All TN Promise applicants have the opportunity to enroll at a TN Promise eligible institution with TN Promise funding before the fall 2026 term; this includes early high school graduates who plan to enroll as early as the spring/winter 2026 term and traditional May high school graduates who plan to enroll during the summer 2026 term. To receive TN Promise funding before the fall 2026 term, students must meet the requirements outlined below by January 12, 2026 unless otherwise noted.

Please note, early enrollment is completely optional! Students are NOT required to enroll prior to the fall 2026 term.

Requirements for early College Enrollment with tn promise:

• Complete the 2026 TN Promise application at www.TNPromise.gov by November 3, 2025.

• Complete the following requirements by January 12, 2026:

  • Satisfy the TN Promise Meeting requirement. You can click here for more information on how to complete this requirement!

  • File the 2025-2026 AND the 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can access both FAFSA applications now at FAFSA.gov!

  • Complete and submit 16 hours of community service. You can submit any hours completed August 1, 2024 and later. These hours will cover your early enrollment terms and the 2026-2027 academic year. You can click here for more information on how to complete this requirement!

Students who complete all requirements outlined above by January 12, 2026 will be eligible for TN Promise funding to be applied for any early enrollment terms. This includes spring/winter 2026 and summer 2026.

Likewise, students who do not complete all requirements outlined above by January 12, 2026 will not be eligible for TN Promise funding for spring/winter 2026 and summer 2026 terms. If the student is still interested in enrolling prior to the fall 2026 term, the student will be required to use other funding and/or pay out of pocket for these terms. This WOULD NOT negatively impact eligibility for fall 2026 and beyond, provided the student meets all established deadlines and requirements.  

NOTE:

• Students who graduate in May but plan to begin at a TCAT during the summer 2026 term must meet the following deadlines for TN Promise funding: 

  • Complete and submit 16 hours of community service by January 12, 2026.

  • Complete the TN Promise Meeting requirement by March 16, 2026.

  • File the 2026-2027 FAFSA by April 1, 2026.

• Students who attend college this spring 2026 term with TN Promise must enroll full time and maintain full-time enrollment. This means a full-time program at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) or at least 12 credit hours at a community college or eligible four-year institution. If a student drops below full-time enrollment at any time this spring, the student will be permanently ineligible for TN Promise.

• If a student enrolls at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) for the spring term, the student will also be required to enroll during the summer term to remain eligible for TN Promise. 

• Students who choose to enroll full-time at a post-secondary institution spring/winter 2026 with TN Promise funding, that term will count as one of the available 5 full-time semesters/8 full-time trimesters.

• Students who enroll and receives funding in the spring/winter and/or summer term will have their cumulative GPA reviewed after the first FULL academic year after high school graduation. GPA for spring 2026 and/or summer 2026 will be calculated into the 2026-2027 academic year’s cumulative GPA. Any student who falls below 2.0 will become ineligible for TN Promise. TCAT students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as determined by their program.