Senate Bill 1577, also known as House Bill 1518, amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 4, to expand eligibility for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. The bill designates the existing language in Section 49-4-907 as subsection (a) and introduces a new subsection (b). This new provision allows students who do not qualify for the HOPE scholarship as entering freshmen—due to their high school GPA or ACT scores—to become eligible as transfer students. To qualify, these students must meet specific criteria, including being admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution within six months of obtaining their first associate degree or certificate, maintaining their Tennessee Promise scholarship eligibility, and achieving a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 at the eligible institution.

The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to the 2026-2027 academic year and subsequent years. This legislative change aims to provide more opportunities for students who may not initially qualify for financial aid based on their high school performance but demonstrate academic success in postsecondary education.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-4-907