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MeritPlaybook / Take-home research

Tennessee
Decision sheet

Tennessee · Research checked 2026-07-02 · School research, not an aid offer

The starting point

Tennessee's flagship publishes one of the cleanest automatic merit tables in the SEC: the Volunteer Scholarship pays $3,000-$18,000/year for OOS students at published GPA/test bands, layered on top of a Tri-Star program (UT Promise, Pledge, Flagship) that drives net cost to zero for many qualifying Tennessee residents.

More than one award path. Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

Awards to discuss

First 3 of 10 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.

Out-of-State Volunteer Scholarship — Top Tier

$18,000/year ($72,000 over four years) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 4.0+ UT Weighted Core GPA · SAT: 1490-1600 · ACT: 34-36

Renewal: Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA at UT, federal Satisfactory Academic Progress, and full-time enrollment throughout each semester.

Other terms: The headline OOS automatic award. Apply by December 15; submit test scores by April 1 (only scores through December of senior year are considered for the 2025-26 award). Cannot be combined with the Orange & White Scholarship. Stackable with the Provost Scholarship for National Merit Finalists.

https://onestop.utk.edu/scholarships-financial-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-volunteer-scholarship/

Out-of-State Volunteer Scholarship — Middle Tier

$9,000/year ($36,000 over four years) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 4.0+ UT Weighted Core GPA · SAT: 1360-1480 · ACT: 30-33

Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA at UT, federal SAP, full-time enrollment.

Other terms: Brings OOS direct cost to ~$24,300/year ($33,336 OOS tuition+fees minus $9,000), competitive with in-state pricing at many state flagships once room/board is added.

https://onestop.utk.edu/scholarships-financial-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-volunteer-scholarship/

Out-of-State Volunteer Scholarship — Entry Tier

$3,000/year ($12,000 over four years) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 3.8+ UT Weighted Core GPA · SAT: 1300+ · ACT: 28+

Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA at UT, federal SAP, full-time enrollment.

Other terms: Entry threshold is 28 ACT and 3.8 weighted GPA. Below that, OOS students do not qualify for the automatic Volunteer Scholarship and need to compete for institutional or departmental awards.

https://onestop.utk.edu/scholarships-financial-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-volunteer-scholarship/

Ask before you decide

  1. Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
  2. What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
  3. How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?

Recorded stacking policy: UT Knoxville stacks state HOPE + Tri-Star (UT Promise, Pledge, Flagship) + institutional Volunteer/Provost + outside scholarships up to the cost of attendance and UT-specified award maximums. Volunteer + Orange & White cannot combine; most other awards can stack subject to the COA cap.

Our unanswered questions / Family notes

Keep the sources with the decision

Full research, award details and source context: https://meritplaybook.com/colleges/tennessee/merit-aid

The research date is not a guarantee that a policy still applies. Confirm current amounts, deadlines and conditions with the school before making a financial decision.