Roane State Community College

What is the Hope Scholarship?

The Tennessee HOPE Scholarship Program provides scholarship and grant assistance to Tennesseans attending eligible Tennessee postsecondary institutions. The purpose of the program is to provide access for Tennesseans to post-secondary education, to improve high school and collegiate academic achievement, to keep more of the best and brightest students in Tennessee, and to provide social and economic benefits to the state of Tennessee.

How do I apply and know I am eligible for the Hope Scholarship?

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) yearly, available at fafsa.gov
  • Applications must be received by:
    • Fall Semester: September 1st
    • Spring and Summer Semesters: February 1st
• Be a Tennessee resident for one year by September 1 for Fall and February 1 for Spring and Summer.
• Current graduate from a TN eligible high school;
  • The student must achieve a 21 Composite score or above, on a national test date for the ACT test (or concordant equivalent score on the SAT on a national test date).
• Current graduate from an eligible Home School;
  • If the minimum 21 ACT is not achieved, students may qualify for HOPE by completing at least two (2) dual enrollment classes, 6 hours total, at an eligible post-secondary institution while enrolled in the home school program. Student must achieve a minimum 3.0 college GPA in each of the two (2) dual enrollment courses and achieve a minimum 3.0 cumulative college GPA in all dual enrollment courses attempted. 
• Enroll in one of the Tennessee public colleges, universities, or private colleges within 16 months following high school graduation.
• Entering freshmen must achieve a minimum of a 21 ACT or a minimum of 1060 SAT, exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests (concordant equivalent score) OR
• Overall minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA*)
• GED ® recipients – minimum 21 ACT exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests and qualifying GED ® score. Minimum average Revised GED ® score is 170.
• HiSet recipients – minimum 21 ACT exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests and qualifying HiSet score. Minimum average HiSet score is 15.

2024-2025 Program Deadlines for HOPE: Fall: September 1, 2024, Spring: March 1, 2025, Summer: May 1, 2025.

How do I keep my Hope Scholarship?

GPA

• Achieve the minimum cumulative TELS GPA at the following credit hour Benchmarks:
  • *Dual Enrollment credit hours are excluded after defining the GPA/ benchmarks.
    • 24 to 48 credit hours: 2.75*
    • 72 to 96 credit hours: 3.0*

Continuous Enrollment

• Stay continuously enrolled at an eligible TN postsecondary institution

Enrollment Changes

• Student must maintain their enrollment status as of the institutional census date. If the award is based on full-time enrollment, the student must maintain full-time enrollment. If the award is based on less than full-time enrollment, the student must stay in at least six (6) credit hours to maintain scholarship.

What if I lose my Hope Scholarship?

GPA

• A student who loses the Hope Scholarship due to not meeting GPA requirements cannot regain the Hope Scholarship until the student achieves the required TELS GPA at the next credit hour benchmark.
  • A student can repeat a class and submit a repeat form to have the previous grade replaced with the current grade.
    • If the repeated class brings the student’s GPA to the required GPA, the student can regain the Hope Scholarship one time.

Continuous Enrollment/ Change of Enrollment

• A student who loses the Hope Scholarship due to a change in enrollment or failure to maintain continuous enrollment at an eligible post-seconday institution may submit an appeal and, if approved, be granted a medical or personal leave of absence and resume receiving an award. Allowable medical or personal reasons shall include, but not be limited to:
  • Illness of the student,
  • Illness or death of an immediate family member,
  • Extreme financial hardship of the student or student’s immediate family,
  • To fulfill a religious commitment expected of all students of that faith, or
  • Other extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control where continued attendance by the student creates a substantial hardship.
  • Acceptable reasons shall also include a student’s participation in an internship or co-op program that is required or encouraged as part the academic program.

Not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

How do I submit a Hope Scholarship Appeal?

• To submit a Lottery appeal for extenuating circumstance:
  1. Complete the TELS appeal form through your RaiderNet account.
  2. Submit documentation to your Success Coach or OneStop.
• Your appeal and documentation will be presented to Roane State’s Internal Review Board. Once reviewed, the student will be notified in writing regarding the decision.

How do I transfer my Hope Scholarship?

• Update the FAFSA to include the transfer school as the first school of choice.
• Complete the Change of Institution form on the TSAC Student Portal.

Types of Lottery Scholarships

https://www.collegefortn.org/tennessee-financial-aid/

Additional Resources

Lottery & Other State Grants
TSAC Online Chat
Transferring Lottery Funds
Lottery Course Repeat Form
Lottery GPA Calculator
Note about Lottery GPA Calculator: The University of Tennessee has given us permission to link to their Lottery Calculator. This lottery calculator is only to be used as a guide to determine continued eligibility.