HOPE Information for Incoming Freshman

Welcome to Baptist Health Sciences University (Baptist University). We are glad that you have chosen to attend our institution. The HOPE Lottery Scholarship Program includes several awards. Four of these may be used to defray educational expenses at Baptist Health Sciences University. Students at Baptist University may be eligible for the Hope Scholarship and either the Aspire Award or the General Assembly Merit Scholarship or the HOPE Access Grant. The following is important information regarding the HOPE Lottery Scholarship.

BASIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE TENNESSEE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP:

• Resident of Tennessee for at least one year as of September 1 of the year entering college.
• Enroll in college within 16 months of your high school graduation.
• Graduate from an accredited Tennessee high school (special provisions apply to home school students).
• Make a 21 or higher on the ACT or 980 or higher on the SAT OR compile a 3.0 or higher unweighted high school GPA.
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have results sent to Baptist University. It is recommended that the FAFSA be completed prior to March 1, but no later than September 1 to still meet lottery requirements.

ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION PROCESS

• Once you have met the basic requirements listed above, the process begins with your high school counselor.
• Your high school counselor will report your final unweighted GPA and test scores to TSAC (Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation) once you have officially graduated from high school.
• Those scores will be used by the state to determine your eligibility and that information will be made available to Baptist University.
• In the event, your final unweighted GPA and/or test scores are not reported to TSAC by the high school counselor, it is your responsibility to contact your high school counselor and request this information be reported. 

RENEWAL
You must complete a FAFSA each year that you are in school.

Eligibility shall be reviewed by the institution at the end of the trimester in which the student has attempted a total of 24, 48, 72, 96, and any subsequent multiples of 24 semester hours thereafter. Additionally, at 72 attempted semester hours and beyond, students may be reviewed at the end of each trimester if they maintain the award on a provisional basis. The student:

• Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted semester hours.
• After attempting 72 hours and beyond, a student may retain the award by either:
  • Achieving a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 OR
  • Achieving a 2.75 - 2.99 cumulative GPA after 72, 96, and any subsequent multiples of 24 attempted trimester hours thereafter AND a trimester GPA of at least a 3.0 in the preceding semester in which the student will receive the award as a full-time enrolled student. (The student will be reviewed on a trimester-by-trimester basis and must maintain full-time enrollment)
•  Must maintain continuous enrollment AND satisfactory academic progress.
• Be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours; 12 hours if eligible on provisional basis

TERMINATION

• If a student receives the HOPE Scholarship before Fall 2009, the scholarship is terminated after attainment of baccalaureate degree OR 5 years have passed from initial enrollment OR whichever occurs first.
• If a student who first receives the HOPE Scholarship in the Fall semester of 2009 or thereafter,  the Scholarship is terminated after attainment of baccalaureate degree OR 5 years have passed from initial enrollment OR the student has attempted at any postsecondary institution a total of one hundred twenty (120) semester hours or has received the HOPE Scholarship for eight (8) full-time equivalent semesters; whichever occurs last. 

REFUNDS
If a student fails to complete a trimester for any reason, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student in writing if a return of funds to Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) is required.  The Baptist University refund policy will be used to determine the amount to be returned to the student or refunded to TSAC.  The student will be ineligible for financial aid from TSAC until the refund is paid.

AWARDS MADE IN ERROR
If a HOPE Lottery Scholarship award is made in error, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student in writing of the amount to be refunded.  The student shall reimburse Baptist University for the amount of the award made in error and will be ineligible for financial aid from TSAC until the refund is repaid.

MILITARY MOBILIZATION
HOPE Lottery Scholarship eligibility will not be negatively impacted by military mobilization.

FULL TIME AND PART TIME AWARDS
Students enrolled as full-time students as of the last day to change/add a course each trimester may receive the applicable full-time TELS award.  Students enrolled as part-time students as of this date will receive reduced awards in accordance with Tennessee law.

CONVERTING FROM FULL TIME TO PART TIME/LESS THAN PART TIME
Students enrolled as full-time students as of the last day to change/add a course each trimester may not convert to part-time status and receive a HOPE Lottery Scholarship award for that trimester unless the student requests a change in status and the institution approves the change to part-time status.  This change is only allowed due to documented medical or personal reasons.  This request must be in writing and contain sufficient documentation to support the status change.  If this request is denied, the student may appeal the decision to the Institutional Review Panel (IRP), in writing, within 30 days of the denial.

If you have questions about the HOPE Lottery Scholarship program, visit the Financial Aid Office in the Enrollment Services Suite in the Main Campus Building, or call us (901) 575-2247.  Additional information concerning HOPE Lottery Scholarships can be found online at http://www.tn.gov/collegepays/article/students-and-parents.