---
title: HB 693. Postsecondary education; tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities; expand definition of approved school
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb693
cite_as: HB 693, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb693
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb693.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb693/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71033
date: 2026-03-06
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 199
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb693.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 693
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-28
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
sponsors:
  - Kasey Carpenter
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB693/2025
upstream_id: 1989290
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - tuition equalization grants
  - private college funding
  - nursing education
  - higher education law
  - financial aid eligibility
---

# HB 693. Postsecondary education; tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities; expand definition of approved school

## Text

The House Committee on Higher Education offers the following substitute to HB 693:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 20-3-411 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
definitions relative to tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities, so as to
expand the definition of "approved school"; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 20-3-411 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to definitions
relative to tuition equalization grants at private colleges and universities, is amended by
revising paragraph (2) as follows:
"(2) 'Approved school' means:
(A) A nonproprietary institution of higher education located in this state which is not
a branch of the university system; which is not a four-year or graduate level institution
of higher education that is, or is a part of, a college or university system that is owned
and operated by a state other than Georgia; which is accredited by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools; which is not a graduate level school or college of
theology or divinity; and which is not presently receiving state funds under Article 4
of this chapter; provided, however, that an institution which otherwise meets the
requirements of this definition and of this subpart except for the lack of accreditation
by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools shall be deemed to be an
'approved school' during the period that the institution holds candidate for accreditation
status with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; provided, further, that
an institution which otherwise meets the requirements of this definition and of this
subpart except for the lack of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools shall be deemed to be an 'approved school' if such institution was previously
an 'approved school' under division <del>(iii)(iv)</del> of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph
within the last five years; provided, further, that an institution which was previously
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools within the last seven
years and which otherwise meets the requirements of this definition and of this subpart
except for the lack of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools shall be deemed to be an 'approved school'; and
(B)(i) A qualified proprietary institution of higher education located in this state
which is a baccalaureate degree-granting institution of higher education; which is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on
Colleges as a Level VI institution; which is not a Bible school or college (or, at the
graduate level, a school or college of theology or divinity); which admits as regular
students only persons who have a high school diploma, a state approved high school
equivalency (HSE) diploma, or a degree from an accredited postsecondary institution;
whose students are eligible to participate in the federal Pell Grant program; which has
been reviewed and approved for operation and for receipt of tuition equalization grant
funds by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission; which is
domiciled and incorporated in the State of Georgia; which has been located in this
state since on or before January 1, <del>2021</del> <ins>2015;</ins> and which met all of the requirements
of this subparagraph by January 1, <del>2021</del> <ins>2015;</ins> provided, however, that the criteria for
approval for receipt of tuition equalization grant funds shall include but not be limited
to areas of course study; quality of academic instruction; student placement rate;
research and library resources; faculty; support staff; financial resources; instructional
campuses, facilities, or other physical sites; and support and equipment resources.
(ii) <ins>A qualified nonproprietary institution of higher education located in this state
which is a baccalaureate degree-granting institution offering a baccalaureate degree
program or programs in nursing; which is accredited by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools or by the Higher Learning Commission; which is accredited by
the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; which has a National Council
Licensure Examination four-year average passage rate of at least 80 percent; which
is not a Bible school or college (or, at the graduate level, a school or college of
theology or divinity); which admits as regular students only persons who have a high
school diploma, a state approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma, or a degree
from an accredited postsecondary institution; whose students are eligible to participate
in the federal Pell Grant program; which has been reviewed and approved for
operation and for receipt of tuition equalization grant funds by the Georgia Nonpublic
Postsecondary Education Commission; which has at least one instructional campus
that has been physically located in the State of Georgia for at least ten years, as of
June 30, 2025; provided, however, that only such institution's baccalaureate degree
program or programs in nursing shall be deemed an approved school for the purposes
of this subpart; and provided, further, that, notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary in Code Section 20-2-161.3 or subparagraph (D) of paragraph (7) of Code
Section 20-3-519, an institution or program that is deemed an approved school
pursuant to this division shall not be deemed an eligible postsecondary institution, as
defined in Code Section 20-3-519, or for purposes of the Dual Enrollment Act, as
provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.3, or for any other scholarship, loan, or grant
program provided for in this article, including HOPE scholarships and grants.
</ins>
<ins>(ii)(iii)</ins> Any proprietary institution that is otherwise qualified pursuant to division (i)
of this subparagraph on July 1, 1995, shall be deemed to be eligible for receipt of
tuition equalization grant funds subject, however, to any subsequent review of such
approval pursuant to any proper regulations which may thereafter be adopted in
accordance with paragraph (10) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-250.5
applicable to all qualified proprietary institutions.
<del>(iii)(iv)</del> Any proprietary institution of higher education that is otherwise qualified
pursuant to division (i) of this subparagraph on January 1, 2011, shall continue to be
an approved school pursuant to this paragraph as long as it continues to meet the
requirements of division (i) of this subparagraph as such existed on March 14, 2011."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

