TELS
Scholarships

Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Recipients Must:

• Have been a Tennessee resident for one year as of the date of enrollment.
• Apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applications must be received by September 1st for fall semester and February 1st for spring and summer semesters. Early application is recommended.
• A dependent child of U.S. military, Tennessee National Guard on active duty, Department of Defense employees, or full-time religious workers who maintain Tennessee residency while stationed out-of-state are eligible
• Dependent children of members of the Armed Forces or TN National Guard and must have Tennessee as the Home of Record at the time of entry into military service.

HOPE and HOPE Access Recipients Must:

• Enroll in one of the Tennessee public colleges, universities, or private colleges.
• Graduate from a Tennessee eligible high school. Tennessee residents graduating from some out of state high schools may be eligible. For more information, please call 1-800-342-1663 or 615-741-1346.
• Enroll within 16 months following high school graduation or completion of a homeschool or GED program. Enrollment at an ineligible postsecondary institution during this time will make the student permanently ineligible.
• Score a 21 or above on the ACT or earn a 3.0 or higher high school GPA.

Please see the program eligibility requirements for further information.

The HOPE scholarship is a scholarship for study in pursuit of an associate or baccalaureate degree at an eligible postsecondary institution. It excludes certificates and degrees less than two years in length.

TELS/HOPE Forms:

• Repeat Course Form
• Request for Reinstatement – Grade Change
• Change of Institution Form
• TN Promise, TN Reconnect, and TELS Scholarship Appeal Form

For more information about the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) Appeals and Exception process, visit the TSAC website.

TELS/HOPE Payments:

The Financial Aid Office will verify enrollment and submit certification to the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation after the 14th day of class for the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship, Tennessee Promise Scholarship, Reconnect, and Tennessee Student Assistance Award. The Tennessee Student Assistance Award, TN Hope Scholarship, General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS), Aspire Award, and the TN Hope Access Grant are disbursed to students’ accounts at the mid-point of the semester (typically mid-October for Fall term and mid-March for Spring term) upon receipt of funds from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation and verification of eligibility.