JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Think it’s too late to enter college this fall? Think again, officials at East Tennessee State University say. “This summer has been a game changer for Tennessee students considering college,” Heather Levesque, director of Undergraduate Admissions at ETSU, said.
“ETSU students will have more purchasing power than they’ve had in probably a decade or more. So, if you have been on the fence about pursuing a four-year college degree, there’s never been a better time to take that leap. We’re even waiving the application fee.” Beginning this fall, the state of Tennessee will offer up to $4,500 per year for qualifying freshmen and sophomores and $5,700 for juniors and seniors through the statewide Tennessee HOPE (Lottery) scholarship program.
To be considered, students must file a 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (also known as the FAFSA) as soon as possible. That’s a thousand dollars more for lower-level students and $1,200 more for upper-level students than in previous years. It represents the largest new investment in the program since the scholarship was established in 2004.
Out-of-state students also stand to benefit. ETSU recently cut out-of-state tuition nearly in half. Plus, students in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia receive a discount, making ETSU cost competitive with in-state options.
In contrast to the record levels of inflation the country has experienced since the pandemic began, ETSU’s Board of Trustees has voted twice in the past three years to keep tuition and fees flat with no increase for undergraduate and graduate students. “We want students to know it’s not too late to enroll at ETSU,” Levesque said. “Our admissions team can sit down with you and walk you through how to make the most of this opportunity.”