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Want a Free College Education?

Published September 12, 2014

Beginning with the Class of 2015, students in Tennessee may apply for the Tennessee Promise scholarship, which will provide two years tuition-free education at a community college or technical school in Tennessee. Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it will cover costs of tuition and mandatory fees not met from Pell, HOPE, or TSAA. As part of the program, students will be paired with a partnering organization and provided with a mentor who will support them during the college application process. TN Achieves has been chosen as the partnering organization for students in Williamson County.

High school seniors can apply here between now and November 1. Parents and students, this November 1 deadline is a hard deadline. Once it passes, applications will not be accepted. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must meet the following deadlines and requirements:

  • Apply to the program by November 1, 2014.
  • File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15, 2015, at www.fafsa.gov. For families who have not yet filed taxes for the prior year, estimates can be used on the FAFSA and updated once taxes have been filed.
  • Attend mandatory meetings, held at local high schools, with partnering organization by March 1 and May 31, 2015.
  • Complete FAFSA verification, if required by the student’s institution, by August 1, 2015.
  • Complete eight hours of community service for each semester they receive Tennessee Promise funding, to be completed before the start of each term. This means the first eight hours must be completed the summer before enrolling in a community college or TCAT. Partnering organizations will assist students in finding community service opportunities.
  • Apply to and enroll in an eligible institution. Some partnering organizations may ask students to apply to an eligible college program by February 15, 2015. Though this deadline is not an official requirement, it is highly encouraged. Once in the program, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (the equivalent of a 2.0 GPA at a community college), complete eight hours of community service before the start of each term enrolled and file the FAFSA by February 15 every year.
    Scholarship funds will be given directly to the school once the student’s enrollment is confirmed. It should be emphasized that if a student does not complete all of the Tennessee Promise program requirements and meet all the deadlines, he or she will not be eligible for Tennessee Promise funding.

For additional information or assistance please contact your student’s high school counselor.