Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) Program - Handbook

The Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) awards the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarships. For additional information visit TSAC's Web site at www.state.tn.us/tsac or the Financial Aid Office Web site at www.mtsu.edu/scholarships/telsprogram_scholarships.shtml .

Eligibility Requirements

For all students:

• Tennessee residency

For entering freshmen from an eligible high school:

• Students must have at least an unweighted 3.0 GPA or 21 ACT (980 SAT).
• GED recipients must have at least 21 ACT (980 SAT) and 525 GED.
• Graduates of home school or an ineligible high school must have at least 21 ACT (980 SAT).
• Students must enroll within 16 months of graduation, GED, or home school completion.

Each April, TSAC will determine the availability of funds for summer lottery scholarships. If funds are available, students who have remaining TELS eligibility for the award year may receive scholarship funds for at least half-time enrollment. For additional information on General Assembly Merit Scholarships, Aspire Supplements, Hope Access Grants, and Foster Care grants, visit the TSAC website .

Application Procedures

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each academic year. The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov beginning January 1.
• Submit the completed FAFSA by April 1, if possible. The FAFSA must be processed by September 1 for students enrolling in the Fall semester.

For more information about FAFSA deadlines for students first enrolling in the Spring or Summer terms, please visit the Financial Aid Office website.

Renewal Criteria

• Must earn a 2.75 cumulative TELS GPA after the first 24 attempted hours
• Must earn a 3.0 cumulative TELS GPA after attempting 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours
• CANNOT change enrollment status after census date (Refer to the current schedule book for the census date.)
• Must enroll in a minimum of six (6) credit hours for each Fall and each Spring term

TELS Policy

NOTE: Rules and regulations are accurate as of November 2006; however, TSAC reserves the right to modify rules and regulations without prior notification. Before dropping or withdrawing from classes, contact the Financial Aid Office.

According to Title 49, Chapter 1640-1-19 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, the Financial Aid Office must implement policies and procedures for the monitoring of TELS. In addition, the statute requires students to maintain federal Satisfactory Academic Progress as established by MTSU as noted below. Following are the policies and procedures for the monitoring of TELS.

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

Eligibility will be reviewed at the end of the term in which the student has attempted a total of 24, 48, 72, 96, or 120 credit hours. At the end of the term in which the student has attempted a total of 24 credit hours, the student's cumulative TELS GPA must be at least 2.75. At the end of the term in which the student has attempted a total of 48, 72, 96, and 120 credit hours, the student's cumulative TELS GPA must be at least 3.0. The cumulative TELS GPA includes all transfer credits and hours earned at MTSU, including grades from repeated classes. Dual enrollment, credit-by-exam, and/or AP credits are not included in the cumulative TELS GPA. Students may view their TELS GPA in the Tennessee Lottery Information section on RaiderNet.

Completion Rate

Each semester, students must maintain their enrollment status as of the census date. Students who receive a full-time award cannot drop below 12 credit hours during the term. Students who receive a part-time award cannot drop below 6 credit hours during the term. All attempted hours, including "I," "W," and "F," will be included in monitoring attempted hours brackets and maximum attempted hours.

Time Limits

Students may receive a TELS award until the first of the following events occur:

• the student has earned a baccalaureate degree.
• the student has attempted a total of 120 credit hours. If an undergraduate degree program requires more than 120 credit hours, students are eligible for up to a total of 136 attempted credit hours OR the number of hours required for graduation, whichever is less. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
• five years from the date of the student's initial enrollment have passed, unless a leave of absence has been approved.