Accelerated Career Education (ACE) Grant
The Accelerated Career Education Grant, or ACE, lets some Georgia public high-school students begin a technical college pathway while completing an accelerated diploma. It is not an open scholarship for every high-school student: it is tied to Georgia’s Accelerated Career Diploma and approved programs at a Technical College System of Georgia institution. Its practical purpose is to lower the cost of a career credential while keeping technical study connected to the student’s
About Accelerated Career Education (ACE) Grant
The Accelerated Career Education Grant, or ACE, lets some Georgia public high-school students begin a technical college pathway while completing an accelerated diploma. It is not an open scholarship for every high-school student: it is tied to Georgia’s Accelerated Career Diploma and approved programs at a Technical College System of Georgia institution. Its practical purpose is to lower the cost of a career credential while keeping technical study connected to the student’s graduation plan.
Applicants must be in grades 10, 11, or 12, live in Georgia, and pursue the Accelerated Career Diploma. Enrollment must be in an associate of applied science, a diploma leading to licensure, or two related technical certificates within an approved high-demand career. The college determines residency for this grant and may request documentation. A student who stops pursuing the accelerated diploma becomes ineligible for later terms.
The grant is calculated by credit hours and the rates approved for the year; it covers standard tuition, mandatory fees, and required books within program limits. The maximum is 15 semester hours per term and up to three terms in an award year. At TCSG colleges, official rules say eligible participants’ mandatory charges and required materials are covered under program terms. Do not assume the grant pays for personal equipment, transportation, or other indirect costs.
Applications are submitted through GAfutures using GSFAPP before the first class of the term. The college may have earlier instructions and deadlines, so students should coordinate with their high-school counselor and TCSG financial-aid office before building a schedule. An important tradeoff: ACE-funded credits in the accelerated diploma pathway may reduce the student’s Dual Enrollment funding cap, and the published rules do not allow both programs for the same term.
Ask financial aid for a term-by-term estimate separating tuition, fees, housing, and other expenses. Keep the award decision, any service or loan agreement, and renewal records. If your studies, residence, or employment change, contact the administrator before making a decision that could affect the aid.
College scholarship and financial-aid program