Scholarships

The Leadership Program offers a prestigious, full-tuition scholarship in order to recognize and reward first-year students for their leadership and service in their community. Competitions (dates TBD) will include team building, engaging with current students and faculty, and learning more about what it means to be a Buccaneer. 

• Amount: Two award winners will receive a full tuition scholarship.

• Application Process: Students must be accepted to CBU to be eligible to attend.

• Winners: Scholarship recipients must be residential freshmen in the Fall of 2025 and continue to live on campus to receive this scholarship.

Registration coming soon.

The NSF-STEM Grant is an academic, need-based grant available to Engineering and Computer Science majors. An application and and interview are required. Learn more HERE.

• Amount: Varies
• Application Process:  Apply HERE.
• Interviews: Students who qualify will be contacted in March to set up an appointment with the selection committee.

Annually, CBU and Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity provide a number of Triangle Scholarship Awards for high school seniors who have applied and been accepted to CBU. The awards are designed to encourage academic excellence, foster leadership skills, and enhance the personal development of deserving students in pursuit of their college degrees. Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity invites your application for consideration. Established by his father, Richard T. Gadomski, this award remembers Gregory Raymond Gadomski, who was initiated as the 70th member of the Pi-Epsilon chapter of TKE on November 20, 1982. As an undergraduate, Greg was an active member of his chapter, serving as a Big Brother to another member, serving on Chapter committees, and planning the Chapter’s annual formal. Greg is remembered by those who knew him as “a kind soul and a good friend” and as being the type of person who was “never ever boring.” Greg was recognized by CBU as the recipient of the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award in 1995. This scholarship is given in memory of Greg’s love for TKE and CBU. It will recognize one or more incoming students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in all areas of involvement.

• Amount: Awards vary from year to year depending on the applicant pool and availability of funds. Awards can range from $500 to $1,000. All awards are made possible through contributions to the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity-Gregory Raymond Gadomski Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund.
• Application Process: Students must be accepted to CBU to be eligible to apply.

Overview

The Dependent Children Scholarship Program provides aid for Tennessee residents who are dependent children of a Tennessee law enforcement officer, firefighter, or an emergency medical service technician who has been killed or totally and permanently disabled while performing duties within the scope of such employment. The parent must be a Tennessee resident and have been on duty when the incident occurred. 

Award Information

The amount of the award will be based on the student’s financial need and the availability of funds up to the cost of attendance.

Eligibility

 To be eligible, the applicant must:

• be a Tennessee resident and attend an eligible Tennessee college or university full time, and
• be a dependent of a Tennessee law enforcement officer, firefighter, or an emergency medical service technician as set forth in TCA 49-4-704 at the time of the incident, and
• complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a valid SAI.

Application

An application must be accompanied by documentation detailing that the parent who was a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical service technician was killed or totally and permanently disabled while performing duties within the scope of such employment.

• To apply, submit an application on the TSAC Student Portal. TSAC must receive the completed application and required documentation by September 1.
• A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available at www.fafsa.gov, must also be completed by the application deadline in order to be considered.

Overview

The Helping Heroes Grant is awarded to US veterans who were honorably discharged or who are a former or current member of a reserve or TN National Guard unit.

Award Information

The award amount is $1,000 per semester for a student who enrolls in 12 or more semester hours in an eligible program of study. The award amount is $500 per semester for enrollment in six to 11 semester hours.

Eligibility

To be eligible, the student must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be an honorably discharged veteran of the United States, or a former or current member of a reserve or Tennessee National Guard unit who was called into active military service of the United States
• Be a Tennessee resident.
• Be awarded one or more of the following:
  • Iraq Campaign Medal
  • Afghanistan Campaign Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, on or after Sept. 11, 2001
  • Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
  • Other qualifying medals as authorized by Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
• Enroll at an eligible 2-year or 4-year postsecondary institution
• Have not earned a baccalaureate degree.
• Not be in default on a federal Title IV educational loan or a Tennessee educational loan.
• Not owe a refund on a federal Title IV student financial aid program or a Tennessee student financial aid program.
• Be in compliance with federal drug-free rules and laws for receiving financial assistance.
• Not be incarcerated.

