Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) Friday announced one final extension of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline for the Tennessee Promise scholarship program.

The new FAFSA deadline is extended to Thursday, August 1 for students wanting to remain eligible for the TN Promise scholarship.

Higher educations officials say this final extension allows students ample time to apply for essential financial aid for college and solidify their college choice for the fall.

“The release of the new FAFSA has inadvertently been an obstacle to certainty around many students’ fall college decisions,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC/TSAC Executive Director. “Our ongoing objective is to assist students and families in completing the FAFSA before fall enrollment. This final extension will allow us to effectively utilize these funds and provide support to as many students as possible.”

This decision to push the deadline is in part due to THEC/TSAC being notified of a $1 million award from the Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) as part of the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA Student Support Strategy initiative. This funding will enable THEC to enhance FAFSA completion efforts and provide more targeted support to students and families across the state.

Many students and families have experienced challenges in submitting their applications successfully since the launch of the redesigned FAFSA in January.

The Tennessee Promise scholarship program, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, offers eligible high school seniors the opportunity to obtain a technical certificate or associate degree tuition-free, paying for tuition and mandatory fees not covered by other financial aid sources.

“THEC/TSAC will continue to work diligently to ensure that every student in Tennessee can access higher education through the completion of the FAFSA,” Gentile said.

For more information about upcoming FAFSA completion events and resources, please visit CollegeforTN.org/FAFSA or call 1-800-342-1663.