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FAQs |
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General FAQs |
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Initial Eligibility |
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Retaining Eligibility |
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Asked Questions Q: How do I apply for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? A: Apply as soon as you can. FIRST, complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA will be available from high school guidance counselors or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov in January for high school seniors. Complete and submit it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The priority date for FAFSA completion will be March 15, but you should submit your FAFSA before March 1 to ensure your application is processed by the priority date. The application requires information from parents’ tax forms. If you do not have this information available before March 1, use your best estimate of the tax information and submit the FAFSA before the priority deadline. Because the scholarship awards will be based on the amount of money generated by the lottery, there is no guarantee enough funding will be available to meet every need. If funds are limited, scholarship recipients may be chosen according to date of application. The Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation recommends students submit their applications by Feb. 15. SECOND, complete your TTU application as soon as possible as well. A scholarship award does not guarantee admission to the school of your choice, and competition for the new freshman slots at TTU will be strong. Visit http://www.tntech.edu/admissions/apply_freshman.html for a step-by-step guide to the TTU application process.
Q: What are the different types of lottery scholarships in Tennessee? A: There are five scholarships or awards within the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Program. They are:
Q: Which of these can I use at Tennessee Tech? A: First you must apply for and gain admission to TTU. Eligibility for one of the lottery scholarships, grants or awards does not automatically grant you admission to the university. You must meet TTU’s eligibility requirements as well. Entering TTU freshmen and current TTU freshmen can apply for the HOPE Scholarship or the Tennessee HOPE Access Grant, the General Assembly Merit Scholarship, and the Need-Based Supplemental Award. The HOPE Scholarship is the main lottery scholarship worth $3,800 a year (but no more than the value of tuition and fees). Students may also be eligible for one of the two supplemental scholarships, the General Assembly Merit Scholarship ($1,000) OR the Aspire Award ($1,500). A student may receive either the General Assembly Merit Scholarship or the Need-Based Supplemental Award in addition to the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship, but not both. If a student qualifies for both, we will give the student the ASPIRE award, which currently pays more. The Tennessee Hope Access Grant makes $2,400 available to entering freshmen who do not meet the eligibility requirements for the regular HOPE Scholarship. It is designed for students whose scores are just below the HOPE Scholarship requirements and who have a financial need. The Access Grant is non-renewable, but students receiving this grant may qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship in their second year.
Q: How do I qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? A: You must meet the following criteria:
Other categories of students may also qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship:
Q: How do I qualify for the other lottery scholarships? A:
Q: How much are these Scholarships worth? A: The amount of the scholarship depends upon funding from the lottery and the type of school you attend:
Q: What about the Tennessee HOPE Access Grant? A: The Tennessee Hope Access Grant is available to students entering freshmen who do not meet the eligibility requirements for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. The student must have a 2.75 cumulative unweighted GPA and 18 ACT (860 SAT) and have a parent(s) AGI of $36,000 or less. This award is valued at $2,400 at a four year institution or $1,250 at a two year institution. The Tennessee HOPE Access Grant is non-renewable. Students receiving this grant may qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship in their second year.
Q: I graduated from high school in June 2003. Will I be eligible to receive Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? A: Yes. You will be eligible if you are in your second year of college at TTU in the 2004-05 academic year AND if you maintain at least a 2.75 GPA and complete at least 24 credit hours during your first college year you must also have the following:
Q: Will I receive the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship every year? A: To retain the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship, you must maintain at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA for your first 24 attempted hours and a 3.00 cumulative GPA at each 24 attempted hour benchmark.
Q: If I do not meet the criteria for renewal, can I regain the scholarship in later years? A: Yes. It is now possible to regain the scholarship. Please see our
Q: May I attend any school in Tennessee and receive a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship? A: No. You must be enrolled in a Tennessee public college/university or a Tennessee private college/university that is accredited by SACS, like Tennessee Tech.
Q: How many years will I be eligible to receive the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? A: Normally, you may receive the scholarship for five years or up to 120 credit hours at a 4-year approved Tennessee institution. If you attend a 2-year approved Tennessee nstitution, you may transfer to a 4-year approved Tennessee institution. If you are in a degree program that requires more than 120 hours, the lottery will pay up to the number of hours required to graduate in that program.
