Tennessee Promise — Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Tennessee Promise combines a last-dollar scholarship with mentoring: after other grants and scholarships are applied, it may cover the remaining tuition and mandatory fees at an eligible institution. It does not automatically pay for books, transport, housing, meals or charges outside the program. The application for the high-school class of 2027 is open and must be submitted in the THEC Student Portal by November 2, 2026; creating an account without submitting the application does not complete the process.

Seniors should put several milestones on their calendar. After applying, they must attend the mandatory meeting organized by their county partner—tnAchieves in most counties or the Ayers Foundation Trust in a defined group—file the 2027–28 FAFSA by April 1, 2027, and complete 16 hours of community service for the first year, due August 1, 2027. Service must meet the partner’s rules and be reported through its portal; keep records of the activity and date.

Eligibility requires Tennessee residency under state rules, U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status, and an approved completion route: an eligible high school, home-school program or approved GED/HiSET credential before age 19. Students must also remain enrolled in fall and spring and maintain 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. Check the current eligible institutions and programs; early-graduate rules can differ.

The award is calculated from the balance left after Pell, HOPE, TSAA and other gift aid, so two students with the same tuition bill may receive different amounts. THEC annual reports include participation and persistence data and student stories. They show why mentoring and follow-up are part of the program, but do not predict an individual outcome. tnAchieves and the Ayers Foundation coordinate reminders and support in assigned counties. Keep your phone number and email current because meeting, service and verification instructions arrive through those channels. After applying, check the THEC Student Portal, messages from the local partner and the college financial-aid account. If FAFSA selects the file for verification, provide the documents the institution requests and ask what balance is due while aid is being processed. A useful fall checklist is: application confirmation, meeting attendance, service-hours record, FAFSA receipt, eligible institution, continuous enrollment and academic standing. Do not drop a course or change schools without first asking how it could affect the award.