TN Promise Guidelines

To remain TN Promise eligible, a student must:
High School:
1. Attend and graduate from an eligible high school.
a. A student must apply his/her senior year of high school with the class of 2021 and meet the TN Promise established application deadline.
b. A student must be a Tennessee resident.
i. A student’s residency will be determined by the post-secondary institution.
ii. A student who resides with a parent outside of Tennessee pursuant to military orders will be considered eligible
to participate in the scholarship program.
c. A student who completes a GED or HiSET diploma must enroll full-time in an eligible post-secondary program in
the fall after he/she receives his/her diploma, provided that the diploma was earned before the student reached 19
years of age. This assumes the GED or HiSET student met all TN Promise requirements.
2. Attend two individual meetings with the Ayers Foundation.

POLICIES

3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1.
a. Failure to qualify for federal aid in the form of a Pell Grant and/or state aid in the form of TELS (e.g., HOPE) or TSAA
funding will not affect a student’s TN Promise eligibility.
b. A student must be eligible for in-state tuition.
c. A student must complete the FAFSA each year prior to the deadline established by TSAC.
4. Submit all financial aid verification documents each year for community and four-year colleges.
a. A student attending a TCAT must complete the verification process by October 1 each year.
b. The Ayers Foundation encourages students to submit all documents by July 1 to ensure the post-secondary institutions
have adequate time to process.
c. Student must select the eligible institution he/she plans to attend as his/her first choice on the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as direct his/her TSAC Student Portal to the eligible institution.
d. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm with the post-secondary institution that his/her admissions and financial
aid files are verified, processed and ready for award.
5. Complete and submit at least eight hours of community service prior to the start of each semester/trimester/
quarter by the established deadline. Community service must be completed under the supervision of a
established organization (e.g., nonprofit, public service organization).
a. Community service is not:
i.  Work resulting in payment.
ii. Work done under the supervision of an extended or immediate family member.
iii. Work done for an individual rather than an organization (e.g., babysitting, mowing a neighbor’s lawn, picking
up trash in your neighborhood).
iv. Proselytizing (sharing or teaching faith).
b. Students must submit all information regarding community service by the established deadline at
www.theayersfoundation.org. Failure to comply by the established dates will result in loss of eligibility.

POLICIES
College:
1. Maintain full-time status each semester.
a. If the student falls below full-time, he/she will no longer be eligible.
b. TCAT students must be enrolled in a full-time program.
c. Failure to attend class could result in loss of eligibility.
2. Begin at an eligible post-secondary institution in the fall term directly following high school graduation.
a. A student may begin at his/her post-secondary institution prior to the fall term directly following high school
graduation; however, the student will be responsible for incurred tuition and fees until fall.
b. A TCAT student may begin in the summer directly following high school graduation if he/she has met all TN Promise
requirements.
c. A student may be granted a medical or personal leave of absence from timely enrollment in the initial semester,
full-time attendance or continuous enrollment at an eligible post-secondary institution as long as all other acceptable
eligibility criteria are met. A student must request a leave of absence with his/her chosen post-secondary institution
for approval.
i. An approved leave of absence of six months or less shall not count against the five-semester or eight-trimester
limit at an eligible post-secondary institution.
3. Attend an eligible post-secondary institution for continuous semesters.
a. A student cannot leave the post-secondary institution for a period of time and remain eligible.
b. If a student withdraws from all classes or stops attending during the semester, he/she will no longer be eligible.
4. Maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA at the end of each academic year.
a. TCAT students must maintain satisfactory academic progress each trimester.
5. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the established deadline each year throughout
his/her post-secondary experience.
a. Failure to qualify for federal aid in the form of a Pell Grant and/or state aid in the form of TELS (e.g., HOPE) or TSAA
funding will not affect a student’s TN Promise eligibility.
b. A student must be eligible for in-state tuition.
6. Submit all financial aid verification documents by July 1 each year for community and four-year colleges.
a. A student attending a TCAT must complete the verification process by October 1 each year.
b. The Ayers Foundation encourages students to submit all documents by July 1 to ensure the post-secondary institutions
have adequate time to process.
i. A student may be required to pay tuition and mandatory fees out of pocket if his/her financial aid file is not processed
and verified by the beginning of classes.
c. Student must select the eligible institution he/she plans to attend as his/her first choice on the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as direct his/her TSAC student portal to the eligible institution.
d. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm with the post-secondary institution that his/her admissions and financial
aid files are verified, processed and ready for award.
7. Complete and submit at least eight hours of community service prior to the start of each semester/trimester/
quarter by the established deadline. Community service must be completed under the supervision of an
established organization (e.g., nonprofit, public service organization).
a. Community service is not:
i. Work resulting in payment.
ii. Work done under the supervision of an extended or immediate family member.
iii. Work done for an individual rather than an organization (e.g., babysitting, mowing a neighbor’s
lawn, picking up trash in your neighborhood).
iv. Proselytizing (sharing or teaching faith).
b. Students must submit all information regarding community service by the established deadline at
www.theayersfoundation.org. Failure to comply by the established dates will result in loss of eligibility.

Other components:
1. TN Promise only funds last-dollar tuition and mandatory fees. It does not pay for books or other post-secondary
expenses (e.g., application fee, program and class specific fees). TN Promise only covers fees required of all
students.
2. TN Promise follows the admissions requirements of the post-secondary institution.
a. TN Promise will fund learning support classes if the student fails to meet the ACT requirements for college-
level coursework.
3. A student is responsible for notifying The Ayers Foundation staff when his/her contact information changes. Incorrect
information does not preclude a student from ineligibility.
Should a student fail to adhere to any/all policies, The Ayers Foundation invokes the right to remove a student’s eligibility.
The Ayers Foundation values honesty and integrity. A student who submits misinformation will immediately lose TN Promise eligibility.
Be respectful in all correspondence and communication, including social media.