Tennessee college grants and scholarships center on two lottery-funded programs: Tennessee Promise, which covers tuition and mandatory fees left after other gift aid at community colleges and other eligible schools, and the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship, a merit award of up to $2,250 per semester for freshmen and sophomores at four-year colleges. Both require the FAFSA. Tennessee Promise also has its own application, which was due November 2, 2026 for the high school class of 2027.
Both programs are explained on College for TN, the state’s college-planning site, which says it is powered by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). The figures below come from those pages.
Tennessee Promise vs. the HOPE Scholarship
| Tennessee Promise | Tennessee HOPE Scholarship | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Last-dollar: tuition and mandatory fees not covered by gift aid | Merit award paid per semester |
| Academic entry rule | High school graduation or approved equivalency before your 19th birthday | 21 ACT (or 1060 SAT) or a 3.0 overall GPA |
| Separate application | Yes, by November 2 of senior year | No; the FAFSA |
| Extra requirements | Mandatory meeting, 16 hours of community service per program year | Enroll within 16 months of high school graduation |
Sources: College for TN, Tennessee Promise and College for TN, Tennessee HOPE Scholarship.
Tennessee Promise: who qualifies
Tennessee Promise “covers tuition and mandatory fees not covered by gift aid.” Your award is whatever tuition and mandatory fees remain after the Pell Grant, HOPE and other gift aid are applied. A student whose Pell Grant already covers tuition may receive a Promise award of zero but still keep the benefits of being a Promise student, such as mentoring.
To be eligible, College for TN says you must:
- Be a Tennessee resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Graduate from a Tennessee, bordering-state or homeschool program, or earn an approved high school equivalency credential before your 19th birthday.
- Attend a mandatory Tennessee Promise meeting.
- Complete at least 16 hours of community service per program year.
- Stay continuously enrolled in fall and spring semesters at an eligible institution.
- Keep a 2.0 GPA at the end of each academic year at a community college or eligible four-year school, or satisfactory academic progress at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT).
Tennessee Promise deadlines for the class of 2027
- Promise application: November 2, 2026, through the THEC Student Portal.
- FAFSA: April 1, 2027.
- Mandatory meeting and community service: required; College for TN does not list fixed dates on the program page, so watch your THEC portal and your school counselor’s notices.
If you are a senior who missed the November 2 Promise application, contact THEC and your counselor right away about any late options. You can still file the FAFSA and qualify for HOPE and Pell.
The Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
HOPE eligibility for entering freshmen
- Test score or GPA: a 21 on the ACT or 1060 on the SAT, excluding the essay and optional subject tests, or an overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, with extra points for AP, honors and similar courses under the state’s Uniform Grading Policy.
- Timing: enroll within 16 months of high school graduation.
- Testing rules: the ACT or SAT must be taken on a national or state test date before the first day of college. The ACT Residual test and ACT Superscore are not accepted.
- Home school, GED and HiSET students: home school and GED recipients need a 21 ACT; GED recipients also need a 170 GED score; HiSET recipients need a 21 ACT and an average HiSET score of at least 15.
HOPE award amounts
| School type | Freshman and sophomore | Junior and senior |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year institutions, and two-year institutions with on-campus housing | Up to $2,250 per full-time semester | Up to $2,850 per full-time semester |
| Two-year institutions | Up to $1,600 per full-time semester | Not applicable |
Source: College for TN, Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. These are the amounts College for TN currently publishes; the page does not label them with an award year. Summer enrollment is also eligible. Confirm the figure on your aid offer, because the legislature can change lottery scholarship amounts.
HOPE FAFSA deadlines
College for TN lists the same HOPE application deadlines for two-year, four-year and TCAT schools: September 1 for fall, March 1 for spring and May 1 for summer. The page recommends applying early. Filing the FAFSA by the April 1 Promise date covers you for HOPE too.
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Using Promise and HOPE together
Many Tennessee students receive both. Because Promise is last-dollar, HOPE and Pell are applied first, and Promise fills any remaining tuition and mandatory fees. HOPE can then follow a student who transfers from a community college to a four-year university, where the junior and senior HOPE amount is higher.
The federal rules affect this stacking too. For award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. Cost of attendance includes housing, food and books, so this is uncommon, but ask your aid office if you hold several large awards. Our guide to Pell Grant eligibility explains the basics.
Tennessee senior-year checklist
- Submit the Tennessee Promise application by November 2 of senior year.
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA by April 1, 2027. Our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA walks through it.
- Attend the mandatory Tennessee Promise meeting.
- Complete and report 16 hours of community service.
- Take the ACT or SAT on a national or state test date if you are relying on a test score for HOPE.
- Enroll within 16 months of graduation for HOPE, and stay continuously enrolled each fall and spring for Promise.
Questions families ask about Promise and HOPE
Can I use Tennessee Promise at a four-year university?
College for TN refers to eligible institutions that include community colleges, TCATs and eligible four-year schools, each with its own GPA or progress rule. Ask the four-year school whether it participates before you count on Promise there.
Do I have to keep doing community service in college?
Yes. The requirement is at least 16 hours of community service per program year, not just once in high school. Students who miss the hours can lose Promise for the next term, so log them early each year.
Does HOPE require a separate application?
No. HOPE is awarded from the FAFSA. The key is filing by the fall deadline of September 1 for the fall term, and qualifying with either a 21 ACT (or 1060 SAT) or a 3.0 GPA.
What if I miss the HOPE test score and GPA?
You still qualify for the Federal Pell Grant if you have financial need, and for Tennessee Promise at eligible schools if you meet its rules. Promise does not require a minimum high school GPA to start; it requires a 2.0 GPA in college to keep it.
Do I lose Promise if I take a semester off?
Tennessee Promise requires continuous enrollment in fall and spring semesters. A semester off can end eligibility. Contact THEC before you stop out to ask whether an exception is possible.
Where to go next
See how Tennessee compares with other states in our guide to state grants for college, and check our FAFSA deadlines guide for college-level dates. For current seniors, April 1, 2027 is the FAFSA date that protects both Promise and HOPE.