Tennessee Scholarships

Need-based access scholarship honoring Reverend E.S. Rose for incoming Belmont first-year students with academic achievement and community leadership. Belmont awards two full-tuition scholarships each year and, in alternating years, one additional half-tuition award. Priority goes to admitted students whose permanent residence is in Metro Council districts 17, 19, and parts of 18 near E.S. Rose Park; if none qualify, Metro Nashville Public School seniors in the free or reduced meal program may be considered. Apply for admission by December 1. Recipients maintain at least 12 credits and a 2.75 Belmont GPA and complete community service near Edgehill or Rose Park.

Tennessee residents from qualifying Middle Tennessee counties who plan to pursue a business, education, or STEM degree full-time at a four-year, nonprofit college or university may apply. Scholarship amounts vary based on financial need and may be applied to tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment. High school seniors need a minimum ACT score of 21 and GPA of 2.5. Award checks are made payable only to the college or university. Submit the online application between September 15 and December 15 with proof of financial need via a 1040 tax return, transcripts, and required documents.

U.S. citizens pursuing campus-based study in the 2027-2028 academic year may apply to one or more stand-alone UNICO Foundation scholarships if they meet each fund's criteria. Most require Italian descent; several funds are open to all ethnicities. Award sizes vary by named fund, from about $1,000 to $10,000, covering high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate entrants, nursing, medical school, study abroad in Italy, and field-specific awards. Online applications are due March 15, 2027 for the 2027-2028 academic year. Applicants generally must reside in or hold chapter sponsorship from listed states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, or Wisconsin), with limited exceptions. UNICO National is an Italian-American service organization whose foundation promotes education, culture, and charitable projects nationwide.

Tennessee's Washington Youth Tour program awards $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 scholarships to the top three state story submissions from Youth Tour delegates. Delegates also compete for a $10,000 Cooperative Youth Ambassador scholarship by staying engaged with their local co-op for 12 months after the tour. High school juniors whose parents are co-op members apply through their local Tennessee electric cooperative for the all-expenses-paid D.C. trip and writing contest.

Four-year merit scholarship for admitted Tennessee first-year students with at least a 3.8 UT weighted core GPA who apply for admission by January 5 and submit qualifying ACT or SAT scores by May 15. Annual awards range from three thousand to nine thousand dollars based on test score tiers, renewable while maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment, and federal satisfactory academic progress. Automatically considered at admission with no separate scholarship form. May stack with Tri-Star, Provost, or HOPE awards subject to UT aid caps.

Nursing-specific endowed scholarship for female Belmont BSN students with demonstrated financial need who are permanent residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia. Students admitted to the College of Nursing are automatically considered when they apply for first-year admission by December 1 or transfer admission by February 1. Awards range from $2,000 to $7,000 based on GPA, class rank, and community involvement. No separate nursing scholarship application is required beyond admission to the nursing major.

The Cecil C. Humphreys Presidential Scholarship is the University of Memphis flagship merit award for Tennessee resident first-time freshmen. Students are considered automatically from the admission application when they apply by the December priority date and submit updated GPA and test scores through March 1. Eligibility requires a minimum 3.50 cumulative high school GPA with ACT 31 or SAT 1390. The award provides six thousand dollars per year, renewable for up to three additional years while recipients enroll in at least twelve credit hours, maintain good academic standing, and complete required service hours.

Actively practicing visual artists 18 and older who are legal U.S. residents and permanent residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee for at least two years may apply. Matriculated high school or fine-arts degree students are ineligible. Each of nine state fellows receives a $5,000 unrestricted award. Fellows then compete for the $25,000 Southern Prize or $10,000 finalist prize plus a Hambidge Center residency. Fellows must attend an awards ceremony and participate in a touring exhibition. Applications are submitted through South Arts' Salesforce portal with a $25 fee (waivers available), state ID, work samples, artist statement, and resume. The 2026 cycle closed March 18, 2026. South Arts is the regional arts organization for the nine-state American South, funded by state arts agencies and private foundations.

Professional Tennessee artists age 18 or older with three years of state residency may apply in one fellowship category per year. Artists must be compensated for their work in a way that significantly supports their livelihood. Full-time students and past fellowship recipients are ineligible. Fellowships are $5,000 unrestricted with no matching funds or required project. FY27 categories included craft, media, visual art, dance, music, theatre, and literary arts, with 1-3 awards per discipline. FY27 applications were due February 3, 2026 (extended). Disciplines rotate annually with winter deadlines. The Tennessee Arts Commission awards Individual Artist Fellowships to recognize outstanding professional artists who enrich the state's cultural life.

The Provost Scholarship recognizes strong Tennessee resident freshmen entering the University of Memphis with competitive GPA and test-score profiles. Students are reviewed automatically from the admission application, with December 1 priority admission and score updates accepted through March 1. Eligibility requires a minimum 3.25 cumulative high school GPA with ACT 29 or SAT 1330. The award provides five thousand dollars per academic year for fall and spring semesters and may renew for three additional years while recipients maintain full-time enrollment, good academic standing, and required service hours.