Nearly 300 graduate students received degrees from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga during commencement ceremonies on May 3, 2024. Photo by Angela Foster.
Getting your graduate degree at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga just got more affordable with the expansion of the state’s lottery-funded scholarship program.
Qualified students can now use their remaining Tennessee HOPE Scholarship funds to pursue a master’s degree at UTC immediately after or while completing their undergraduate degrees.
Key details about the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship expansion:
- Covers up to $2,850 per semester for full-time students.
- Immediate start required: To qualify, students must begin graduate coursework right after completing an undergraduate degree, excluding summer term.
- Full scholarship requires enrollment in at least nine credit hours.
- Partial scholarship is available to students taking less than nine credit hours.
- Students can use the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship for five total years after high school graduation.
Restrictions apply and students are encouraged to contact UTC Financial Aid for more information.
“We understand that the costs of advancing your education can be intimidating–that’s why UTC offers so many programs, scholarships and grants to help you graduate sooner and pay for some or most of your graduate school expenses,” said Ken Scannapiego, associate director of UTC’s financial aid office.
With careful planning, high-achieving UTC students potentially can finish their master’s degree within the five-year scholarship window, expanding their career opportunities after graduation.
The Joint Undergraduate to Master’s Program (JUMP) already is helping UTC undergraduates earn credit toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees simultaneously. JUMP is available in the following undergraduate programs:
- all degrees in the College of Engineering and Computer Science
- all degrees offered in the Department of Public Service and Political Science (leading to a Master of Public Administration)
- Master’s in Environmental Science
The HOPE Scholarship expansion was implemented in fall 2023 thanks to new legislation from the Tennessee General Assembly and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission aimed at helping students save time and money.
“This helps us recruit, retain and reward our best and brightest students in Tennessee,” said Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, a UTC alum (’83), co-sponsor of the bill and chair of the Hamilton County Legislative Delegation and the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
“The scholarship now incentivizes students who finish college early—like we encourage them to do—instead of penalizing them,” Watson said.
“You can graduate with both your bachelor’s and an advanced degree in Tennessee with virtually no school debt, and that’s what we’re really doing here is lowering the cost of education for our residents,” he said.
While some advanced degrees yield higher salaries than others, Watson said, states and communities with more people holding these degrees experience greater economic prosperity, benefiting all citizens.
With about 50% of UTC’s 12,000 students already receiving the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship, the additional eligibility makes UTC graduate programs more accessible than ever.
Students interested in taking advantage of this opportunity should contact UTC Financial Aid and Scholarships to discuss their options and eligibility.
