In 1999, Governor Kenny Guinn signed the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship (GGMS) Program into law. There is no application to be considered for this program. Annually in July, Nevada School districts, charter, and private schools submit student eligibility data directly to the Nevada Treasurer’s GGMS Office.
Value
At UNLV, the Millennium Scholarship does not pay 100 percent of a student's full-time tuition and fees. The value of your award is $80 per credit hour, up to 15 credit hours per semester, with an undergraduate lifetime total award value of $10,000. Remedial credits are not paid for by the Millennium Scholarship, but they can count toward the student's required 12 credits/semester.
Initial Eligibility
Students will be eligible when all the following conditions are met:
- Graduate with a Nevada high school diploma
- Earn at least a 3.25 GPA (weighted or unweighted) or a qualifying test score of 1070 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT. ACT superscores are not accepted. Only composite scores from a single test date will be considered
- Complete the following core curriculum: 4 units in English, 4 units in Math (including Algebra II or higher), 3 units in Science, 3 Units in Social Sciences or History
- Be a Nevada resident for at least two years of their high school career
All requirements must be met by the date of high school graduation. More details about the program can be found by visiting the Nevada State Treasurer’s Office Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship website and by reviewing the GGMS Fact Sheet in English or Espanol
Maintaining Eligibility
To maintain eligibility for the GGMS, students must meet three requirements at the end of each semester for which they receive funding.
To maintain eligibility as a Millennium scholar:
- Students must make satisfactory academic progress in their program of study
- Students must earn at least a 2.75 semester GPA
- Students must complete at least 12 semester credit hours
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. If loss of eligibility is incurred a second time, the student will be permanently removed from the GGMS program.
Notification
Students are initially notified of eligibility for the Millennium Scholarship program in July and August following the student's high school graduation. Qualifying students will receive an award packet of information from the Nevada Treasurer's GGMS Office describing the terms and conditions of the scholarship program. Once notified of their eligibility, students are required to complete the Acknowledgement of Award process online. As part of the acknowledgement process, each student is required to complete an affidavit declaring that the applicant is a citizen of the United States or has lawful immigration status, or that the applicant has filed an application to legalize the applicant’s immigration status or will file an application to legalize his or her immigration status as soon as he or she is eligible to do so.
Students who meet eligibility requirements at the time of admission will be packaged with a Millennium Scholarship estimate; however, this is not the actual award. Students will need to follow the steps outlined in the paragraph above to acknowledge their award if they receive notification from the Nevada Treasurer’s GGMS Office. Eligible students will be packaged with Millennium after UNLV receives a list of eligible students in early August. Students will receive a financial aid notification and can view their Millennium award under the Financial Aid tab on their MyUNLV.
If you do not receive a notification by early August and you do not see a Millennium award on your MyUNLV, but believe you are eligible for the scholarship, you should look up your Millennium Student Identification (MSID) number to verify eligibility. If you see your MSID but do not have an award, you should contact the Financial Aid Office at UNLV.
The GGMS Offices notifies UNLV electronically of eligible students and UNLV matches these GGMS records to records in the student information system.
Avoid Delays
If you are awarded a Millennium Scholarship and want to use your scholarship to help pay your tuition/fees at UNLV and avoid late fees, here are some tips:
- Acknowledge your award with the Nevada Treasurer's GGMS Office as soon as possible when you receive your award packet in the mail. If you do not acknowledge your award with the Nevada Treasurer's GGMS Office, UNLV will not be able to credit your scholarship award to your UNLV tuition and fee billing statement.
- When you acknowledge your award online, you are not obligated to enter your Social Security number as an identifier. However, it helps ensure a timely record match for awarding. If you leave this field blank when activating your Millennium Scholarship online with the Nevada State Treasurer's Office, UNLV may not be able to match up your record and pay your scholarship. A delay may occur in using your Millennium Scholarship to pay your UNLV tuition and fee billing statement.
- Double-check your demographic information with the Nevada State Treasurer's Office when you accept your award. Use your full legal name and make sure your date of birth is correct. A delay will occur in using your Millennium Scholarship to pay your UNLV tuition and fee billing statement if your demographic information is not accurate.
Millennium Co-Enrollment Form
Complete the Millennium Co-Enrollment Form if you are a Millennium Scholarship student and you wish to take a portion of your credits at another GGMS-eligible college or university and are enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits between the two institutions.
What is the dollar value of the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship at UNLV?
The GGMS is a merit scholarship that pays up to $10,000 in tuition. It is allocated on a per-credit hour basis for a minimum of 12 credit hours and up to 15 credit hours each semester. GGMS students at eligible universities will receive $80 per enrollment credit hour.
Millennium Students with Documented Disabilities
Complete the Millennium Students with Documented Disabilities Form if you are a student with a documented physical or mental disability or who was previously subject to an individualized education program and are requesting to enroll with Millennium Scholarship support in fewer than the minimum semester credit hours or an extension of the expiration date for funding.
Does the GGMS expire?
The GGMS expires six (6) years after a student’s high school graduation year or when scholarship funds have been exhausted, whichever comes first.
Will the GGMS pay for all my classes?
The GGMS does NOT pay for remedial or graduate courses. NSHE defines remedial as any class with a course number less than 100. In addition, the GGMS only pays for courses that count toward a student’s undergraduate degree program.
Do I have to notify the GGMS office if I switch institutions?
No, you do not have to notify the GGMS office when changing institutions. However, make sure to declare a degree program at the new institution and follow up with the financial aid office.
Will I lose my GGMS funds if I drop one of my classes?
Possibly. You must meet the continuing eligibility requirements at the end of any semester for which you receive scholarship funding. This includes meeting a minimum credit requirement.
Does GGMS pay for summer courses?
Yes. Students are reimbursed during the fall semester for courses passed with a grade of “D minus” or better up to 15 credit hours at a rate of $80 per credit hour. There is no minimum enrollment requirement for summer funding. Additionally, students must have received a Millennium award in the prior spring semester or subsequent fall semester to be funded for summer enrollment. Further, students cannot lose eligibility based upon summer semester work.
Students who lost eligibility in a previous semester and received their first strike can use the summer to regain eligibility if they complete a minimum of 12 credits and have earned a minimum cumulative summer GPA of 2.75.
If you are a new student starting in a summer term or you are a GGMS recipient enrolling in summer courses at a host institution, please complete the Millennium Scholarship Summer Reimbursement Request Form.