HOPE Scholarship
The Hope Scholarship is also known as the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS). You apply for this by completing the FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) at http://www.fafsa.gov any time after October 1st of the students' senior year. A student automatically qualifies for this if you make a composite score of 21 or higher on the ACT, or 980 SAT. If you do not make a 21+ on the ACT, or 980 SAT, but have a 3.0 overall GPA at graduation, then they will verify with us and the student will qualify at that point.
HOPE gives up to $1,500 per semester if you attend a two year college, or up to $1,750 if you attend a four year college or university for years one and two. For years three and four the HOPE scholarship will award up to $2,250 per semester.
Renewal Criteria: You must maintain a 2.75+ GPA after 24 and 48 semester hours. You must have a GPA of 3.0+ after attempting 72, 96 or any other multiple of 24 semester hours thereafter. The HOPE scholarship terminates once a student earns a baccalaureate degree, or 5 years have passed from the initial date of enrollment OR a student reaches eight (8) full-time semesters, OR 120 hours, whichever comes later.
HOPE also offers an additional Aspire award based on low income of $36,000 or less on IRS tax form, which is also determined through your FAFSA. The student must meet the TN Hope scholarship requirements first. This award can be up to $250 per semester if attending a 2-year institution or $750 per semester at a four-year institution.
HOPE offers a General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS) in addition to the original scholarship for those students that graduate from a TN high school that have a minimum GPA of 3.75 weighted AND a 29 composite ACT score (1280 SAT), exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests. The ACT residual test is not accepted. This award amount is $500 per semester whether you attend a 2-year or 4-year institution. This award is available for summer enrollment.
A student may only receive the Aspire or the GAMS, not both.
There is also a HOPE Access Grant if you have a 2.75-2.99 GPA and a single composite ACT score of 18, 19, or 20 (at least 860 SAT-Math and Critical Reading Only) and your parent's gross income is $36,000 or less. The award amount is $875 per semester for 2-year institution and $1,250 per semester for a 4-year institution. This is non-renewable, but converts to HOPE with at least a 2.75 GPA after attempting 24 semester hours.
If you have additional questions, please visit http://www.tn.gov/collegepays/article/tennessee-hope-scholarship
SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE TENNESSEE STUDENT ASSISTANCE CORPORATION (TSAC)
Tennessee Hope Lottery Scholarship (21 ACT or a 3.0 weighted GPA) (Application is the FAFSA): https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/tn-education-lottery-programs/tennessee-hope-scholarship.html Other scholarships available through the Tennessee Hope Lottery Scholarship Program (application is the FAFSA): https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/financial-aid.html
Merit based HOPE Lottery Scholarship General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS): 3.75 unweighted GPA and 29 ACT. ACT score must be from a national or state test date prior taken prior to the first day of college enrollment. ACT residual is not accepted. Award amount – Up to $1,500 supplement to the HOPE Scholarship. The award is divided equally between fall, spring and summer semesters. Awards to part-time students are prorated.
Ned McWherter Scholars Program (Separate Application from the FAFSA): The Ned McWherter Scholars Program is intended to encourage academically superior Tennessee high school graduates to attend college in Tennessee. Tennessee high school seniors starting their last semester in high school may apply.The award is $6,000 per academic year, $3,000 from the State of Tennessee and $3,000 from the college or university attended. Awards are made in equal installments each term throughout the academic year. The award may be renewed three times for a total of four years. The recipient must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and attend full-time to remain eligible.
To be eligible, the applicant must:
be a resident of Tennessee, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and attend an eligible Tennessee college or university full time, and
have at least a 3.5 unweighted cumulative grade point average, and
have a minimum composite score of 29 on the ACT (or concordant equivalent score on the SAT).
An applicant may receive extra credit for honors or advanced placement courses and leadership in extracurricular activities while in high school.
An application, in order to be considered complete, must be accompanied by:
an official high school transcript that contains the applicant’s high school grades through the first semester of the senior year, and
an official ACT/SAT score.
Student must request their transcript be sent by contacting Mrs. Taylor by email at cassidy.taylor@knoxschools.org and request for transcript to be email to TSAC for Ned McWherter Scholarship
Applications are available in the TSAC Student Portal. Awards are very competitive and are based on limited funding. Renewal applicants are given first priority. TSAC must receive the completed application and required attachments by deadline of February 15, 2021.
Need Based HOPE Lottery Scholarships
Hope Aspire Award: Meet Tennessee HOPE Scholarship requirements AND must have parents’ or independent student’s and spouse’s adjusted gross income of $36,000 or less on IRS tax form.
Four-Year Institutions: Up to $750 per semester as a supplement to the HOPE Scholarship; including summer
Two-Year Institutions: Up to $250 per semester as a supplement to the HOPE Scholarship; including summer
HOPE Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA): To be eligible, the applicant must:
complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and
have a valid Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $3500 or less, and
to receive priority consideration, students are strongly encouraged to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1 each year.
Awards are made until funds are depleted. Award Information:
Four-year/two-year private $4,000
Four-year public $2,000
Two-year public $1,300
Career Schools $2,000
TN College of Applied Technology $1,000
HOPE Foster Child Tuition Grant: Students must meet the HOPE general scholarship or HOPE Access Grant requirements. Students who were in the custody of the Department of Children Services for at least one year after 14th birthday. Must maintain satisfactory progress according to the standards and practices used in Title IV programs by which the student is enrolled. Amount varies based on level of unmet need after all financial assistance (excluding loans and work study) has been applied and not to exceed cost of tuition and mandatory fees. If enrolled at an independent institution not to exceed the statewide average public tuition and mandatory fees for the type of tuition attended.
Important Items to Remember:
Students applying for TSAA need to correctly complete the FAFSA by March 1st.
A student must select TN in question 18 on the FAFSA for TSAC to receive the information.
The TSAA award will be sent to the first TSAA eligible school listed on the FAFSA.