Tennessee · verified 2026-10-30
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship requirements
The Tennessee HOPE Scholarship takes a 21 ACT composite or a 3.0 GPA — either one qualifies. A 29 ACT with a 3.75 GPA adds the General Assembly Merit Scholarship on top, worth roughly $1,000 a year more.
21 to 29
8 points between Tennessee HOPE and General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS).
A fixed annual award at an eligible Tennessee institution at a 21. HOPE plus roughly $1,000 a year at a 29. A 29 is the 93th percentile nationally, against a 68th for a 21.
Raise my ACT score to a 29+ →Free to start, no card.
Every tier, and what it asks for
| Tier | ACT | GPA | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee HOPE Scholarship | 21or 1060 SAT | 3.0 unweighted, or qualify on the score alone | A fixed annual award at an eligible Tennessee institution |
| General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS)Both the score and the GPA are required for the top-up — unlike HOPE itself, either/or does not apply. | 29or 1280 SAT | 3.75 weighted | HOPE plus roughly $1,000 a year |
Tennessee colleges pay on top of Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship is state money. Colleges publish their own award charts on top of it — at a 29 with a 3.5 GPA:
$22,000/yr
$20,000/yr
$17,000/yr
$16,000/yr
$14,000/yr
$12,000/yr
$8,500/yr
$6,000/yr
Other state programmes
Email me every college that pays at a 29
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship is Tennessee. We have read the published award charts at 504 colleges nationally, and the email sends the ten that pay you most — five public, five private. No account.
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Tennessee HOPE Scholarship questions
What are the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship requirements?
The Tennessee HOPE Scholarship takes a 21 ACT composite or a 3.0 GPA — either one qualifies. A 29 ACT with a 3.75 GPA adds the General Assembly Merit Scholarship on top, worth roughly $1,000 a year more.
What ACT score do you need for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship?
21 at the lowest qualifying tier, and 29 to reach General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS). A 21 is the 68th percentile nationally and a 29 is the 93th.
Does an ACT score change what Tennessee colleges pay?
Yes, separately from Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. At a 29 with a 3.5 GPA, 8 of the 17 Tennessee colleges whose award charts we have read publish a figure, the largest being $22,000 a year at Maryville. That is the college's own money, not the state's.
Verified 2026-10-30 against TSAC — Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. State programmes are reviewed annually and the thresholds move, so confirm against the administering agency before relying on them. College figures come from each college’s own published chart. A published threshold is not an offer.