Understanding the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

The Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship (GGMS), established in 1999 by Governor Kenny Guinn, is a merit-based scholarship program designed to provide financial assistance to Nevada's high-achieving students pursuing higher education within the state. The scholarship aims to encourage talented students to remain in Nevada for their studies, contributing to the state's intellectual and economic growth. The GGMS awards up to $10,000 in tuition to qualified students who choose to attend an eligible college or university in Nevada.

Initial Eligibility Criteria

For students graduating from a traditional high school in Nevada, there is no application process required to be considered for the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship. Eligibility is generally determined automatically based on academic performance and test scores. However, students that are home schooled or attend a high school out-of-state while residing in Nevada, there is an application process.

To qualify for the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship, students must generally meet the following criteria by the date of high school graduation:

GPA or Test Scores: Earn at least a 3.25 GPA (weighted or unweighted). ACT superscores are not accepted. A qualifying test score of 1070 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT.

It's important to note that all requirements must be met by the date of high school graduation.

Notification and Acknowledgment of Award

Students are typically notified of their eligibility for the Millennium Scholarship program in July and August following their high school graduation. Qualifying students will receive an award packet of information from the Nevada Treasurer's GGMS Office, outlining the terms and conditions of the scholarship program.

Once notified, students are required to complete the Acknowledgment of Award process online. While completing this process, students are encouraged to double-check their demographic information with the Nevada State Treasurer's Office, ensuring that their full legal name and date of birth are accurate.

Scholarship Amount and Usage

The GGMS is allocated on a per-credit hour basis for a minimum of 12 credit hours and up to 15 credit hours each semester. The value of the award varies depending on the institution. For example, at UNLV, the award is $80 per credit hour, up to 15 credit hours per semester, with an undergraduate lifetime total award value of $10,000.

The Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship is intended to pay tuition for the student. However, in many circumstances (pre-paid tuition, financial aid eligibility) the student may receive other funding, and will receive a residual refund (the amount of all aid that exceeds the charges on the student's account). The GGMS does NOT pay for remedial or graduate courses. NSHE defines remedial as any class with a course number less than 100.

Maintaining Eligibility

To maintain eligibility for the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship, students must meet certain requirements each semester for which they receive funding. If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements in any semester for which they received funding, the student will receive a strike, and the scholarship will be suspended. A strike requires a self-funded 12-credit semester to regain eligibility. Eligibility for the Millennium Scholarship can be regained by meeting all the requirements listed above in a subsequent semester.

All Millennium Scholars are able to regain the scholarship only one time after losing eligibility. If a student loses eligibility a second time, the student will no longer be eligible for the Millennium Scholarship.

Co-Enrollment Options

Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship students enrolled in a degree or certificate program at an eligible institution may request to enroll with Millennium Scholarship support at another eligible institution. A co-enrolled student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits between both institutions, and may only be paid for a maximum total of 15 credits between both institutions.

If a student is attending a university and a community college and is not receiving the full Millennium award at the university, a Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Co-Enrollment Form may be submitted to the home institution. The home institution is the eligible college/university at which the student is enrolled in a program of study leading to a recognized degree or certificate. The host institution is any eligible institution where a student may be co-enrolled in coursework and the credits will be transferred back to the home institution. Once the co-enrollment form is approved and processed by the home institution, it is forwarded to the host institution. In either case, the student must satisfactorily complete the credits funded and approved on the co-enrollment form.

Summer Enrollment

Millennium Scholars who are full-time students at another Nevada institution may take classes in Summer at TMCC and be reimbursed, as long as they've declared a major at TMCC. There are no forms to be reimbursed; however, students should check with the relevant office if reimbursement is not received by mid-October.

To be eligible for Millennium funds for summer enrollment, the student must:

Be eligible for the Millennium Scholarship at the beginning of the summer term.
Have been enrolled in either the preceding Spring semester or be enrolled in the following Fall semester for a minimum of 9 credits (12 credits if enrollment was/is at a State College or University).
Have a declaration of major on file with the relevant Office of the Registrar.

There is no minimum credit enrollment required for summer semesters, but the Millennium scholarship will only pay for classes completed with a D- or above up to a maximum of 15 non-remedial credits. Students do not lose eligibility due to summer enrollment, because the scholarship pays only for successfully completed classes. Students must pay for classes by the tuition and fees due date for the summer semester.

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Financial Aid and Refunds

Students should apply for other financial aid, however, it is not required that they do so. If a family has enrolled in Nevada's Pre-Paid Tuition Program, that payment will be applied to the student's account first. The Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship is then applied.

If a student receives a residual refund (the amount of all aid that exceeds the charges on the student's account), the funds are to be used for education-related books and supplies. There is no Book Award under the Millennium Scholarship Program.

Important Considerations for TMCC Students

For students attending Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), the following points are particularly relevant:

The TMCC Financial Aid office will be responsible for the disbursement of funds to your student account.
TMCC will generally apply Millennium Scholarship funds to your student account in mid Aug. for the fall semester and mid Jan. for the spring semester, provided you are enrolled.
If no payment has been made by the fee payment deadline, then it is your responsibility to make a payment to ensure your registration is not canceled for non-payment.
If you add or drop classes, adjustments to your Millennium award will be made automatically through the end of the 50% refund period.
Your Millennium Scholarship will fund a certain amount per credit for a minimum of 9 credits, up to a maximum of 15 credits per term (you will be responsible for the remaining charge per credit, plus any lab or additional fees that you incur).
If you are enrolled in remedial courses (numbered below 100), you will not receive Millennium funding for those credits; however, remedial credits are counted toward the minimum nine-credit enrollment level.

Regaining Eligibility at TMCC

Students must be enrolled in a degree seeking program at TMCC during the semester in which they are reinstating eligibility at TMCC. Enroll in and complete either 9 credits at a community college, or a minimum of 12 credits at a university, and meet the required 2.75 semester GPA. This enrollment is not funded by the Millennium Scholarship program.

FERPA and Student Privacy

All post-secondary institutions are bound by the Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), which stipulates that information about a student generally may not be released to a third party without the student's signed release. While your student was in high school, FERPA allowed information to be released to you as the parent, but once they matriculate to a post-secondary institution this process changes.

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