TN Promise scholarship

TN Promise Scholarship

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TN Promise is available to qualified Tennessee residents who complete all application requirements during their senior year in high school. The award pays for last-dollar balances from mandatory tuition and fees not covered by other federal and state gift aid. Students whose mandatory tuition is paid by other gift aid will not receive an award from TN Promise, but remain eligible for future terms if they follow all renewal criteria. It does not pay for bookstore charges or certain program fees.

Students can receive TN Promise for up to 5 semesters or up until they graduate with an associate’s degree, whichever occurs first.

For more detailed information about eligibility, please visit the websites below.


Initial Eligibility Requirements

  • Must apply for TN Promise by November 1 of their senior year in high school.
  • Must complete the FAFSA by March 1 of their senior year in high school.
  • Must attend mandatory meetings scheduled by the state of Tennessee.
  • Must complete and report 8 hours of community service by July 1 after high school graduation.
  • Must enroll in at least 12 credit hours at an eligible Tennessee postsecondary institution in the Fall semester after high school graduation.

Continuing Eligibility Requirements

  • Must maintain a 2.0 college GPA at the end of the summer term of each academic year.
  • Must submit the FAFSA each year before the state’s published deadline.
  • Must complete 8 hours of community service before each semester.
  • Must maintain at least 12 credit hours each semester.

Loss of Eligibility

Students lose eligibility if they withdraw below 12 credit hours in a semester or if they do not enroll and attend in at least 12 hours each Fall and Spring semester. Unearned Fs or FA grades assigned when a student stops attending a course will count as withdrawals. Students who do not attend and engage in at least 12 credit hours each semester will be required to repay the full amount of TN Promise to the college.


Appeal Process

  • Students who forfeit eligibility can contact FinAid@chattanoogastate.edu to request an appeal to be considered for reinstatement of eligibility. Appeals must have a valid justification and often must be submitted with documentation to support that justification.
  • Students whose appeals are denied can appeal to the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation within 45 days of their appeal decision.
  • Students cannot appeal for an unsatisfactory GPA regardless of the circumstances.

Community Service

All TN Promise recipients must complete 8 hours of community service before each semester. These hours must be reported directly to tnAchieves. Read more information regarding the community service requirements.

Reminder: All community service hours must be submitted directly to tnAchieves.


Tuition and Fees

Check the Bursar’s Office webpage for updated tuition and fee rates each year. The following tuition and fees are covered by TN Promise for courses that are required for a student’s program of study:

  • Maintenance Fee
  • Technology Access Fee
  • Program Services Fee

The fees below are not covered by TN Promise at any college or university based on Tennessee state policy. Depending on your schedule and program, you might have one or more of the charges below that need to be paid out-of-pocket.

  • Applied Music
  • Distance Education
  • Nursing/Lab
  • Online Course fees
  • TN eCampus Course fees
  • Orientation fee
  • Math lab fees
  • Other non-mandatory fees
  • Books

Helpful Resources