Admissions Helpful Hints

• Freshman
• International Student
• Transfer Student
• High School Student-Academically Talented & Gifted
• High School Student-Dual Enrollment
• Readmitted (Returning) Student
• Community (Non-degree Seeking) Student
• Visiting (Transient) Student
• Audit Student

Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship offered to graduating seniors in Tennessee. LAST-DOLLAR means that TN Promise will ONLY pay IF the Pell Grant, Hope Scholarship, and TSAA do not cover the student’s balance. Any other scholarships, both internal and external, do not count toward the calculation of the TN Promise award amount.

A few REQUIREMENTS for TN Promise include:

• Graduate from a TN high school or home school, or obtain a GED/HISET before age of 19
• File a FAFSA (or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at fafsa.gov
• Sign up for Tennessee Promise before the deadline (Nov. 1^st) at tnpromise.gov
• Attend any mandatory meetings
• Complete 8 hours of community service before each semester
• Maintain a 2.0 GPA
• Must be enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours each semester)

A few EXCLUSIONS for TN Promise include:

• Promise DOES NOT cover additional fees for online courses
• Promise DOES NOT cover additional fees for health science programs
• Promise DOES NOT cover books or supplies for students
• If a student DOES NOT remain in full-time status or complete the community service hours during a semester, the student will lose TN Promise without the option to regain

Click TN Promise for more information.

Tennessee Reconnect is a state grant similar to Tennessee Promise that is geared toward adult students. This means the grant is also a LAST-DOLLAR scholarship which ONLY pays IF other type of Financial Aid do not cover the student’s balance.

A few REQUIREMENTS for TN Reconnect include:

1. The student must not have a previous college degree
2. The student must have been a TN resident for at least a year
3. The student must be considered an independent student by the Department of Education (age 24 or older, married, a veteran, or has children)

To APPLY for TN Reconnect

1. First, complete a FAFSA for the academic year you wish to attend
2. Then, complete the TN Reconnect application at tnreconnect.gov.

A few EXCLUSIONS to keep in mind

1. TN Reconnect does not cover additional fees for online courses
2. TN Reconnect doesn’t cover additional fees for health science programs
3. TN Reconnect doesn’t cover books or supplies for students

Please click TN Reconnect for Information Session dates, times and sign-up.

I need help with . . .

• Receiving final transcripts and immunization records - Admissions (Admissions@ColumbiaState.edu)
  
  
• Tuition payment, setting up payment plans & turning in tuition discount forms - Business Office (BusinessOffice@ColumbiaState.edu)
  
  
• The FAFSA, student loans, scholarships & student employment - Financial Aid (FinancialAid@ColumbiaState.edu)
  
  
• Initial evaluation of transfer credit & sending my Columbia State transcripts - Records (Records@ColumbiaState.edu)
  
  
• Scheduling placement tests, challenge exams, or CLEP tests - Testing Services (TestingServices@ColumbiaState.edu)