Programs for Georgia high school students.
Georgia’s own programs and money, from GHP and Dual Enrollment to HOPE, Zell Miller and the state science fair. We’re based in Atlanta, so this list is close to home.
12 opportunities, 9 free · Links and programs checked October 18, 2026 · By Lokesh Pampatti, founder of Clarity Prep
Two Georgia rules shape a lot of these choices. Dual Enrollment pays for up to 30 hours of college classes, but freshmen can’t use it and sophomores need a 1200 SAT or 26 ACT for academic classes (how Dual Enrollment works in Georgia). And HOPE counts only core classes, with extra weight for AP, IB and dual enrollment, so check your number with the GPA calculator and see what HOPE and Zell Miller require.
12 of 12 shown
ProgramFreeOnline
Distance Math Program
Georgia Tech School of Mathematics
Georgia Tech mathematics courses delivered to Georgia high schools for students who have exhausted their school's math.
Our take: For Georgia students who have finished AP Calculus BC: Georgia Tech math (Calc III, linear algebra, and beyond) through dual enrollment. A rare and specific signal.
ProgramFreeGeorgia colleges and universities
Dual Enrollment
Georgia Student Finance Commission
State-funded college coursework for eligible Georgia high school students, taken for both high school and college credit.
Our take: Georgia pays for real college courses while you are in high school. Cheapest rigor available; pick courses that go beyond what your school offers.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Emory Scholars Program
Emory University
Merit scholarship program at Emory, with an early application requirement.
Our take: Full and partial merit scholarships at Emory. You have to apply by mid-November, which is earlier than Regular Decision.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Foundation Fellowship
University of Georgia
UGA's premier undergraduate scholarship, with the Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship as the second tier.
Our take: UGA's top scholarship: full cost, funded travel and research, about 25 a year. For Georgia students it is one of the best deals in the country. Requires the separate application.
ProgramFreeBerry College, Mount Berry, GA
Governor's Honors Program (GHP)
Georgia Department of Education
Four-week residential program for Georgia's top sophomores and juniors across academics and the arts.
Our take: Free, statewide, and Georgia readers at UGA, Georgia Tech, and Emory know exactly what it means. Ask a teacher to nominate you in September.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships
Georgia Student Finance Commission
Georgia's lottery-funded merit scholarships for in-state tuition.
Our take: Georgia pays most (HOPE, 3.0 GPA) or all (Zell Miller, 3.7 GPA plus a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT) of tuition at public colleges. The most money most Georgia students will ever get for the least paperwork.
ScholarshipFreePosse cities including Atlanta
Posse Scholarship
The Posse Foundation
Full-tuition leadership scholarship for students from Posse cities, who attend partner colleges in groups.
Our take: Full tuition at a partner college, going as a cohort of ten with training and support. Atlanta is a Posse city; ask your counselor about nomination before September.
ScholarshipFreeParticipating Georgia school systems
Georgia Student Finance Commission REACH Georgia
Georgia Student Finance Commission
Mentoring plus a renewable scholarship for eligible Georgia students, starting in 8th grade.
Our take: Georgia's needs-based program: a mentor and a coach through high school, then a $10,000 scholarship. Selection happens in 8th grade, so this is for younger siblings and middle schoolers.
Research & internshipsFreeAthens, GA
University of Georgia Young Dawgs
University of Georgia
UGA's high school internship program, placing students in campus units and labs.
Our take: Internships across UGA departments for Georgia juniors and seniors. Unpaid, commuter, and a real look at a university from the inside.
CompetitionUnder $1kAthens, GA
Georgia Science and Engineering Fair
University of Georgia
Georgia's state science fair, an ISEF-affiliated competition.
Our take: Georgia's path to ISEF. You qualify through your regional fair first; ask your science teacher in the fall which one your school uses.
ProgramUnder $1kAtlanta, GA
Georgia Tech CEISMC Summer P.E.A.K.S.
Georgia Tech CEISMC
Georgia Tech's K-12 outreach center runs week-long summer STEM programs for metro Atlanta students.
Our take: Week-long STEM camps on the Georgia Tech campus, priced for local families. Good exposure for younger students, not a résumé item.
ProgramOver $5kAtlanta, GA
Emory University Pre-College Program
Emory University
Credit and non-credit courses for rising juniors and seniors on Emory's campus.
Our take: Metro Atlanta students can commute, which cuts the cost a lot. Still a paid class; neutral for Emory admissions.
“Helps an application” is our read on how much an admissions reader is likely to weigh it: Strong means getting in or placing is a real achievement, Solid means it shows real interest and effort, and Light usually means most students who apply and pay can attend. It’s our opinion, not a ranking from any college, and a light one can still be a great summer.
Want a list picked for you?
Clarity Prep members get opportunities matched to their grade, interests and state in the app, plus a mentor who helps them decide what’s worth applying to and checks in every week until the applications are in.
Free tools: GPA calculator · chances calculator · college acceptance rates · essay grader
Every program here is real and links to its own official site. Dates, costs and rules change every year, so check the official page before you apply. Deadlines are shown as the months they usually close. Spot something out of date? Email sessions@joinclarityprep.com.