The HOPE Scholarship and Grant Program is one of the state's most successful education initiatives. Launched in 1993, the Georgia lottery program has contributed $3.61 billion to its major education initiatives:

• Free college education for thousands of Georgia students
• Voluntary pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds
• From 1993 until 2003 the lottery program included the purchase of computer equipment and capital construction outlays to K-12 public schools, technical institutes, colleges, and universities

Savannah gets outstanding grades for higher education. Within Savannah alone, two colleges are part of the state's University System and one a part of the acclaimed State Department of Technical and Adult Education. There are also a number of higher education institutions within commuting distance of Savannah.

There are over 50,000 students enrolled in the Savannah region. To see enrollment numbers for the 19 colleges and universities, see our Savannah Data section.