Roane State Community College

Finances and the lack of support are two major barriers to higher education in Tennessee.
With the Tennessee Promise, Roane State is breaking down those barriers.

Important Upcoming Deadlines

	Open	Deadline
TN Promise Application for 2024-2025	08/01/2023	11/01/2023
2023-2024 FAFSA (Early Grads ONLY beginning enrollment Spring 2024)	10/1/2022	04/15/2024
2024-2025 FAFSA (all applicants)	December (specific date TBD)	04/15/2024
Mandatory Meeting	as determined by Partnering Organization	04/15/2024
Community Service Spring 2024 (Early Grads ONLY)	11/02/2023	04/15/2024
Community Service Fall (all new applicants)	11/2/2023	07/01/2024

What is the Tennessee Promise?

• The Tennessee Promise offers two-years of tuition-free education at a community college or Tennessee College of Applied Technology
• It’s a mentoring program, because students who sign up for the Tennessee Promise will be assigned a mentor to guide them through applying to college, getting financial aid, registering for classes and succeeding in their courses
• It’s a service and success program, because students who accept the Tennessee Promise will be required to complete eight hours of community service each semester and maintain a 2.0 GPA

How does the scholarship work?

Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship. That means it will cover tuition and mandatory fees that are leftover after the Federal Pell Grant, Hope Scholarship and Tennessee Student Assistance Award Program (TSAA) have been applied to your account.

• Mandatory fees are fees that all students must pay, regardless of the courses they choose. Tennessee Promise will pay for mandatory fees. 
• Tennessee Promise will not pay for course-specific fees. Some courses include extra charges. For example, a chemistry class may include a laboratory fee. A physical education class may include a fee for gym membership. A health sciences class may include a fee for lab coats, goggles and latex gloves. These course-specific fees are not covered by Tennessee Promise. Click here to view full Cost of Attendance (COA) information.

Who is eligible for the scholarship?

Any senior who graduates from an eligible Tennessee high school or home school program and anyone who completes a GED or HiSET diploma before age 19 years of age can apply for funds. Tennessee Promise students who graduate from high school in Spring 2023 must begin college in Fall 2023 to receive funding.Tennessee Promise students who graduate early and satisfy certain requirements can qualify to start the term immediately following graduation.

How do students get the scholarship?

To receive the Tennessee Promise scholarships, students must:

• Apply for the Tennessee Promise program by November 1, 2022
• Submit your 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1, 2023
• Apply to Roane State
• Enroll at Roane State in Fall 2023
• Finish eight hours of community service by July 5, 2023
• Complete FAFSA verification requirements

Once you have started college, you must...

• Enroll and attend a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester
• Maintain a 2.0 GPA
• Complete and submit 8 hours of community service prior to each semester
• Re-file the FAFSA by established deadline of each year
• Renew your TN Promise scholarship by July 1 of each year 

How will students receive the scholarship?

Tennessee Promise funds will be administered by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation through higher education institutions. Students will never receive funding directly. Roane State will apply the funds directly to the student's account to satisfy mandatory tuition and fees.

Interested in Roane State?

• Phone: (865) 882-4554
• Email: StudentEnrollment@roanestate.edu