Q: Do I have to go to college directly from high school to receive the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? I would like to work for a couple of years before going on to college? A: No. There are several exceptions. If you choose, you may wait up to 16 months from the date of your graduation to begin college. This allows you one year to work before beginning school. If you enter the active duty military, you can remain in the military for up to seven years, but you must receive an honorable discharge and apply for the scholarship within one year after leaving the service. If you attend one of the Tennessee Technology Centers, you can receive the Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant. There is no GPA or ACT score requirement and the student could have graduated from high school at any time in the past.
Q: If I receive other scholarships, can I also receive the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? A: Yes. The Financial Aid Office may award the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship and other scholarships up to the cost of education at your institution. At TTU, that comes to about $15,200 next year (2005-2006 year).
Q: If I receive other financial aid, can I also receive the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship? A: Yes. The Financial Aid Office may award the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship and other need-based awards up to the student’s need.
Q: I have always wanted to attend a certain college, but it is located in another state. If I qualify, can I use the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship at that school? A: No. The Tennessee HOPE Scholarship is available only if you attend a Tennessee public college/university or private college/university that is accredited by SACS. However, a transfer from an out-of-state school to an eligible Tennessee institution is allowed if you meet the Tennessee Hope Scholarship requirements. The GPA and completed hours will determine eligibility. Q. What can I do to get my Financial Aid quickly? A. Several things:
Q. I put the TTU school code on my FAFSA, but why does my award letter not show my HOPE scholarship? A. You must also change the school code at TSAC. You can call 1-800-342-1663 and do this.The TTU school code must be on your FAFSA AND on record at TSAC in order for you to receive Lottery funds.
Q. What can cause me to lose my lottery scholarship? A. The most common reasons:
Q. Why did the state of Tennessee send me a letter stating my eligibility for the HOPE, but TTU says I am not eligible? A. The Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) sent letters stating initial eligibility only. TTU is required to verify eligibility according to the rules provided by the Tennessee state government. Those rules are listed on the TSAC website (www.state.tn.us/tsac).
Q. Why do I need to fill out a FAFSA even though I am only interested in receiving the HOPE scholarship and not applying for any other financial aid? A. The law states that the FAFSA must be completed to be eligible for the TELS awards. The FAFSA was chosen to be the application for the lottery because the student could also potentially qualify for other federal aid.
A. Yes. You must fill out the FAFSA for the year you wish to obtain the lottery scholarship. You must always maintain continuous enrollment, even if you are not receiving lottery funds. Providing you meet all lottery requirements, you can decline money one year, and accept it in a later year.
Q. Do I need to be full-time to retain my lottery scholarship? A. A student is required to be full-time to receive the full award amount. But a student may receive a partial award from the lottery scholarship if he/she registers for at least 6 hours.
Q. My parents moved to Tennessee before I graduated High School. I receive in-state tuition from TTU. Why am I not eligible for the TELS award? A. The law currently states residency must be established in Tennessee 1 year prior to May 1 of the year before the student begins college. A school’s classification for in-state does not count. Q. Can a student who graduates in Dec. and begins college in Jan. be eligible to receive lottery funds? A. Yes, providing the student fills out the FAFSA for the current academic year. The student must also have an ACT of 21 or an overall un-weighted 3.0 High School GPA.
Q. What does a home school student need to qualify for the GAM award? A. All home school graduates and ineligible high school graduates must have a 29 ACT, 3.75 overall GPA, AND 12 hours postsecondary college credits with a 3.0.
Q. What are the requirements for a student who graduates high school in 2006? A. Along with general eligibility requirements, the student must have an ACT of at least 21 or an overall un-weighted GPA of 3.0.
A. You can download the appeals form.doc or from Adriane King in the Financial Aid Office.
Q. What can I do if my appeal is denied by the Institutional Review Panel (IRP) at TTU? A. You may appeal to the TSAC TELS Award Appeals Panel within 45 calendar days of the decision by the IRP. The address is as follows:
The decision of the TELS Award Appeal Panel is the final administrative appeal. Page revised: 6/20/06 |
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