About

Seniors may apply for the Tennessee Promise scholarship, which will provide two years of tuition-free attendance at a community or technical college in Tennessee.

Overview

Tennessee Promise is both a scholarship and mentoring program focused on increasing the number of students that attend a postsecondary institution in our state. It provides students a last-dollar scholarship, meaning the scholarship may cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees not covered by the federl Pell grant, the HOPE Scholarship, or the Tennessee Student Assistance Award at any of the state's 13 community colleges or 27 colleges of applied technology. Students may also use the scholarship at other eligible institution offering an associate degree program, but at these institutions the award would be capped at the average cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the community colleges.

While removing the financial burden is key, a critical component of TEnnessee Promise is the individual guidance each participant will recieve from a mentor who will assist the student as he or she navigates the college admission process. Students may apply for the Tennessee Promise Scholarship by the November 1 deadline of the academic year the student will graduate from high school or complete a home school program. A student is also eligible by earning a GED or HiSET prior to the student's 19th birthday . Students are required to participate in a mandatory meeting where there will be provided resources pertinent to the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program. Students are also required to complete eight (8) hours of community service for each term in which he/she is enrolled, and students are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress (2.0 GPA) at their respective institution. Students are also required to enroll in the fall semester following graduation from high school, completion of a home school program or a GED/HiSET program. Students who graduate early may be eligible to participate in the spring semester immediatley following graduation. If you have questions, please contact us at tn.promise@tn.gov.

Administration of Tennessee Promise

Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) administers the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program, working in partnership with local, non-profit partnering organizations that coordinate the mentoring and community service component. Once a student applies to the Tennessee Promise program, his or her respective partnering organization is responsible for communicating program requirements, mentorship connections, and determining if a student remains eligible for the Promise.

Partnering Organizations: