General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS, HOPE supplement)
Tennessee Higher Education Commission & Student Assistance Corporation (THEC/TSAC)
Merit add-on to the HOPE Scholarship: up to $500 more per semester, including summer, for students with a 3.75 GPA and a 29 ACT / 1330 SAT.
- How much
- Up to $500 per semester (including summer), on top of HOPE
- Who qualifies
- Meet HOPE requirements plus a 3.75 weighted high school GPA AND 29 ACT or 1330 SAT (taken on a national or state test date before college; Superscore and Residual not accepted). Separate criteria for home-school and non-category I-III school graduates.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads
- When to apply
- Apply any time FAFSA-driven; term deadlines September 1 (fall), March 1 (spring), May 1 (summer).
- How to apply
- Complete the FAFSA
- It applies you for both HOPE and GAMS
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + test scores + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (collegefortn.org) and page 2
The details
GAMS is a lottery-funded, merit-based supplement to HOPE awarded from the freshman year onward for students who stay HOPE-eligible. Up to $500 per semester on top of HOPE, including summer. Graduates of TN public or category 1, 2 or 3 private schools need a minimum 3.75 weighted GPA AND a 29 ACT or 1330 SAT. Home-school and other graduates have separate academic requirements. Ends with HOPE: at a bachelor's degree or five years after first enrollment.
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.