Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship: Odds & Deadline

The Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship pays HOPE-level awards to students with intellectual disabilities who finish high school and enroll in a federally approved Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary program, an individualized course of study of up to four years that combines classes, career preparation and independent living skills on a college campus. Programs operate at a short list of Tennessee institutions, including Dyersburg State, Lipscomb, Union, the University of Memphis, UT Knoxville and Vanderbilt, with SAIL added from fall 2026. At a four-year institution the award is up to $2,250 per semester in the first two years and up to $2,850 per semester after that, the same as HOPE. Students must enroll within 16 months of finishing high school. Families complete a separate STEP UP application with the student each year and also file the FAFSA; the state's 2026 summary listed September 1 as the deadline for both. Total aid cannot exceed the program's cost of attendance.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

Odds: not published by the provider
Paperwork: ~3 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to Tennessee residents
Fewer rivalsRequires a specific life circumstance
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of Tennessee
Must attend a college in Tennessee (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to high school seniors
For students with a documented disability

Confirm these before applying

Student must have an intellectual disability and enroll in a federally designated Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary program in Tennessee
Must enroll within 16 months of completing high school

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The next projected deadline is September 1, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual September 1 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open Spring before enrollment. Confirm the program has accepted the student before applying; the STEP UP form and the FAFSA are both required every year.

STEP UP application and FAFSA due (2026 date): September 1, 2027 (estimated)

Track the next deadline Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship

How much is the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship worth?

The Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship awards up to $2,250 per semester (years 1-2) and $2,850 per semester (years 3-4) at four-year institutions and is renewable in later years.

When is the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship deadline?

The next projected deadline is September 1, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual September 1 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open Spring before enrollment. Confirm the program has accepted the student before applying; the STEP UP form and the FAFSA are both required every year.

When do Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship applications open?

Applications open Spring before enrollment, and close September 1, 2027 (estimated). Confirm the program has accepted the student before applying; the STEP UP form and the FAFSA are both required every year.

Who is eligible for the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Tennessee; Must attend a college in Tennessee (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors; For students with a documented disability.

Does the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: open only to Tennessee residents and requires a specific life circumstance. Plan on about 3 hrs of work.

Is the Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship