Current UT Promise Students
Maintaining UT Promise
To maintain UT Promise eligibility, students must complete the following requirements:
- Be a full-time, continuously enrolled student
- Maintain the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
- Complete the FAFSA annually
- Complete and submit 8 hours of community service hours every semester prior to each semester
- Meet with your mentor at least 3 times during the semester to maintain eligibility in the next semester
- Students must submit an agreement form to their campus financial aid office by the designated freeze date to qualify for the UT Promise scholarship. This form will be provided to students by their institution’s financial aid (OneStop) office. Campus Freeze Dates:
- UT Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Southern: September 3, 2024
- UT Martin: September 9, 2024
- UT Health Science Center: September 13, 2024
Resources
Get all the information you need to make the most of your UT Promise experience. Whether you’re looking for guidance on program requirements or seeking support services, these handbooks are your go-to resources.
Appeals
If you fail to meet the community service or mentor meeting requirements for the semester and feel you have valid justification to appeal your resulting ineligibility for UT Promise, please submit the following appeals form.
Students are allowed to appeal up to 30 days past the Fall (December 1) and Spring (June 1) deadlines.
Appeals that would impact Fall 2024 eligibility are no longer under review.
Should you be at risk of ineligibility for UT Promise for any other reason (e.g., change in income or enrollment status, loss of HOPE scholarship), these appeals must be made directly with the UT institution you attend.
Common Questions About Eligibility
What if I lose the HOPE scholarship but then regain it? Can my award be re-established?
If a student loses their HOPE scholarship eligibility due to GPA requirements but then regains it during their time as a student, they can also become re-eligible for the UT Promise scholarship. HOPE may only be re-established one time, so a student will not be eligible for HOPE or UT Promise if they lose their HOPE scholarship more than once.
What if I was eligible for UT Promise, but now my household income exceeds $75,000? Am I still eligible for UT Promise?
Students are eligible for the UT Promise scholarship until the household income (adjusted gross income) reaches $75,000. At this point, the student will become ineligible for UT Promise.
“Adjusted gross income (AGI) is defined as “your or your family’s wages, salaries, interest, dividends, etc., minus certain deductions from income as reported on a federal income tax return. The accurate, verifiable total combined amount of parent and student adjusted gross income and untaxed income of less than $75,000, AND a total maximum asset amount of less than $75,000, as defined on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).”
Will professional judgment decisions allow someone to become eligible?
Professional judgment refers to the authority of a school’s financial aid administrator to adjust the data elements on the FAFSA and override a student’s dependency status.
UT recognizes that many families have changes in income or family situations that cannot be reflected in the tax return data. It is possible for students to appeal their financial aid eligibility if they have unique financial circumstances. Students should complete the appeals process based on an income change through their respective UT campus’ financial aid office. If the appeal is approved, the student’s FAFSA and financial aid will be updated, and students may gain eligibility for the UT Promise scholarship.
Students who do not meet the community service or mentor meeting requirements for the semester and feel they have a valid excuse to appeal their resulting ineligibility for UT Promise can complete an Appeals Form found on this page. Each case will be reviewed by the UT Promise team.
Can I regain the UT Promise Scholarship after losing it due to not completing community service and mentor meeting requirements?
UT Promise recipients who do not complete community service and mentoring requirements become permanently ineligible for the scholarship in future semesters. Students may appeal their ineligibility within 30 days of the Fall (December 1) or Spring (June 1) deadline.
Do you have additional questions about UT Promise? Visit our FAQs to find out more about the scholarship.