Tennessee § 49-4-935 - HOPE scholarship — Residents graduating from high school located in contiguous county of neighboring state.

§ 49-4-935. HOPE scholarship — Residents graduating from high school located in contiguous county of neighboring state.

Notwithstanding § 49-4-905(b)(2) to the contrary, a student who graduates from a high school located in a neighboring state in a county contiguous to this state shall be eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship as an entering freshman if the student: Is a resident of this state, as classified pursuant to § 49-8-104; Is not ineligible for the scholarship under § 49-4-904; Attains a composite ACT score of at least 21 on any single ACT test date or a concordant equivalent score on the SAT on any single SAT test date; Applies for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship; and Is admitted to and enrolls in an eligible postsecondary institution no later than sixteen (16) months after graduation from high school. If a student meets the eligibility requirements of subsection (a), but chooses to attend a regionally accredited postsecondary institution located outside of this state without a Tennessee HOPE scholarship, then the student shall be eligible for a HOPE scholarship as a transfer student; provided, that the student meets all requirements of § 49-4-929, other than any requirement pertaining to the type of high school from which the student graduated. A student who is eligible for a Tennessee HOPE scholarship under this section shall not be eligible for a general assembly merit scholar supplemental award under § 49-4-916. No retroactive award of a Tennessee HOPE scholarship shall be made under this section. Acts 2006, ch. 974, § 6; 2017, ch. 328, § 6; 2020, ch. 794, § 51. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2006, ch. 974, § 3 provided that the provisions of the act shall not be construed to be an appropriation of funds and no funds shall be obligated or expended pursuant to the act, unless such funds are specifically appropriated by the general appropriations act. Acts 2017, ch. 328, § 8 provided that the act, which amended this section, shall apply to students seeking postsecondary financial assistance from net lottery proceeds for the 2017-2018 academic years and academic years thereafter. For the Preamble to the act concerning HOPE Lottery Scholarships and the Tennessee Promise and Reconnect programs, see Acts 2020, ch. 794. Acts 2020, ch. 794, § 1 provided that the act, which amended this section, shall be known and may be cited as the “Financial Aid Simplification for Tennesseans (FAST) Act”. Amendments. The 2020 amendment rewrote (a)(1), which read: “Has been a Tennessee resident, as defined by regulations promulgated by the board of regents under § 49-8-104 , for one (1) year immediately preceding the date of graduation from high school and remains a Tennessee resident between graduation from high school and enrollment in an eligible postsecondary institution;”. Effective Dates. Acts 2020, ch. 794, § 70. August 1, 2020.