Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)
Tennessee Higher Education Commission & Student Assistance Corporation (THEC/TSAC)
Tennessee's main need-based grant: up to $4,000 a year at private colleges and up to $2,000 a year at public colleges, TCATs and career schools.
- How much
- 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
- Who qualifies
- Tennessee resident (a dependent student's parents must also be TN residents); FAFSA with SAI of 5,000 or less; at least half-time at an eligible TN institution listed first on the FAFSA; satisfactory academic progress; no default or grant overpayment; no prior bachelor's degree.
- For students starting college, undergrads, adults going back to school, transfer students, trade school students
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Open now · due April 1, 2027 FAFSA opens October 1; file as soon as possible. April 1 deadline each year; awards go first to renewing students, then the neediest new applicants, until funds run out.
- How to apply
- Complete the FAFSA by April 1 (as soon as possible after October 1), listing an eligible Tennessee institution as your first choice
- No separate application
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (collegefortn.org) and page 2
The details
TSAA is non-repayable aid for financially needy undergraduates who are Tennessee residents, funded by state appropriations (and lottery funds). Annual maximums: four-year and two-year private institutions $4,000; four-year public $2,000; two-year public $2,000; private career schools $2,000; TCATs $2,000 (THEC's brochure: up to $1,000 per semester at public colleges, $2,000 per semester at private, $667 per trimester at TCATs). Paid to the school for educational expenses. Requires at least half-time enrollment, a FAFSA with a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 5,000 or less, and an eligible TN school as the first choice on the FAFSA. Funding is limited: returning recipients who file the FAFSA by April 1 are funded first, then the neediest new applicants who filed by April 1. Award limits: 8 semesters for a four-year program, 6 for three-year, 4 for two-year, 2 for one-year, 1 for six-month.
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)
- 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.