Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
Tennessee Higher Education Commission & Student Assistance Corporation (THEC/TSAC)
Lottery-funded merit scholarship: up to $2,250 per semester (years 1-2) and $2,850 per semester (years 3-4) at TN four-year colleges; up to $1,600 per semester at two-year colleges.
- How much
- Up 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)
- Who qualifies
- Tennessee resident; graduate from an eligible TN high school (exceptions for bordering-county, military-family, boarding and some out-of-state high schools). Entering freshmen need a 21 ACT / 1060 SAT OR a 3.0 weighted high school GPA (home school, GED (170) and HiSET (15) graduates need the 21 ACT; home schoolers can also qualify through two dual-enrollment courses with a 3.0). ACT/SAT taken on a national or state test date before college; ACT Superscore and Residual not accepted. Enroll within 16 months of high school graduation; continuous fall/spring enrollment and satisfactory academic progress.
- 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). Early application recommended.
- How to apply
- Complete the FAFSA, listing an eligible Tennessee college
- The FAFSA is the HOPE application
- No separate form
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + test scores + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (collegefortn.org), page 2 and page 3
The details
Funded from net Tennessee Lottery proceeds (part of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship, TELS, family). Four-year institutions and two-year institutions with on-campus housing: up to $2,250 per full-time semester as a freshman and sophomore, then up to $2,850 per full-time semester as a junior and senior. Two-year institutions: up to $1,600 per full-time semester. Summer terms are covered; THEC lists the annual full-time maximum as up to $8,550. Only courses in the student's associate or bachelor's program count. Need-based (Aspire) and merit (GAMS) supplements can be added on top. Renewal benchmarks: 2.75 cumulative GPA at 24 and 48 attempted hours; 3.0 at 72 hours and each 24 hours after (or 2.75-2.99 cumulative with a 3.0 semester GPA, then semester by semester, full time). Lost eligibility can be regained once. Ends at the first of: earning a bachelor's degree, or five years after first enrolling anywhere (medical-disability extensions possible). Separate rules exist for home-school, GED and HiSET graduates and for TN residents who finished high school out of state.
More money from Tennessee
- 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
- Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant$2,000 per academic year (up to $667 per trimester)
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.