Class of 2027 Early College Enrollment

All TN Promise applicants have the opportunity to enroll at a TN Promise eligible institution with TN Promise funding before the fall 2027 term; this includes early high school graduates who plan to enroll as early as the spring/winter 2027 term and traditional May high school graduates who plan to enroll during the summer 2027 term. To receive TN Promise funding before the fall 2027 term, students must meet the requirements by the established deadlines outlined below!

Please note, early enrollment is completely optional! Students are NOT required to enroll prior to the fall 2027 term.

Requirements for Early High School Graduates Beginning in the Spring/Winter 2027 (January) Term:

• Complete the 2027 TN Promise application at www.TNPromise.gov by November 2, 2026.

• Complete the following requirements by January 12, 2027:

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

  • File the 2026-2027 AND the 2027-2028 Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can access both FAFSA applications at FAFSA.gov!

  • Complete and submit at least 16 hours of community service. You can submit any hours completed August 1, 2025 and later. These hours will cover your early enrollment terms and the 2027-2028 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, 2027 will be eligible for TN Promise funding to be applied for any early enrollment terms. This includes spring/winter 2027 and summer 2027.

Likewise, students who do not complete all requirements outlined above by January 12, 2027 will not be eligible for TN Promise funding for spring/winter 2027 term. If the student is still interested in enrolling in college for the spring/winter 2027 term, the student will be required to use other funding and/or pay out of pocket. This would NOT negatively impact eligibility for fall 2027 and beyond, provided the student meets all established deadlines and requirements.

Students who plan to begin college in the summer 2027 term must meet the requirements outlined below.

Requirements for Students Beginning College in Summer 2027 (May-July):

• Complete the 2027 TN Promise application at www.TNPromise.gov by November 2, 2026.

• Satisfy the TN Promise Meeting Requirement by March 1, 2027. You can click here for more information on how to complete this requirement.

• Complete the 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 1, 2027 at FAFSA.gov.

  • Students planning to attend a TCAT in summer 2027 will only need to file the 2027-2028 FAFSA by April 1, 2027, with the exception of TCAT Chattanooga. TCAT Chattanooga students must also file the 2026-2027 FAFSA by April 1, 2027 for summer 2027 enrollment.

  • Students planning to attend a community college or eligible 4-year institution in summer 2027 must complete BOTH the 2026-2027 AND 2027-2028 FAFSAs by April 1, 2027.

  • ALL TN Promise students, regardless of when they plan to enroll, must complete and submit the 2027-2028 FAFSA by April 1, 2027 to remain eligible for TN Promise.

• Complete and submit at least 16 hours of community service by April 1, 2027. You can submit any hours completed August 1, 2025 or later. These hours will cover your early enrollment terms and the 2027-2028 academic year. You can click here for more information on how to complete this requirement.

Students who complete all requirements outlined above by the established deadlines will be eligible for TN Promise funding to be applied to the summer 2027 term.

Likewise, students who do not meet the above deadlines and submit at least 16 hours of community service by April 1, 2027 will not be eligible for TN Promise funding for the summer 2027 term. If a student is still interested in beginning in the summer term, the student will be required to use other funding and/or pay out of pocket for that term. This would NOT negatively impact eligibility for fall 2027, provided that the student meets all established deadlines and requirements for a fall 2027 start.  

Notes about Early Enrollment:

• Students who attend college in spring/winter 2027 with TN Promise must enroll full time and maintain full-time enrollment. This means a full-time program at a TCAT or at least 12 credit hours at a community college or eligible 4-year institution. If a student drops below full-time enrollment at any point during the spring/winter 2027 term, the student will be permanently ineligible for TN Promise.

• If a student enrolls at a TCAT for the spring/winter 2027 term, the student will also be required to enroll during the summer 2027 term to maintain continuous enrollment and remain eligible for TN Promise.

• Spring/winter 2027 will count as one of the available 5 full-time semesters/8 full-time trimesters available to students in TN Promise.

Students who enroll and receive funding in the spring/winter 2027 and/or summer 2027 term will have their cumulative GPA reviewed after the first FULL academy year after high school graduation. GPA for spring/winter 2027 and/or summer 2027 will be calculated into the 2027-2028 academic year's cumulative GPA. Any student who falls below 2.0 will become ineligible for TN Promise.