Funded by the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship Program, and awarded on a first-come-first-served basis, the Helping Heroes Grant serves former members of the armed forces, reserve, or National Guard who were called into active duty and have met the following general criteria:

• Received an honorable discharge and has been awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or after 9/11/01, received the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Be a Tennessee resident one year prior to application deadline
• Be admitted to and enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution
• Must not have received a baccalaureate degree
• Cannot be in default on a Federal Title IV educational loan or TN educational loan nor owe a refund on a federal Title IV student financial aid program or a Tennessee student financial aid program
• Not be incarcerated and be in compliance with federal drug-free rules and laws for receiving financial assistance
• Complete the Helping Heroes Grant Application.