Tennessee Promise Scholarship Information
Through the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program and the South College Opportunity Grant, Tennessee high school seniors and recent graduates under 19 may be eligible to get 2 years of free tuition for approved associate degree and certificate programs at South College.
Hundreds of Tennessee Promise students have graduated from South College in highly employable fields like accounting, business, criminal justice, health sciences, and legal studies. All of our Tennessee Promise eligible programs are designed to help you become a knowledgeable and marketable professional, with real-world examples and hands-on attention from instructors—even in online programs.
Why Use Your TN Promise Scholarship at South College?
- With the Tennessee Promise, you can receive up to 2 years of tuition-free enrollment at South College in an eligible program at our Knoxville or Nashville campus.
- At residential colleges, Tennessee Promise doesn’t cover housing, meal plans, and other costs. Since South College students live at home and take classes at a nearby campus or online, you won’t have those additional costs.
- South College offers not only TN Promise-eligible certificate and associate degree programs, but also bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, so there’s no limit to how far you can take your education without having to change schools.
- South College provides a hands-on learning environment with class sizes that allow for personal interaction and a quarter-based curriculum that can fast-track your education.
- After your first 2 years of full-time study while using the Tennessee Promise Scholarship, you may be able to apply your credits to a bachelor’s degree program and work full- or part-time to complete it on campus or online.
- With flexible scheduling and opportunities for online learning, South College makes it easier than ever to pursue a career and continue your education at the same time.
TN Promise Scholarship Eligibility
The Tennessee Promise scholarship is a last-dollar scholarship, so it covers any tuition and mandatory fees that aren’t paid for by the Pell Grant, HOPE Scholarship, state student assistance funds, or other means of financial aid. Students who receive the TN Promise Scholarship must:
- Be enrolled full-time
- Maintain a 2.0 GPA
- Complete 8 hours of community service or job shadowing per term.
To learn more about the application deadlines, process, and eligibility requirements, visit the Tennessee Promise website.
Important Tennessee Promise Dates
March 1, 2021
Students from the high school class of 2020 and 2021 must submit the FAFSA by 3/1/21
July 1, 2021
Students from the high school class of 2020 and 2021 must complete and report 8 community service hours by 7/1/21.
August 1, 2021
The application for the high school graduating class of 2022 will be available on 8/1/21.
TN Promise Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I take my prerequisites at South College or do I have to complete the prerequisites elsewhere prior to applying?
Yes, you can take all prerequisites at South College. Many of your initial classes will be prerequisites for the program you plan to apply for at South College.
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Do you have on-campus living?
No, there are no dormitory facilities at South College. Students who are not within commuting distance must secure their own residence. Resources are available from the Department of Student Services.
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Do we have to pay for a parking pass?
No, once you complete General Admissions and are registered for classes, you will receive a parking pass at no additional cost.
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Is South College a Tennessee Promise school?
Yes, South College offers a variety of eligible certificate and associate level programs that are Tennessee Promise eligible.
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Why do we have to meet with Financial Aid if Tennessee Promise covers it?
Meeting with Financial Aid is part of the enrollment process. It also allows you to get all questions answered regarding funding, books, and fees. Financial Aid also can help answer any questions you may have after you finish the Tennessee Promise program.
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How do I know if I am approved for Tennessee Promise?
As long as all Tennessee Promise requirements are met, including the Tennessee Promise application, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and community service, you should be qualified. Approval will be verified during your Financial Aid meeting.
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Does South College offer other scholarships, like merit or academic?
South College will accept aid you receive from FAFSA, including Knox Promise, Pell Grant, and HOPE. Tennessee Promise students also are eligible for an institutional grant – the South College Opportunity Grant. We always encourage students to also look for outside scholarships in their community or online.
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When can we make our class schedule?
It varies depending on your expected start date. Your admissions advisor will contact you when registration opens for the Fall Quarter. You then will meet with a Student Success Advisor to make your class schedule.
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When and how do I get my books?
You can order your books online from the bookstore two weeks before classes begin. You also need your class schedule in order to find your books online. Your Student Success Advisor can assist with any questions.
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When is the South College application deadline?
South College does not have a deadline for applications. You just need to meet the Tennessee Promise deadline requirements and enroll by the drop/add date for Fall Quarter.
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What resources does South College offer?
South College offers one-on-one class schedule advising, free in-person or online tutoring and counseling, and library/resource center assistance. In addition, Barnes & Noble/South College Bookstore is maintained at the Main Campus in Knoxville and the Nashville Campus for the convenience of students. Career services is another great resource provided to students and graduates at no charge. While the primary focus is to help students upon graduation, any enrolled student may seek employment assistance.
