UTC RAVE Alert

Eligibility and Maintaining HOPE

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HOPE Scholarship Eligibility

To receive HOPE funding, students must file the FAFSA form each year.

The deadline for fall semester HOPE awards is September 1 each year. UTC encourages all students to submit the FAFSA each October 1 when it opens for the next academic year.

Students must meet the following requirements:

  • Have been a Tennessee resident for one year by September 1, the application date. For students beginning spring and summer terms, residency determined by February 1, the application date.
  • Graduate from a Tennessee eligible high school. Exceptions may be granted. Learn more →
  • Must enroll in an eligible Tennessee public college, university or private college (or an out-of-state regionally accredited college, university, private college) within 16 months following high school graduation. Enrollment at an ineligible Tennessee institution (or non-regionally accredited out-of-state institution) any time after high school graduation will make the student permanently ineligible.
  • Entering freshmen must have:
    • a minimum 21 ACT Composite score (1060 SAT), exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests or
    • an overall minimum 3.0 GPA—This means a grade point average on a 4.0 scale calculated with additional internal quality points awarded for advanced placement, honors or other similar courses according to the Uniform Grading Policy adopted by the state Board of Education.
  • Home-school graduates — For students graduating July 1, 2021 and thereafter, 
    • a home school graduate must achieve at least a 21 ACT Composite score (1060 SAT) OR
    • if a 21 ACT Composite score is not achieved, the home school student may qualify by completing at least two (2) dual enrollment classes, totaling at least six (6) credit hours, at an eligible institution, so long as they earn a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA in all dual enrollment courses attempted.  
  • GED Applicants—minimum 21 ACT Composite score (1060 SAT), exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests and qualifying GED ® score.
  • HiSet recipients – minimum 21 ACT Composite score exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests and qualifying HiSet score. Minimum average HiSet score is 15.
  • ACT/SAT exams must be taken prior to the first day of college enrollment.
  • Neither an ACT/SAT Super Score nor a Residual Test Score are not accepted.

*Important note about Knox County, Williamson County and Memphis City Schools: if you graduated from one of these high schools, your cumulative final high school GPA could be different than your Tennessee Lottery Scholarship GPA. For HOPE purposes, your eligibility depends on the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship GPA listed on your final transcript.

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Transfer Students

Transfer students are largely self-identifying.

First, you should make certain your final transcripts (college and high school) get to UTC. Then, confirm that your school of choice for the HOPE Scholarship is UTC in your TSAC Student Portal.

Finally, you should identify yourself with the UTC Financial Aid and Scholarships Office as a Transfer Student and HOPE Scholarship recipient.  

Learn more →

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HOPE Scholarship GPA Continuation Requirements

For HOPE Scholarship purposes, your HOPE GPA is calculated differently than your institutional GPA. Your HOPE GPA includes all credits received after high school graduation including developmental and repeated courses. We do not include any credits received prior to high school graduation. For example, we do not count dual enrollment courses in your HOPE GPA.

To find your HOPE GPA, you must go through your MyMocsNet account, under the 'Money Tab.' Your HOPE GPA is not listed on your academic transcript. Check out our Where Do I Find My HOPE GPA/Hours - Tutorial for assistance.

24, 48 attempted HOPE hours checkpoint:

  • 2.75 HOPE cumulative GPA

72, 96, 120 attempted HOPE hours checkpoint:

  • 3.0 HOPE cumulative GPA or
  • *2.75-2.99 HOPE cumulative GPA AND 3.0 HOPE semester GPA in your last semester

*There are options to receive HOPE on the provisional method with this GPA range. Keep in mind, this scholarship requires additional rules and requirements.

Learn more →

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HOPE Scholarship Enrollment Continuation Requirements

For HOPE Scholarship purposes, there are enrollment statuses a student must maintain to continue receiving the scholarship. If you change your enrollment status in one of the following ways, you are in jeopardy of forfeiting your HOPE Scholarship. Forfeiting means you are no longer eligible for the HOPE Scholarship in any future term.

You will forfeit your HOPE Scholarship if one of the following occurs. You may appeal your enrollment change if it was the result of an extreme circumstance.