Application

Complete the application on the TSAC Student Portal for a Helping Heroes Grant for each academic year. The application processing deadlines are: September 1 (or the following business day) for fall enrollment, March 1 (or the following business day) for spring, or May 1 (or the following business day) for summer enrollment. Please mail your DD-214 to the address below or fax it to the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation at (615) 741-6101.

Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
312 Rosa Parks Blvd, 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243

Continuation Requirements

Recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as determined by the institution.

• Grant may be awarded for a maximum of eight full semesters; 6-11 semester hours completed constitutes one-half semester

Termination Criteria

Eligibility terminates once the student has:

• Received the award for the equivalent of eight full semesters;  or
• Earned a baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first

The Ned McWherter Scholars Program encourages academically superior Tennessee high school graduates to attend college in Tennessee. 

Award Information

The award is $6,000 per academic year, $3,000 from the State of Tennessee and $3,000 from the college or university attended. The institutional match may be a campus-based award already included in the student’s financial aid package as long as it does not contain a work or service obligation. Awards are made in equal installments each term throughout the academic year. Awards are very competitive and are based on limited funding. 

The award may be renewed three times for a total of four years. The recipient must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and attend full-time to remain eligible.

Eligibility

To be eligible, the applicant must:

• be a resident of Tennessee and a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen,
• attend an eligible Tennessee college or university full-time within 16 months following graduation from high school, 
• have at least a 3.75 unweighted cumulative high school grade point average on a 4.0 scale, and
• have a minimum composite score of 32 on the ACT or 1430 on the SAT.

ACT Superscores cannot be used to determine eligibility.

An applicant may receive extra credit for honors or advanced placement courses and leadership in extracurricular activities while in high school.

Application

An application must be accompanied by:

• an official high school transcript that contains the applicant’s high school grades through the first semester of the senior year, and
• an official ACT/SAT score.

Applications should be submitted on the TSAC Student Portal (https://www.collegefortn.org/tsacstudentporta). Awards are very competitive and are based on limited funding. Renewal applicants are given first priority. TSAC must receive the completed application and required attachments by March 1. Students may only apply during their final year of high school.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TENNESSEE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP (TELS)

TELS recipients may transfer without a break in enrollment from an eligible postsecondary institution to CBU and remain eligible. Students must transfer the TELS award through the Student Financial Aid Portal prior to the transfer dates indicated below by institution type. A transfer request will not be accepted by a phone call from the student. For complete transfer information, please visit the TELS Transfer Student page.

Transfer dates for two-year and four-year institutions are as follows:

• Fall Semester: September 1
• Spring/Summer Semester: February 1

Please complete and submit the Verification Opt-Out Form if you wish to only receive the Hope Scholarship. Submitting this form waives the verification requirement for financial aid. By signing and submitting this form, students will not receive any Federal or State Financial Aid except for the Hope Scholarship and/or Hope Merit Supplement.

Change of Enrollment Status: If a student drops from full-time to part-time within a semester without prior approval, they may lose TELS eligibility. A student should submit a TELS Request for Change of Enrollment Status to the Financial Assistance Office for approval before dropping to part-time. If a student fails to obtain prior approval, or if a request for prior approval is denied and the student drops to part-time anyway, the TELS award for that semester will be prorated, and the student will not be eligible for TELS in any subsequent semester.

INFORMATION ON APPEALING OR REGAINING YOUR TENNESSEE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP

DOWNLOAD THE TELS REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF ENROLLMENT STATUS FORM

Request for Leave of Absence: Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment, defined as enrollment in both fall and spring semesters of an academic year, may lose TELS eligibility. Exceptions may be made if a student is granted a Leave of Absence for certain documented medical or personal reasons. A student must submit the TELS Leave of Absence Request to the Financial Aid Office to obtain approval.