Community Service Requirements
Maintaining your Tennessee Promise Scholarship at South College requires adherence to the scholarship’s community service component, including eight hours of your time donated to qualifying nonprofits or public-service organizations per each quarter of your enrollment. To maintain eligibility throughout your time spent as a student, you must officially volunteer for an organization, on the record, without accepting payment of any kind. You may not be supervised by a family member, and you must submit your hours before every deadline.
Facts
The time you donate should benefit the community, so take some time to consider what matters to you and how you could effectively contribute. You may volunteer with multiple organizations, simultaneously, if you wish. Failing to report your hours on time will always result in the loss of your scholarship, so resolve to stay on top of deadlines. Students participating in tnAchieves may submit hours online using the tnAchieves community service form. After submitting your hours, you’ll receive a confirmation email. To check on your logged hours at any time, look here.
Why Do Community Service?
Perhaps a better question is why wouldn’t you want to do community service work? Donating your time to help your community is a great way to give back, get involved, learn more about, and help improve your community. You’ll meet new people and make friends, demonstrate your thanks for the scholarship that is helping you through school, and maybe even gain experience related to your field of study. You’ll work toward a great cause, make good connections, and create memories that will last you a lifetime.
Job Shadowing & Unpaid Internship Hours
Both job shadowing and unpaid internship hours may be eligible for your Tennessee Promise Scholarship community service requirement. They may also grant you valuable experience with professionals who work in your field of study. The tnAchieves Job Shadow Day is an excellent way to learn about related volunteering opportunities with employers. Whether you learn about them at this event or on your own, you may submit your hours here.
What Counts (only hours spent directly engaged in community service)
- Volunteering at public schools, animal shelters, nursing homes, or free-child-care services
- Volunteering, tutoring, and mentoring at educational, nonprofit, and community centers
- Volunteering for voter registration drives, community gardens, or recycling initiatives
- Volunteering for public works organizations to build homes for those in need
- Providing philanthropic fundraising and pro-bono, professional, and/or medical services
- Completing online service-learning course certifications and related activities
- Volunteering at a food drive, charity race, or environmental cleanup event
What Doesn’t Count (related or unrelated hours not spent directly engaged in service)
- Travel to or from a service location, and related time spent eating, sleeping, or socializing
- Indirect philanthropy/fundraising (merely attending charity events or running in races)
- Volunteering for projects completed with for-profit organizations or businesses
- Internships, clinicals, practicums, field work in hospitals, clinics, or related organizations
- Building a treehouse with a neighbor, babysitting, or picking up trash on a hike with friends
- Activities benefitting school organizations, teams, departments, programs, or events
- Self-directed projects that lack affiliation with official nonprofits or charities
- Self-improvement workshops, clinics, conferences, conventions, etc.
- Participation in research projects and related focus groups or labs
- Donating cans to a food drive or proselytizing (sharing faith)
South College Opportunity Grant
The South College Opportunity Grant (SCOG) is a last resort grant for students who are eligible to participate in the Tennessee Promise Program. The SCOG will be awarded if any amount of tuition and fees charged for a term of study is not covered by the Federal Pell Grant, Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship, Tennessee Student Assistance Award, or Tennessee Promise Scholarship. The SCOG will only be applied to the remaining outstanding institutional charges as long as the student maintains eligibility in the Tennessee Promise program.
Loss of eligibility in the Tennessee Promise program will result in the loss of the South College Opportunity Grant. Not all Tennessee Promise eligible programs are eligible for the South College Opportunity Grant. For more details and to talk with us about the Tennessee Promise Scholarship, please get in touch.
More information about financial aid, including Tennessee Promise, can be found on our financial aid page.
COVID-19
Let’s face it, earning your required community service hours in the era of the Coronavirus has been challenging, to say the least. Accordingly, community service requirements for Tennessee Promise Scholarship recipients have been waived for spring and summer of 2021. The fall 2021 deadline for completing your hours is July 1, 2021. Meanwhile, you can earn community service credits by attending virtual community service webinars. Each one counts for an hour.
Learn More About Tennessee Promise
To learn more official details about the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program from the State of Tennessee, click here and here. For more information about Tennessee Promise deadlines, contact [email protected]. A mandatory webinar requirement is required this year by May 31, 2021 since in person meetings with mentors are not required this year.
To learn more about the wide range of opportunities for scholarships, grants, loans and awards at South College, including the Tennessee Promise Scholarship and how it works here, contact our Financial Aid department today.
