Minimum Qualifications Of Applicants

(1) To be eligible, an applicant must: (a) Have earned a minimum high school grade point average, at the end of the semester prior to the semester of graduation, of at least 3.75 on a 4.0 scale; NED MCWHERTER SCHOLARS PROGRAM CHAPTER 1640-01-09 (b) Have attained a composite score on the ACT or the SAT which places the student in the top three percent (3%) of test-takers nationally. The minimum score shall be estimated based upon the previous year’s data and announced annually; (c) Have graduated with a regular diploma from a high school in Tennessee that is approved by the Tennessee State Department of Education, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or belongs to an agency whose accreditation process is approved by the State Board of Education. Exceptions to this requirement for graduates of a “home school” as defined in T.C.A. § 49-6-3050 may be granted by the Executive Director of TSAC; (d) Have applied for initial admission to an eligible postsecondary institution after high school graduation at the time the student first applies for the scholarship. The applicant must enroll at an eligible postsecondary institution within sixteen (16) months following graduation from high school. Exceptions to the requirement for timely initial enrollment may be made for students whose appeal to the TSAC Appeals Panel is approved for an exception to the sixteen (16) month requirement for the HOPE Scholarship as described in T.C.A. § 49-4-907; (e) Be a Tennessee resident pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-8-104; and (f) Be a citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen of the United States.