| Mission Statement |
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| Our mission is to promote and increase access to education beyond high school for Georgians. |
| Vision Statement |
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| Our vision is to be the premier provider of student loans, grants, scholarships and educational services for Georgians seeking post secondary education. |
| Every year thousands of Georgia students and families benefit from the services of the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC). The Georgia Student Finance Commission is the name traditionally used to refer to the Georgia Student Finance Commission and its companion student finance agencies – the Georgia Student Finance Authority (GSFA) and the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation (GHEAC). Although statutorily created in Georgia law as separate entities, these three agencies work closely together to provide integrated state student financial aid services. They have the same mission and vision; share common board members, executive leadership, facilities and administrative support; and operate for all intents and purposes as a single organization. Except as identified, as used in this document the term “Georgia Student Finance Commission” will denote the three agencies viewed as a single organization.
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| The Georgia Student Finance Commission helps Georgia students achieve their educational goals by administering financial aid programs and advocating for Georgia students and other state institutions on issues related to financing higher education. We administer the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Scholarship and Grant programs as well as other state-and lottery-funded scholarship and grant programs. We are also one of the state’s most competitive lenders of low-cost federally guaranteed student loans. The agency is the only lender in Georgia providing service-cancelable loans to encourage students to train for careers in critical need areas such as teaching and health care.
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| In addition to providing loans, scholarships and grants, GSFC provides free financial aid consultation to Georgia residents and is involved in many activities designed to promote financial literacy and default prevention. We support students in achieving their educational goals directly and indirectly, providing a wide range of financial aid services to Georgia’s high schools, colleges, universities, technical colleges, and commercial lenders.
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| GSFC and its companion agencies - the Georgia Student Finance Authority and the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation - have become one of the most successful and respected state student aid operations in the nation.
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| The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) is the state agency that administers state and lottery funded scholarship and grant programs such as HOPE. GSFC was created by the General Assembly of the State of Georgia in 1980 as successor to the State Scholarship Commission, originally created in 1965.
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| The Georgia Student Finance Authority (GSFA) is the public corporation designated by state statute to originate and service Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans as well as state and lottery funded service cancelable loans. GSFA was created in 1980 as successor to the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Authority, a public corporation created in 1969.
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| The Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation (GHEAC) is the state designated FFELP guarantor. The Corporation determines eligibility for FFELP student loans, assists lenders with minimizing loan defaults through default prevention and training programs, and default aversion activities. GHEAC was created as a public corporation in 1965 by the General Assembly of the State of Georgia.
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| Our agency is committed to increasing access to higher education for all Georgians to help them realize their educational dreams. |
| Organizational Structure |
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| The three agencies comprising the Georgia Student Finance Commission are each governed by a separate board although each board is made up of the same members. The members of the Georgia Student Finance Board of Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Georgia Senate. The members of the Board of Commissioners also serve by law as the Board of Directors for the Georgia Student Finance Authority and the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation. The GSFC, GSFA, and GHEAC boards establish rules, regulations, and policies for each agency within the limits of governing state and federal laws.
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| The Georgia Student Finance Commission’s Board appoints the commission’s president who also serves by law as the president of the GSFA and GHEAC. The president is charged with implementing all administrative functions of the respective organization in accordance with governing state and federal laws and the rules, regulations, and policies prescribed by its board.
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