Columbia State Community College will host Homeschool Tennessee Promise Information Nights at each campus during the month of September.

“Columbia State recognizes that homeschool families are sometimes unaware of the deadlines associated with Tennessee Promise,” said Cissy Holt, Columbia State vice president of Student Affairs. “Completing the application by November 1 is essential for high school seniors to remain eligible for the scholarship. We are happy to partner with the Ayers Foundation and Tennessee Achieves to support these families with this assistance no matter where the student plans to attend.”

Tennessee Promise is a statewide program that allows graduating high school and homeschool seniors the opportunity to earn a degree or certificate from a community or technical college regardless of financial status. Tennessee Promise is a scholarship, mentoring and community service program that began fall semester 2015. It provides students a last-dollar scholarship, meaning the Tennessee Promise will cover tuition and fees not covered by the Pell Grant, the HOPE scholarship, or Tennessee Student Assistance Award funds.

A critical component of Tennessee Promise is the individual guidance each participant will receive from a mentor who will assist the student as they navigate the college admissions process. In addition, participants must complete eight hours of community service prior to each term enrolled, as well as maintain satisfactory academic progress (2.0 GPA) at their institution.

At the Homeschool Tennessee Promise Information Nights, students and their parents will gain knowledge on Tennessee Promise, receive assistance with applications and be given tutorials on how to access the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation grant website to begin the application. Any in-depth questions will be answered by a Columbia State financial aid representative or Ayers Foundation/TnAchieves staff.

To view the full list of steps to apply, or to sign up, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/TNPromise.

For more information, contact the Office of Student Affairs at 931.540.2570.