HHigh School Scholarships

Georgia Special Needs Scholarship

  • March 12, 2023

Are you a public or private High school student? This might be the opportunity you have been looking for.

Georgia Department of Education is offering Georgia Special Needs Scholarship.
Program to students in high school. This GSNS Program is a school choice program for special needs students attending Georgia public schools served under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Table of contents

Read Through!

It might interest you to note that, Under the Individualized Education Plan, the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) Program supports special needs students attending a Georgia school.

Therefore, it will be an error if you avail yourself of the opportunity of reading through this article carefully because we have put down relevant information, including the application link and some current FAQS about this program to help you.

Level/ Field of Study

This Georgia Special Needs Scholarship is for high school students.

See also some of our High school scholarships that students can apply for.

Host Nationality

The GSNS Program is administered by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE).

If you are an international student and you desire to study in the UK, Check out the best scholarships obtainable for study in the UK

Eligible Nationality

This special needs scholarship program is available for special needs students attending  Georgia public school.

Aside from the Georgia special needs scholarship program, other scholarships are available for international students studying abroad. You can check our scholarship by country to access all scholarships available.

Scholarship Worth

However, this scholarship for special needs students typically ranges from $2,500 to $13,500. The GSNS awards scholarship recipients are about $6,000 on average. Eligibility and scholarship amounts are determined by records received from the local school districts.

Eligibility for Special Needs Scholarship

To newly qualify for the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program for the upcoming school year a student must meet ALL the following requirements:

  • Student Eligibility Criteria 1– A student must have a parent/guardian who lives in Georgia and has been a resident for at least one calendar year.
  • Student Eligibility Criteria 2– A student was enrolled and completed the 2022 school year in a Georgia public school in grades kindergarten through twelfth.
  • Eligibility Criteria 3– A student was reported as attending a Georgia public school by a school district(s) during mandatory student counts conducted in October and March.
  • Student Eligibility Criteria 4 – A student does not need an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the entire school year to qualify for the GSNS Program. A student must have received special education services during the 2023 school year through an IEP.

A student must be reported by a school district(s) in either the October OR March student counts OR in the final student record as a student receiving special education services by the end of the 2023​ school year.

If a student meets the eligibility criteria for the GSNS Program, a parent/guardian has the right to request a transfer from a student’s current public school to:

  • Another public school within their district of residence; or
  • Another public school district outside their district of residence; or
  • One of the three state schools for the blind or deaf; or
  • A private school authorized to participate in the GSNS Program. Funds received through the GSNS Program can only be used to pay for tuition. Also, fees at a private school authorized by the State Board of Education to participate in the program.

How to Apply for Special Needs Scholarship 2023

If this is your first time applying, reading current FAQs about the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship program may be helpful.

What is the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program?

Senate Bill 10, signed into law on May 18, 2007, created the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship program. It allows eligible special needs students to transfer to another public school, public school system, state school, or authorized participating private school.

Will the GSNS Program continue in future years?
The GSNS Program will continue as long as it is authorized in state law and funded by the Georgia General Assembly.

How does an interested parent/guardian find out more about the scholarship?
Parent(s)/guardian(s) can find out more about the program by visiting the GSNS web page at
http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Policy/Pages/Special-NeedsScholarshipProgram.aspx. Click on the Additional Resources link found on the right side of the

My family has a member in the military, and we have been transferred to Georgia. Are military families exempt from the eligibility requirements if they have a special needs child?
Yes. For more information, visit the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship website and click Application Form for Military Students (#18 under For Parents).

Does a parent/guardian need to go through “due process” to receive a scholarship through the GSNS Program?
No. A student is eligible for the GSNS Program if he/she meets the established eligibility criteria set in law.

Does a parent/guardian have to prove that the public school did not provide adequate services for their child?
Such proof is not required to participate in the GSNS Program. A student is eligible for the GSNS Program if he/she meets the established eligibility criteria set in law.
See more current FAQs about the program.

Special Needs Scholarship 2023 Application Deadline

Your authorized private school will have access to your 2023 scholarship award amount until July 2023.​

For additional information, please visit the Georgia Department of Education’s Special Needs Scholarship.
Program website at https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Policy/Pages/Special-NeedsScholarship-Program.aspx.

Conclusion

This GSNS Program is a school choice program for special needs students attending Georgia public schools served under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Therefore, qualified candidates are strongly advised to apply and stand a chance of grabbing this golden opportunity.

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