Tennessee Promise
High School Seniors may apply for the Tennessee Promise scholarship, which will provide two years of tuition-free attendance at a community or technical college in Tennessee.
Resources
- TN Promise Application
- FAFSA
- Walters State Admissions
- Community Service Opportunities
- Community Service Submission
Tennessee Promise is a last dollar scholarship program available to Tennessee high school graduates which can provide free tuition for up to two years at a community or technical college. This last dollar scholarship program will cover tuition and mandatory fees not covered by the Pell grant, the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS), or the Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA). A key component to the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program is the mentoring provided for each student to help them transition from high school to college. Three organizations serve as local partners and administer the mentorship component of the program and they include: The Ayers Foundation, REDI and tnAchieves.
Eligibility for Tennessee Promise Scholarship Program
Become Eligible for Tennessee Promise
- Be a Tennessee Resident
- Complete the Tennessee Promise Application
- Complete the FAFSA
- Attend a mandatory meeting organized by the partnering organization
- Graduate from an eligible Tennessee high school, complete a Tennessee home school program or obtain a GED or HiSET diploma prior to reaching the age of 19
- Enroll full time (12 or more hours) in an eligible postsecondary program at an eligible college immediately following high school graduation. Apply to WS now!
- Complete 8 hours of Community Service by July 1 for Fall, December 1 for Spring and April 1 for Summer.
Maintain Eligibility for Tennessee Promise
- Complete the FAFSA
by the required deadline each year - Complete 8 hours of community service per term enrolled
- Maintain continuous full time enrollment (students must attend all courses until the end of each academic term)
- Maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA
Terminating Events
Students that have maintained all of the eligibility requirements may continue to receive the scholarship until one of the following events has occurred:
- Student has earned a diploma or associate's degree or has completed 100% of their program of study; or
- Student has attended five full-time (12 hours) semesters, exclusive of leave of absence. (An approved leave of absence shall not count against the five-semester limit.)
Loss of Eligibility and Appeal Process
Students may submit an appeal or request for a leave of absence to the Financial Aid Office for consideration by the Institutional Review Panel for any of the following reasons:
- Illness of the student
- Illness or death of immediate family member
- Extreme Financial Hardship of student or student’s immediate family
- To fulfill a religious commitment
- Other extraordinary circumstance that was beyond the control of the student
Please be sure to submit a detailed explanation and supporting documentation for the reason listed in the appeal. The appeal forms are available in the Financial Aid Office. If the appeal is approved eligibility will be reinstated for future terms. If the appeal is denied, students may appeal directly to the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation.
Community Service Requirement
Complete 8 hours for each semester you receive Tennessee Promise funding, to be completed before the start of each term.
Community Service Requirement Options
Option 1
| Deadline | Number of Hours* |
| July 1, 2025 | At least 16 hours but up to 32 hours |
| August 1, 2026 | 16 additional hours for 32 total hours |
or Option 2
| Deadline | Number of Hours** |
| July 1, 2025 | At least 8 hours |
| December 1, 2025 | At least 8 additional hours (16 total hours) |
| April 1, 2026*** | At least 8 additional hours (24 total hours) |
| August 1, 2026 | At least 16 additional hours (32 total hours if NOT enrolling for summer or 40 total hours if enrolling in summer) |
* Any hours in excess of 16 completed and submitted by July 1, 2025 will carry forward
to the August 1, 2026 deadline.
** Any hours in excess of 8 completed and submitted for each deadline will carry forward
to the next deadline.
*** This deadline is only required if you attend South College, a TCAT or William
R. Moore College of Technology OR if you plan to enroll during the summer term with
TN Promise funding.
Additional Links
- tnAchieves Community Service
- tnAchieves Virtual Community Service
- Ayers Foundation Trust - To submit community service hours hover over the Ayers Scholars dropdown menu at the top of the page and select "Submit Community Service hours".