program provides scholarships to students who are Georgia residents, attend an approved college or university in Georgia, and meet all basic eligibility requirements. Below are more details regarding academic requirements and scholarship amounts.
Hope Eligibility Requirements
- 3.0 HOPE GPA
- Earn 4 Rigor Credits
- Maintain 3.0 college GPA
Hope Scholarship Amounts
- Full Time (12+ Credit Hours): $4,992 for the 2023-2024 school year
Zell Miller Eligibility Requirements
- 3.7 Hope GPA, Earn 4 Rigor Credits
- 1200 SAT or 27 ACT
- Maintain 3.3 college GPA
Zell Scholarship Amounts
- Full Time (12+ Credit Hours): $5,970 for the 2023-2024 school year
Toccoa Falls College does not determine your HOPE or Zell Miller eligibility. It is the responsibility of your high school to communicate to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, who then determines if you meet scholarship requirements. If you are eligible, this information will be sent to the TFC Financial Aid Office to add to your financial aid package.
If you do not submit the FAFSA, you will need to submit a HOPE funding application through GA Futures to be considered for HOPE and Zell.
The Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant (GTEG) is a grant offered to Georgia undergraduate students attending private colleges or universities in Georgia. This grant is not need-based and is only dependent upon residency and attendance at a private Georgia institution. If you are eligible for this grant, it will automatically be applied to your aid. The 2023-2024 grant is for $1000 per year.
The Georgia Student Access Loan (SAL) is a 1% fixed rate loan designed to assist undergraduate college students who have a gap in meeting their educational costs. This loan is only available to students who are Georgia residents that have exhausted all other forms of aid including Federal Direct Student Loans. There are limited funds available, so students should plan to apply as early as possible. Applications generally open in June. The minimum loan amount is $500 per semester and the maximum loan amount is $8,000 per year. Connect with your admission counselor to determine the right amount of SAL loan that you should apply for!
Homeschool students who are residents of Georgia may be eligible for the state HOPE Scholarship program during their first year of college attendance if they meet specific requirements. If they are not eligible for their first year, they could qualify for Retroactive HOPE the following year. For more information regarding initial and retroactive eligibility, visit GA Futures and read below:
Accredited Home Study HOPE Eligibility
- Graduate from an accredited home study program
- Minimum 3.0 HOPE GPA
- Minimum completion of 4 full rigor credits
Unaccredited Home Study HOPE Eligibility
- Graduate with high school diploma or equivalency
- Request an academic evaluation from the Georgia Student Finance Commission
- Earn qualifying test score prior to graduation
- 24 composite on ACT or
- 1160 on SAT
Retroactive HOPE
Students who graduate from an unaccredited home study program and did not meet test score requirements to receive HOPE their first year may apply to receive the HOPE scholarship retroactively. The student must complete 30 credit hours post high school graduation and earn a 3.0 GPA. If approved after application, students will receive payment for the scholarship amount from the first year and immediately become eligible for the HOPE Scholarship in following semesters. The HOPE Scholarship Retroactive Payment Application must be submitted before the last day of the semester that follows the completion of 30 credit hours.
Aid Policies
TFC scholarships do not require students to submit a FAFSA. However, the college encourages students to do so to maximize their potential for financial aid. Only full-time residential students are eligible for institutional financial aid, including the final semester before graduation even if students need less than a full load to complete a program. Students confirm offers of financial aid by submitting their deposit and all documents needed to complete their financial aid files.
The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for all decisions in awarding institutional financial aid. The Office of Financial Aid only considers institutional scholarships and grants after they apply all federal and state scholarships and grants to the student account. The total amount of scholarships and grants (including institutional, federal, state, and other) awarded cannot exceed the cost of tuition, room, board, and fees. The Office of Financial Aid awards institutional financial aid in two increments: half for the fall semester and half for the spring semester. The college does not award institutional aid for summer sessions. Students that have a lapse in enrollment of more than one semester forfeit all institutional scholarships and grants previously awarded.
