Tennessee Promise

The Tennessee Promise Scholarship helps eligible students pursue an Associate's degree at Austin Peay State University. While Tennessee Promise is considered a last-dollar scholarship, it works differently at a four-year institution like APSU than at a community college.

At APSU, Tennessee Promise covers the equivalent of average state community college tuition and mandatory fees not already paid by gift aid from Pell, TELS (including HOPE, Aspire, and Access Grant), or TSAA. It does not cover the full cost of attendance at a four-year institution. If your other gift aid already exceeds the average community college rate, you will not receive a Tennessee Promise payment — but you are still required to meet all program requirements.

Initial Eligibility

To receive the Tennessee Promise Scholarship at APSU, you must:

Complete the Tennessee Promise application and required community service hours, and be determined eligible by the program. Review the Tennessee Promise page for application steps and deadlines.
Be admitted to APSU and enrolled in an Associate's degree program. Students participating in athletics must declare a Bachelor's degree per NCAA regulations and are not eligible for Tennessee Promise.
Be enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours per semester)
Enroll only in courses that are part of your declared program of study — courses outside your program do not count toward your Tennessee Promise payment

Final Semester Exception

If you are in your final semester before completing your Associate's degree, you may be eligible to receive Tennessee Promise at less than full-time enrollment.

Submit the TN Promise Final Semester Review Request Form before the semester begins so your account can be reviewed. You can find it on the Financial Aid Office's State Scholarship Forms page.

Length of Award

Tennessee Promise may be used for up to five semesters of assistance, provided you still have required courses remaining in your Associate's program and you continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

Course Choice Counts

Tennessee Promise follows federal Course Choice Counts regulations. Courses must be required for your program of study or necessary to earn the total hours required for your degree. Enrolling in courses outside your program may result in a reduction to your Tennessee Promise award — and potentially an out-of-pocket expense.

Review which courses count toward your program at AP Course Choice Counts.

Estimated Award

Your Tennessee Promise award depends on your other financial aid and your enrollment level. To get a personalized estimate of what you might pay to attend APSU, use the Net Price Calculator.

Continuing Eligibility

To remain eligible for Tennessee Promise each semester, you must meet all of the following:

Remain in your Associate's degree program — Declaring a Bachelor's degree as your primary program results in permanent cancellation. You may declare a Bachelor's as a secondary degree and maintain eligibility.
Maintain continuous full-time enrollment at an eligible postsecondary institution, unless granted an approved medical or personal leave of absence
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of each academic year
Not be in default on a federal Title IV or Tennessee educational loan
Not owe a refund on any federal or Tennessee student financial aid program
Not be incarcerated
Complete 8 hours of community service before the start of each semester in which you receive Tennessee Promise — including your first fall semester

Community Service Requirement

Community service hours must be completed before each semester begins — hours cannot be carried over from a previous semester. Missing the 8-hour requirement for any semester results in immediate and permanent cancellation of the scholarship.

This requirement applies even if you receive $0 in Tennessee Promise funds because your other gift aid exceeds the maximum. If you are eligible but not receiving a payment, you must still complete community service and maintain full-time enrollment each semester.

Other Scholarship Opportunities

Campus-based scholarships and outside scholarships are not counted as gift aid in Tennessee Promise calculations — receiving these awards will not reduce your Tennessee Promise payment.

Students interested in additional scholarships should review APSU Scholarship Opportunities.

Cancel Tennessee Promise

If you no longer wish to participate in the Tennessee Promise program, complete the TN Promise Cancellation Request Form, found on the Financial Aid Office's State Scholarship Forms page.