Tennessee has extended a key deadline for students who want to take advantage of the state’s free community college program. Students now have until Friday, May 31, to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA.
The free college program — known as Tennessee Promise — helps students get an associate’s degree or a certificate from one of Tennessee’s colleges of applied technology. It’s a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it pays for tuition and mandatory fees not covered by other financial aid.
Graduating seniors who want to participate must have submitted an application in Fall 2023 and attended a mandatory meeting.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission announced the deadline extension Wednesday. In a news release, Gov. Bill Lee said the change was “due to extraordinary circumstances beyond our control.” That’s in reference to the bumpy rollout of what was supposed to be a new and improved FAFSA.
The federal government revamped the application this school year. But those changes have led to delays and issues for families trying to figure out how to pay for college. A website from the Tennessee’s Higher Education Commission and Student Assistance Corporation offers a guide on completing the FAFSA. THEC encourages families who run into issues to seek help by:
- Reaching out to their college advisor or high school counselor
- Calling the THEC/TSAC FAFSA Hotline at 1-800-342-1663
- Emailing [email protected]
- Contacting the Ayers Foundation Trust or tnAchieve
As of May 2, about 62% of seniors who applied for Tennessee Promise had submitted their FAFSA online, according to Jason Seay, senior director of outreach for THEC and TSAC. That leaves thousands of students who have yet to complete the paperwork.
Seay said some students think of Tennessee Promise as a fallback, and plan on attending a four-year college in the fall. For them, he recommends going ahead and hitting this deadline.
“If come June, July, even the first of August, something happens and you find yourself now needing to attend a community college or TCAT, at least you have that option by ensuring that you’ve completed all the requirements,” Seay said.
Tennessee Promise students must also complete eight hours of community service by July 1.
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