(a) To be eligible for a general assembly merit scholarship as an entering freshman, a student must:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 49-4-916

  • ACT: means the ACT assessment administered by ACT. 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
  • General assembly merit scholarship: consists of two (2) parts, a Tennessee HOPE scholarship and a general assembly merit scholar supplemental award. 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 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
(1) Meet all requirements for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship;
(2) Achieve a final high school grade point average of at least 3.75; and
(3) Attain a composite ACT score of at least 29 on any single ACT test date or a concordant equivalent score on the SAT on any single SAT test date.
(b) To be eligible for a general assembly merit scholarship as an entering freshman, a student who completes high school in a Tennessee home school program after December 1, 2003, or who graduates from a high school located in Tennessee that is not an eligible high school after December 1, 2003, shall:

(1) Meet all requirements for a Tennessee Hope scholarship that are applicable to the student;
(2) Attain a composite ACT score of at least 29 on any single ACT test date or a concordant equivalent score on the SAT on any single SAT test date;
(3) During the course of a home school program or while attending an ineligible high school:

(A) Enroll in at least four (4) dual enrollment courses totaling at least twelve (12) semester hours credit at an eligible postsecondary institution and achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0;
(B) Participate in a governor’s school program, and achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0;
(C) Take two (2) Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, and make a score of at least three (3); or
(D) Take one (1) College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) test, and make a score of at least fifty-five (55);
(4) Apply for a general assembly merit scholarship; and
(5) Be admitted to and enroll in an eligible postsecondary institution no later than sixteen (16) months after completing high school in a Tennessee home school program, or graduating from high school.
(c) A student, who receives a general assembly merit scholarship as an entering freshman shall continue to be eligible for a general assembly merit scholarship, if the student meets all requirements of § 49-4-911 for continuation of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship.
(d) If a student receiving a general assembly merit scholarship ceases to be academically eligible for the general assembly merit scholarship, by failing to maintain the required cumulative grade point average at the end of any semester in which academic eligibility is reviewed under § 49-4-911, then the student may regain the Tennessee HOPE scholarship award under § 49-4-911(b), but may not regain the general assembly merit scholar supplemental award. If a student receiving a general assembly merit scholarship ceases to be eligible for a general assembly merit scholarship at any time, for any reason other than failure to maintain the required cumulative grade point average, then the student shall not be able to regain either the Tennessee HOPE scholarship or the general assembly merit scholar supplemental award.
(e) A student who meets the requirements for a general assembly merit scholarship shall receive a Tennessee HOPE scholarship award under § 49-4-914 and a general assembly merit scholar supplemental award. The general assembly merit scholar supplemental award for full-time students shall be determined in accordance with § 4-51-111 and shall be set in the general appropriations act. Both the Tennessee HOPE scholarship award and the general assembly merit scholar supplemental award are subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery.
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