Lottery, Scholarships and Programs

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

HOPE Scholarship Transfer Student Eligibility

This bill allows students who were not eligible for a HOPE scholarship as high school graduates to become eligible if they meet certain requirements after transferring to another college or university.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the rules so that some students can get a HOPE scholarship even if they didn't qualify when they first went to college right out of high school.
• Requires these students to be admitted and enrolled as Tennessee Promise scholarship recipients within six months after getting their first associate degree or certificate from an eligible postsecondary institution.
• Needs the student to keep receiving or maintaining eligibility for the Tennessee Promise scholarship each semester until they get their first certificate or associate degree.
• Requiring a final overall GPA of at least 3.0 at the college where the student earned their first certificate or associate degree.

Who It Names or Affects

• Students who were not eligible for HOPE scholarships when they started college but might become eligible later as transfer students.

Terms To Know

HOPE Scholarship

A scholarship program in Tennessee that helps pay for college tuition and fees.

Tennessee Promise Scholarship

A scholarship program in Tennessee that provides free community college or technical school to eligible students.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how many additional students might become eligible for the HOPE scholarship.
• It is unclear if there will be enough funds available from the Lottery for Education Account to support this change in eligibility rules.

Official Summary Text

Among the present law eligibility requirements for a HOPE scholarship is a requirement that the students either achieve a final overall high school GPA of 3.0 or attain a composite ACT score of 21 (or an equivalent score on the SAT).

This bill establishes a means for an otherwise qualified student who does not have a qualifying high school GPA or entrance exam test score to obtain eligibility for the

HOPE scholarship as a transfer student
by
:

(1)
Being
admitted to and enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution no later than six months after obtaining the student's first associate degree or certificate from an eligible postsecondary institution
as
a Tennessee Promise scholarship student;

(
2
) Receiv
ing
the Tennessee Promise scholarship, or maintain
ing
the student's eligibility for the scholarship, each semester that the student was enrolled in the eligible postsecondary institution at which the student earned their first certificate or associate degree; and

(
3
) Achiev
ing
a final overall
GPA
at the eligible postsecondary institution

of at least 3.0.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1577
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 1518
By Baum
HB1518
010659
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 4, relative to financial aid.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-907, is amended by designating
the existing language as subsection (a) and adding the following as a new subsection:
(b) If a student is not eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship as an entering
freshman pursuant to subsection (a) based on the student's high school grade point
average or composite ACT score, then the student is eligible for the Tennessee HOPE
scholarship as a transfer student if the student:
(1) Meets the requirements of §§ 49-4-904 and 49-4-905;
(2) Is admitted to and enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution no
later than six (6) months after obtaining the student's first associate degree or
certificate from an eligible postsecondary institution, as defined in § 49-4-708, as
a Tennessee Promise scholarship student, as defined in § 49-4-708;
(3) Received the Tennessee Promise scholarship, or maintained the
student's eligibility for the scholarship, each semester that the student was
enrolled in the eligible postsecondary institution, as defined in § 49-4-708, at
which the student earned their first certificate or associate degree; and
(4) Achieved a final overall grade point average at the eligible
postsecondary institution, as defined in § 49-4-708, of at least 3.0.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2026-2027 academic year and each academic year thereafter.