Georgia Public Service Memorial Grant (PSMG)

The Public Service Memorial Grant is a state benefit for a specific set of circumstances. It may serve spouses and natural or adopted children of certain Georgia public servants killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The current name is Georgia Public Service Memorial Grant; older documents may call it Public Safety Memorial Grant, so both names appear in past records.

The rules include peace officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, HERO highway emergency operators, and prison guards employed by a public employer. The 2026–27 update also covers certain public-school employees killed or permanently disabled by a willful act of violence while working. Not every public employee qualifies: employment, event, and family relationship must match the statute.

Prior rules list an annual maximum of $18,000, limited to the institution’s cost of attendance after other grants and scholarships. The aggregate lifetime maximum is $72,000; eligibility duration depends on whether the applicant is a spouse or child and on the event or graduation date. Before planning enrollment, obtain an individual GSFC determination and confirm that the college can process the award.

Gather marriage or birth/adoption records, official employment and incident documentation, residency evidence, admission records, and FAFSA if the school requires it. The state or college aid office should identify the 2026–27 form and how permanent disability is reviewed. Because these family and employment records are sensitive, submit them only through the official process.

The public-service connection must be documented: the file may require evidence of the job, the on-duty incident, the worker’s condition, and the student’s family relationship. Before applying, ask GSFC which document it accepts for each element and whether the family must wait for a determination from another state agency.

The annual maximum is not a guaranteed payment. Rules cap the award at cost of attendance after other gift aid and set a lifetime aggregate limit. Ask financial aid for a projection across the remaining years of study so the program maximum is not mistaken for the amount that will reach your account.

The guide may help both eligible public-safety families and the added category of public-school employees. Do not assume every school position meets the legal definition; ask GSFC to review the job and circumstances. If tuition is already due, ask in writing how approval is coordinated with the college account.

Who it serves and what it can cover: The Public Service Memorial Grant is a state benefit for a specific set of circumstances. It may serve spouses and natural or adopted children of certain Georgia public servants killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The current name is Georgia Public Service Memorial Grant; older documents may call it Public Safety Memorial Grant, so both names appear in past records. The rules include peace officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, HERO highway emergency operators, and prison guards employed by a public employer. The 2026–27 update also covers certain public-school employees killed or permanently disabled by a willful act of violence while working. Not every public employee qualifies: employment, event, and family relationship must match the statute.

How to apply or get help: Prior rules list an annual maximum of $18,000, limited to the institution’s cost of attendance after other grants and scholarships. The aggregate lifetime maximum is $72,000; eligibility duration depends on whether the applicant is a spouse or child and on the event or graduation date. Before planning enrollment, obtain an individual GSFC determination and confirm that the college can process the award. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.

Official application and program information