The Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) is pleased to offer the HOPE Scholarship for college or grad school first-year students, funded by the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS).

The award is open to entering freshmen who are enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution contained by sixteen months after graduating from a TN eligible high school.

The Tennessee General Assembly created the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) in 1974 as a non-profit corporation. TSAC manages over 20 diverse state student financial aid programs.

Application Deadline: Applications must be received by September 1st for the fall semester, February 1st for spring and summer semesters.

Brief Description

• University or Organization: Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC)
• Department: NA
• Course Level: Two or Four-Year Institutions courses
• Award: Up to $1,750 per full-time enrollment semester
• Access Mode: Online
• Number of Awards: Varies
• The award can be taken in the United States

Eligibility

To be eligible, the applicants should meet all the following ‘Tennessee HOPE Scholarship Requirements‘:

Entering freshmen:

• Applicants are Tennessee residents for one year until the application date, September 1. For students beginning the spring and summer term, residency scheduled until February 1 as the application date
• Graduate from a TN eligible high school –

1. Exceptions may grant to TN residents who graduate from high schools located in states other than Tennessee. They include a) High schools located in bordering out-of-state counties, b) High schools that include active duty members or US Department of Defense civilian workers, the Tennessee National Guard on active duty
2. Armed Forces or TN National Guard Members must have Tennessee Home Record at the time of military service entry, or be classified as an in-state student under the Tennessee Board of Regents, as of the FAFSA application date Relate to rules.
3. High schools that may include dependents of full-time religious workers in foreign nations
4. Out-of-state boarding schools that are county-wide accredited or the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) accredited

• Enrol in one of the Tennessee public colleges, universities, or private colleges. Click Here for listing.
• Entering first-year students must have a 21 ACT minimum or a 1060 SAT minimum, exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests (concordant equivalent score) or Overall minimum 3.0-grade point average (GPA)
• Home School graduates –the essay and optional subject area battery tests exclusive minimum 21 ACT
• GED ® recipients – the essay and optional subject area battery tests and qualifying GED ® score must minimum 21 ACT. Minimum average Revised GED ® score is 170.
• HiSet recipients – minimum 21 ACT exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests and qualifying HiSet score. Minimum average HiSet score is 15.
• ACT/SAT exams must be taken on a national test date or state test date and before the first day of college enrollment. The ACT Residual test is not accepted.
• Must enrol within 16 months following high school graduation at any post-secondary institution. However, enrollment at an ineligible post-secondary institution during the 16 months will make the student permanently unqualified.

Transfer Students from Colleges and Universities outside of Tennessee:

• A student who is otherwise eligible for the HOPE Scholarship but instead enrols in an out-of-state regionally accredited post-secondary institution either immediately following high school graduation or up to 16 months immediately following high school graduation may transfer to an eligible Tennessee post-secondary institution as a degree-seeking student and receive the HOPE Scholarship as described in TCA 49-4-929.
• At the point of enrollment at the out-of-state institution, the student must maintain continuous enrollment and meet renewal requirements as described above without the HOPE Scholarship. All necessary eligibility requirements must be met while attaining the appropriate cumulative GPA at the corresponding benchmark.
• If at any time the student drops from full-time enrollment to part-time enrollment or withdraws from the out-of-state regionally accredited post-secondary institution, the student will no longer meet the minimum requirements as described in TCA 49-4-929. However, upon transferring to an eligible TN postsecondary institution, the student may appeal the ineligible status to restore HOPE Scholarship eligibility if the change in enrollment status was due to a documented medical or personal reason. Click here for more details.

How to Apply

Early submission is recommended. To participate, applicants can apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available at www.fafsa.gov.

• Students must achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA or 21 or above GPA
• Students must receive at least a 21 on their ACT or 1060 on the SAT
• Other requirements check here.

Benefits

For entering freshmen beginning with fall 2015 and thereafter

• First-year student (freshmen) and sophomore will get up to $1,750 per full-time enrollment semester at four-Year Institutions and two-year institutions with on-campus housing
• Junior and senior will receive up to $2,250 per full-time enrollment semester
• A freshman and sophomore will receive up to $1,500 per full-time enrollment semester at Two-Year Institutions
• Award amounts are available for summer enrollment and the post-secondary institution determines the class status

For students who first received HOPE in fall 2009 through summer 2015

• Up to $2,000 per full-time enrollment semester at four-Year Institutions and two-year institutions with on-campus housing including summer
• Up to $1,000 per full-time enrollment semester at two-Year Institutions including summer

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