(a) To be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE access grant, an entering freshman student shall:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 49-4-920

  • ACT: means the ACT assessment administered by ACT. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Advanced degree: means a master's degree, a doctorate or other degree conferred by an eligible postsecondary institution upon completion of a unified program of study at the graduate level. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Continuous enrollment: means a student is enrolled in the fall and spring semesters of a single academic year. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Eligible high school: means :
    (A) A Tennessee public secondary school. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Eligible postsecondary institution: means an eligible independent postsecondary institution or an eligible public postsecondary institution. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Entering freshman: means a student entering a postsecondary institution who has not attempted any semester hours at any postsecondary institution after graduating from high school, completing high school in a home school program or obtaining a high school equivalency credential approved by the state board of education. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Grade point average: means the numbered grade average calculated using a 4. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • SAT: means the Scholastic Aptitude Test administered by the College Board. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Scholarship: means a Tennessee HOPE scholarship or a Tennessee HOPE access grant. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Semester: means fall, spring, or summer semester at a postsecondary institution, if the institution is on a semester system, or the equivalent, if the institution is on a system other than a semester system. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Tennessee HOPE access grant: means a grant for coursework in an eligible program of study in pursuit of an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree at an eligible postsecondary institution that is funded from net proceeds of the state lottery and awarded to freshman students meeting the requirements of §. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Tennessee HOPE scholarship: means a scholarship for coursework in an eligible program of study in pursuit of an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree at an eligible postsecondary institution that is funded from net proceeds of the state lottery and awarded under this part. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • TSAC: means the Tennessee student assistance corporation. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Meet all requirements of §§ 49-4-904 and 49-4-905;
(2) Have an adjusted gross income attributable to the student that does not exceed thirty-six thousand dollars ($36,000);
(3) Submit an initial Tennessee HOPE access grant application no later than September 1, 2021, or a renewal application by the deadline published on TSAC‘s website each year thereafter;
(4) Graduate from an eligible high school after December 1, 2003, upon having completed curriculum requirements of the high school for graduation;
(5) Achieve a final high school grade point average of at least 2.75;
(6) Attain a composite ACT score of at least 18 on any single ACT test date or a concordant equivalent score on the SAT on any single SAT test date; and
(7) Be admitted to, and enroll in, an eligible postsecondary institution no later than sixteen (16) months after graduation from an eligible high school.
(b)

(1) A Tennessee HOPE access grant shall be awarded to an eligible student only until the end of the semester in which the student has attempted a total of twenty-four (24) semester hours. A student who is eligible for a Tennessee HOPE Scholarship shall be ineligible for a Tennessee HOPE access grant.
(2) A student receiving a Tennessee HOPE access grant shall maintain continuous enrollment at an eligible postsecondary institution.
(3) If a student ceases to be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE access grant at any time for any reason, then the student may not regain the Tennessee HOPE access grant and shall not be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship.
(c) The receipt of a Tennessee HOPE access grant is contingent upon admission to an eligible postsecondary institution. Financially and academically qualifying for a Tennessee HOPE access grant does not guarantee admission to an eligible postsecondary institution.
(d) Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, a Tennessee HOPE access grant shall be fifty percent (50%) of the combined award of the ASPIRE award under § 49-4-915 and the Tennessee HOPE scholarship awarded under § 49-4-914 that is applicable to Tennessee HOPE scholarship recipients at the eligible postsecondary institution at which the Tennessee HOPE access grant recipient is enrolled.
(e)

(1) TSAC shall review a student’s eligibility at the end of the semester in which the student has attempted twenty-four (24) semester hours. If a student receiving a Tennessee HOPE access grant has achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 at the end of the semester in which the student has attempted twenty-four (24) semester hours, then the student shall be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship. If the student meets the requirements of § 49-4-915(a)(2), the student shall be eligible for an ASPIRE award.
(2) If a student receiving a Tennessee HOPE access grant does not achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 at the end of the semester in which the student has attempted twenty-four (24) semester hours, but the student, without financial assistance from lottery proceeds, continues to attend an eligible postsecondary institution and meets the requirements of § 49-4-911(a)(1) at the end of the semester in which the student has attempted forty-eight (48), seventy-two (72), ninety-six (96) or any subsequent multiple of twenty-four (24) semester hours or the requirements of § 49-4-911(a)(2) at the end of forty-eight (48) semester hours or at the end of any subsequent semester, then the student shall be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship if the student meets all other applicable requirements. If, at that time, the student meets the requirements of § 49-4-915(a)(2), the student shall be eligible for an ASPIRE award.
(f) A student may receive a Tennessee HOPE scholarship after having received a Tennessee HOPE access grant until the first of the following events:

(1) The student has earned an advanced degree; or
(2) Five (5) years have passed from the date of the student’s initial enrollment at any postsecondary institution.
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