CLEVELAND, Ga. — Truett McConnell University, the Baptist school in Cleveland in White County, will pay full tuition for some Georgia students from lower- and middle-income families under a new program called the TMU Promise, which takes effect with students starting in fall 2027.
The award is aimed at first-time college students who enroll full time and live on campus. Their annual family income must be $75,000 or less, based on the federal student aid form, and they must qualify for Georgia’s HOPE or Zell Miller scholarship. Students have to keep meeting both the income line and the state scholarship rules each year, and they must file the federal aid form every year so the school can check income again.
The promise covers up to 127 credit hours of tuition. It does not pay for fees, housing or meals, which families still owe.
There is no separate application. The university’s Financial Aid Office will award the scholarship on its own once the state confirms a student’s HOPE or Zell Miller eligibility and the school has the completed aid form.
Jonathan Victorian Jr., the university’s vice president for enrollment, said the program is meant to lower the money barriers that keep some families from considering the school. Families with questions can find details and a cost estimate on the university’s TMU Promise page.
For White County and North Georgia families, the program pairs with the state’s own lottery-funded scholarships rather than replacing them. A student must already qualify for HOPE or Zell Miller to get the TMU Promise, so the school award fills the tuition gap left after state aid for those who meet the income limit.