House Bill 693 would expand which private colleges in Georgia can qualify for state tuition equalization grants by adding nonprofit schools with accredited nursing degree programs, while also moving up a key eligibility date for existing proprietary schools.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia's tuition equalization grant program (O.C.G.A. § 20-3-411) helps students at certain private, nonpublic colleges and universities. The law defines which schools count as an 'approved school' for these grants. This bill rewrites that definition in two main ways.
First, it changes a date requirement for for-profit (proprietary) colleges seeking approval, moving the cutoff for how long the school must have been located in Georgia from January 1, 2021 back to January 1, 2015. Second, it adds a brand-new category: nonprofit colleges with accredited baccalaureate nursing programs can now qualify as an approved school for their nursing degree only, if they meet accreditation, licensing exam pass rate, and Georgia campus longevity requirements. The bill specifies that a school approved under this new nursing category still cannot count as eligible for HOPE scholarships, dual enrollment funding, or other separate grant programs.

### What it does

- Moves the required 'located in Georgia since' date for proprietary (for-profit) colleges seeking tuition equalization grant approval from January 1, 2021 back to January 1, 2015.
- Creates a new path to 'approved school' status for nonprofit colleges that offer an accredited baccalaureate nursing degree program.
- Requires those nursing programs to be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and have at least an 80 percent four-year average nursing licensing exam (NCLEX) passage rate.
- Requires the nonprofit nursing program's school to have had at least one Georgia campus for at least 10 years as of June 30, 2025.
- Clarifies that a nursing program approved under this new category cannot also be treated as eligible for HOPE scholarships, dual enrollment funding, or other scholarship, loan, or grant programs.
- Renumbers existing subdivisions of the 'approved school' definition to accommodate the new nursing category.

### Who it affects

Students and administrators at private, nonpublic colleges and universities in Georgia, especially nonprofit schools with nursing degree programs and proprietary schools seeking tuition equalization grant eligibility; the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, which reviews and approves these schools for grant funding.

### Why it matters

The bill would open state tuition equalization grant funding to students in qualifying nursing programs at additional private nonprofit colleges, while tightening the historical presence requirement for proprietary schools. Whether a school counts as 'approved' directly affects whether its students can receive this state financial aid.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 amends paragraph (2) of O.C.G.A. § 20-3-411, the definition section for the tuition equalization grant program.
- Changes the proprietary institution eligibility date requirement from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2015 in the existing subdivision (B)(i).
- Adds new subdivision (B)(ii) creating eligibility for nonprofit nursing baccalaureate programs meeting accreditation, NCLEX pass rate, and 10-year Georgia campus presence requirements.
- Specifies that a program approved under the new nursing subdivision is not automatically an 'eligible postsecondary institution' for HOPE scholarships, dual enrollment, or other article-related aid programs.
- Renumbers former subdivisions (B)(ii) and (B)(iii) to (B)(iii) and (B)(iv) to fit the new nursing provision.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2025-02-28)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (2026-03-06)
- Sponsors: Kasey Carpenter
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71033

> The history, votes, and amendments (199 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb693.md?full=1