  • You completely withdrawn from UTC after the 14th day of classes (officially or unofficially);
  • You drop below full-time enrollment (or from part-time to fewer than six credit hours) after the 14th day of classes by officially dropping classes online through your MocsNet or unofficially by not attending/not participating in classes;
  • You have taken off a Fall or Spring semester (attending one credit hour will maintain your HOPE eligibility)

If one of the following occurs, you will forfeit your HOPE Scholarship and there is no appeal even if it was the result of an extreme circumstance:

Note: After the 15th day of the fall or spring term, students who change from 3/4 to 1/2 time (OR from 1/2 time to less than 1/2 time), may owe part of their HOPE Scholarship funds back to the program. Summer students should review our Summer HOPE information for more information. Contact UTC's HOPE Scholarship coordinator beforehand to determine if this will affect your award.

1 It is a common misconception that you must be a full-time student to receive the HOPE Scholarship. The only full-time enrollment status requirement is for provisional method Hope Scholarship recipients (summer excluded). For all other HOPE Scholarship awards, you must be enrolled in at least six hours to receive any portion of HOPE funds. For fewer than 12 hours, you will receive a prorated amount of HOPE funds.

Our HOPE Scholarship Appeal form can be found on our general forms page. Please visit the official Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation's website for information on HOPE scholarship programs, application procedures, deadlines and award amounts.

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HOPE Scholarship Reinstatement (for GPA only)

If you are unsure how many HOPE hours you have or what your HOPE GPA is, complete the — Where Do I Find My HOPE GPA - Tutorial.

  • Academic Achievement option—If you lost the HOPE Scholarship at a previous checkpoint (24, 48, 72 hours), then you can request to regain the scholarship, if at the next 24-hour checkpoint (48, 72, 96 hours) you have the minimum required GPA. Click here to review minimum GPA requirements.
  • Repeat Option—If you receive a notice that you have lost the HOPE Scholarship due to not meeting minimum GPA requirements AND you have repeated a class in any prior term, you can request to have your HOPE Scholarship reinstated. One time, and for one class only, we will replace your grade for HOPE Scholarship purposes if it helps you regain the scholarship. The repeat option can be used only at a checkpoint.

Note: If you think you may be eligible to regain the HOPE Scholarship using one of the options above, complete and submit the HOPE Scholarship Reinstatement Request Form.

*Allow 45 days for your HOPE Scholarship reinstatement form to be reviewed.

*If you have recently received a grade change (not by repeating a class) and wish to have your HOPE Scholarship eligibility re-evaluated, notify us by emailing [email protected] within 30 days of this change.

If you have met either of the following events, your HOPE is not eligible for Reinstatement:

  • You have earned an advanced degree; OR
  • You have been enrolled for five years at any postsecondary institution.

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HOPE Scholarship Appeal (for enrollment status only)

There is no appeal for any of the following even if your situation was the result of an extenuating circumstance:

 A HOPE appeal can be completed for the following enrollment changes:

  • You have completely withdrawn from UTC
  • You have dropped below full- or part-time enrollment after the 14th day of classes (last day to drop before a W is received)
  • You have taken a fall or spring semester off

 If either of the following has happened, your HOPE is not eligible for reinstatement:

  • You have earned an advanced degree; OR
  • Five (5) years have passed from the date of initial enrollment at any postsecondary institution.

Note: To appeal for your HOPE Scholarship, you MUST submit a HOPE Scholarship Appeal Form, a letter of rationale explaining why you have changed your enrollment or require a leave of absence and official documentation supporting your claim.

 *Allow up to 30 days for your HOPE Scholarship appeal to be reviewed.

Visit the official Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation's website for information on HOPE scholarship programs, application procedures, deadlines and award amounts.

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How long can I receive the HOPE Scholarship?

Students who are eligible for the TN HOPE Scholarship in Fall'23 and thereafter can receive the scholarship until the first of the following terminating events happen:

  • You have earned an advanced degree; OR
  • Five (5) years have passed from the date of initial enrollment at any postsecondary institution. 

For more information on this program, visit the official TN Student Assistance Corporation website.

There is no appeal for either of these terminating events.

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Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial Aid and Scholarships