About TSAC

Created by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1974 as a non-profit corporation with the merging of the Tennessee Educational Loan Corporation and the Tennessee Tuition Grant Program, the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) administers over 18 different state student financial aid programs, including the HOPE scholarship, Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect, Tennessee Student Assistance Award, and the Dual Enrollment grant. 

TSAC is established in TCA 49-4-201 “as a division within the Tennessee higher education commission to administer student assistant programs.” As of July 1, 2025, TSAC is a division of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), transferring the governance of TSAC to THEC in order to streamline operations and eliminate administrative redundancies. Under the leadership of the Commission, the operation of TSAC cultivates a cohesive landscape where solutions surrounding higher education policy and student financial aid work together and increase efficiency.

To increase awareness and participation in the financial aid programs, the agency conducts financial aid outreach and training to students and staff at every high school and postsecondary institution in the state.  Staff also consult with postsecondary financial aid offices to improve program effectiveness, compliance, and efficiency.