Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 49 > Chapter 4 - Financial Aid

• Academic requirement: means a requirement of a specified grade point average, ACT or SAT score or cumulative grade point average that determines either initial or continuing eligibility for postsecondary financial assistance from net lottery proceeds. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Academic year: means three (3) consecutive semesters beginning with a fall semester and including the spring and summer semesters immediately succeeding the fall semester. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• 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
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of commerce and insurance. See Tennessee Code 49-4-101
• Continuous enrollment: means a student is enrolled in the fall and spring semesters of a single academic year. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: means a corporation or association not for profit authorized to administer a plan in the state. See Tennessee Code 49-4-101
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Cost of attendance: means the combined cost of tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, books and other educational expenses as determined by the financial aid office of the eligible postsecondary institution. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Course completion: means the last day of instruction for the period or semester as determined by the student's educational institution. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• diploma: means a credential, other than a degree, the receipt of which indicates satisfactory completion of training in an eligible program of study offered by an eligible postsecondary institution. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Dual enrollment grant: means a grant for study at an eligible postsecondary institution that is funded from net proceeds of the state lottery and awarded to students who are attending high school and who are also enrolled in college courses at eligible postsecondary institutions for which they will receive college credit. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Educational institution: means any public university, college, community college, college of applied technology, or any private college or university that is regionally accredited and has its primary campus domiciled in this state. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Educational program: means a program offered by an educational institution through which a student can earn a certificate or diploma, but does not mean a doctoral program. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Eligible high school: means :
  (A) A Tennessee public secondary school. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Eligible independent postsecondary institution: means :
  (A) An institution created by testamentary trust for which the state acts by statute as trustee and for which the governor is authorized to appoint commissioners with the advice and consent of the senate and that offers courses leading to undergraduate degrees. 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
• Eligible program of study: means :
  (A) A curriculum of courses leading to a certificate or diploma at a Tennessee college of applied technology. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Eligible public postsecondary institution: means :
  (A) An institution operated by the board of regents of the state university and community college system. 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
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• FAFSA: means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. ^{Source: OCC}
• Federal tuition assistance: means federal military tuition assistance other than Montgomery GI Bill benefits and Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fiscal year: means the period beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of each year. See Tennessee Code 49-4-101
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Full-time student: means an undergraduate student attending a postsecondary educational institution who is enrolled for at least twelve (12) semester hours during each semester of attendance, or a graduate student enrolled in the requisite number of semester hours, as determined by the institution attended. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• 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
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Gift aid: means scholarships and grants from any source that do not require repayment, including funds provided through the federal Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, compiled generally in title 42 U. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Grade point average: means the numbered grade average calculated using a 4. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Home school student: means :
  (A) A Tennessee resident who completed high school in a home school program prior to July 1, 2021, meeting the requirements of §. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Member: means an active member of a federally recognized unit of the Tennessee national guard who is maintaining satisfactory membership as defined by regulations of the department of the United States army and the department of the United States air force. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Member: means any person who is accepted as a member by the plan and who may later become eligible for a scholarship as provided in the charter and bylaws of the plan. See Tennessee Code 49-4-101
• Middle college: means a program operated by an eligible public two-year postsecondary institution in partnership with an LEA that permits students in the fall semester of their junior year in high school to enter the eligible public two-year postsecondary institution and to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree in two (2) years. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Nontraditional student: means a student who:
  (A) Is an independent student, as determined by the FAFSA, who has enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at an eligible four-year postsecondary institution and attempted at least twelve (12) semester hours. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes affirmation. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Officer-producing program: means a reserve officer training corps program offered through a college or university. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Parent: means the parent or guardian of a student. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Part-time student: means an undergraduate student attending a postsecondary educational institution who is enrolled for at least six (6) semester hours, but less than twelve (12) semester hours, during a semester of attendance, or a graduate student who is enrolled in less than the number of semester hours required by the institution for full-time students, as determined by the institution attended. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Plan: means any educational cooperative plan or scholarship plan subject to this part. See Tennessee Code 49-4-101
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Regional accrediting association: means :
  (A) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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
• Scholarship: means educational benefits payable pursuant to a plan which shall not be deemed to be distribution of income to a member of a corporation. See Tennessee Code 49-4-101
• 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
• Semester: means a fall, spring, or summer semester at an educational institution, if the educational institution is on a semester system, or the equivalent, if the educational institution is on a system other than a semester system. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Semester hour: means the credit hour used by an educational institution, if the institution is on a semester system, or its equivalent if the institution is on a system other than a semester system, and includes each semester hour attempted, whether remedial or for credit toward a degree, but does not include any semester hour attempted before graduating from high school or earning a high school equivalency diploma. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• Semester hour: includes each semester hour attempted, whether remedial or for credit toward a degree, but shall not include any semester hour attempted before graduating from high school or earning a high school equivalency credential approved by the state board of education. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• sex: means a person's immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth and evidence of a person's biological sex. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• 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
• Tennessee national guard: means the federally recognized units of the Tennessee army and air national guard. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• THEC: means the Tennessee higher education commission. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Title IV: means Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, (20 U. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• TSAC: means the Tennessee student assistance corporation. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Tuition: means the total semester, quarter, or classroom hour cost of instruction delineated in the catalog of an educational institution, including all mandatory fees. See Tennessee Code 49-4-1003
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Wilder-Naifeh technical skills grant: means a grant for coursework in an eligible program of study at a Tennessee college of applied technology operated by the board of regents of the state university and community college system that is funded from net proceeds of the state lottery and awarded under this part. See Tennessee Code 49-4-902
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105