Tennessee Promise Scholarship
Tennessee Higher Education Commission & Student Assistance Corporation (THEC/TSAC), with partnering organizations tnAchieves and The Ayers Foundation Trust
Last-dollar scholarship plus a mentor: covers tuition and mandatory fees not paid by other gift aid at TN community colleges, TCATs and eligible associate-degree programs.
- How much
- Varies: the remaining tuition and mandatory fees after all other gift aid has been applied
- Who qualifies
- Tennessee resident (TBR residency policy). Graduate from a TN high school, a bordering high school or home school, or earn a state-approved equivalency (GED, HiSET, New Pathways) before age 19. Apply during the high school senior year. Attend the mandatory meeting; 16 hours of community service per year in the program. In college: continuous full-time enrollment in fall and spring and a 2.0 GPA at the end of each academic year (or TCAT satisfactory progress).
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- When to apply
- Open now · due November 2, 2026 Application opens April 1 and closes ~November 1-2 of the senior year; FAFSA by April 1; first 16 service hours by August 1 before college starts; renewal FAFSA by April 1 and service by August 1 each year.
- How to apply
- Create a THEC Student Portal account and submit the TN Promise application by November 2, 2026 (Class of 2027)
- Submit the 2027-28 FAFSA by April 1, 2027
- Attend your partnering organization's mandatory meeting (Dec 2026/Jan 2027)
- Report 16 hours of community service by August 1, 2027
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (collegefortn.org), page 2 and page 3
The details
Tennessee Promise is a scholarship, mentoring and community service program for graduating high school seniors. It is last-dollar: it pays the tuition and mandatory fees left after Pell, HOPE, TSAA and other gift aid. Usable at the state's 13 community colleges, the colleges of applied technology (TCATs), and other eligible institutions offering an associate degree program (the brochure notes four-year colleges offering associate degrees may fund differently). Students attend a mandatory meeting run by their partnering organization (The Ayers Foundation Trust for 28 listed rural counties, tnAchieves for all others) and complete 16 hours of community service each year. Renewal: continuous full-time enrollment in fall and spring, a 2.0 GPA at the end of each academic year at a community college or four-year institution (satisfactory academic progress at a TCAT), a FAFSA every year, and the service hours.
More money from Tennessee
- Tennessee HOPE ScholarshipUp to $2,250 per full-time semester (freshman/sophomore) and up to $2,850 per full-time semester (junior/senior) at four-year colleges; up to $1,600 per full-time semester at two-year colleges; summer included (annual maximum up to $8,550)
- Tennessee Nontraditional HOPE ScholarshipUp to $2,250 per full-time semester (freshman/sophomore) and up to $2,850 per full-time semester (junior/senior), including summers
- Ned McWherter Scholars Program$6,000 per academic year ($3,000 state + $3,000 institutional match)
- Middle College Scholarship$2,000 per semester ($4,000 per year)
- Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)Up to $4,000 per year at private four-year/two-year colleges; up to $2,000 per year at public colleges, private career schools and TCATs
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.