DOWNLOAD THE TELS LEAVE OF ABSENCE REQUEST FORM

Overview

The Foster Child Tuition Grant is awarded to students who entered state custody of the Department of Children’s Services any time after reaching 13 years of age.

Award Information

The award amount for the Foster Child Tuition Grant is the cost of attendance less any gift aid with the total award not exceeding the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at an eligible postsecondary institution. Gift aid means scholarships and grants from any source that do not require repayment, including funds provided through the federal Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 and other similar programs. Student loans and work-study programs are not considered gift aid.

A Foster Child Tuition Grant for a student attending an eligible independent four-year OR two-year postsecondary institution cannot exceed the statewide average tuition and mandatory fees for a public four-year or two-year postsecondary institution.

Eligibility

In addition to meeting the minimum HOPE Scholarship high school eligibility requirements, a student must submit to TSAC an official certification from the Department of Children’s Services that the student meets the eligibility requirement for the Foster Child Tuition Grant.

Certification from the Department of Children’s Services must indicate one of the following requirements:

1. Was in state custody at any time when the individual was 13 years of age or older;
2. Was in state custody at any time when the individual was 13 years of age or older and was placed for adoption by the Department of Children Services (DCS) or one of its adoption contract agencies, and the adoption was finalized; or
3. Was in state custody at any time and was placed in permanent guardianship by DCS after reaching 13 years of age.

The receipt of a Foster Child Tuition Grant is contingent upon the following:

1. Meet the high school requirements for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship; 
2. Be admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution within four years from the date of high school graduation or its equivalent;
3. Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress while enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution;
4. The recipient may remain eligible for the Foster Child Tuition Grant for up to six years from the date of initial enrollment.

Application

Apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available at www.fafsa.gov. Applications must be received by September 1st for fall semester, March 1st for spring semester and May 1st for summer semester. Early application is recommended.

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Nothing in these requirements shall be construed to limit the participation of a youth in or formerly in the custody of the state in any other program of financial assistance for postsecondary education.

The non-traditional student must be a Tennessee resident, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and be enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution. In addition, the student must:

• Apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available at www.studentaid.gov. Applications must be received by September 1st for fall semester, February 1st for spring and summer semesters. Early application is recommended.
• Have been a Tennessee resident for one year by September 1 of the application date. For students beginning spring and summer terms, residency determined by February 1 as of application date
• Be age 25 or older and:
  • Be an entering freshman in an eligible postsecondary institution; or
  • Have not been enrolled for at least two (2) years after last attending any postsecondary institution and is now enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution
• Must have student’s and spouse’s adjusted gross income of $36,000 or less on IRS tax form
• Be continuously enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution in the fall and spring semesters and maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 after 12 attempted semester hours or required GPA at subsequent benchmark. (Attempted hours and college grades prior to re-enrollment at an eligible postsecondary institution after at least a two year break in enrollment are not considered.)
• Enroll in one of the Tennessee public colleges, universities, or private colleges. Click Here for listing.
• A non-traditional student shall not be eligible for the Aspire Award or the General Assembly Merit Scholarship.

If you believe you meet these requirements, please submit the Non-Traditional HOPE Scholarship Request Form to the CBU Financial Assistance Office.

Award Amounts:

• For entering freshmen beginning with Fall 2015 and thereafter:
  • Four-Year Institutions and two-year institutions with on-campus housing: Up to $2,250 per full-time enrollment semester as a freshmen and sophomore; then up to $2,850 per full-time enrollment semester as a junior and senior
• For students who first received HOPE in Fall 2009 through Summer 2016 
  • Four-Year Institutions and two-year institutions with on-campus housing: Up to $2,000 per full-time enrollment semester; including summer

Are you a Hope Scholarship recipient and thinking about taking Summer classes at another institution? Students may choose to take classes at another institution and still receive their HOPE Scholarship from CBU, if otherwise eligible. Visit the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation website for information on HOPE scholarship programs, application procedures, and deadlines.