New Tennessee ‘direct admissions’ pilot to boost college, tech school enrollment

Published 2:42 pm Friday, July 25, 2025

A new Tennessee pilot program will automatically admit eligible high school seniors to in-state colleges and technical schools, eliminating the need to apply. This fall, 41,000 students in the Class of 2026 will receive acceptance letters listing schools they can attend based on academic data already on file.

Steven Gentile, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, said the “TN Direct Admission” program removes barriers to higher education for thousands of students who may not have seen college as an option.

“This pilot and study reflects Tennessee’s commitment to innovation and to meeting students where they are,” he said. “Tennessee is the first state in the nation to directly link state financial aid with guaranteed college admission offers, creating a simpler, clearer pathway for students and families.”

Fifty-three institutions are part of the direct admissions pilot.

This November, approximately 41,000 high school seniors in the Class of 2026 from a group of randomly selected Tennessee high schools will receive a TN Direct Admissions letter from Gov. Bill Lee with a list of the in-state colleges and TCAT institutions where they have been automatically accepted — without having to complete traditional college applications. More than 20,000 of these letters will also outline the state and institutional financial aid available to students.

Students only need to complete the Tennessee Promise application by Nov. 1, 2025, to be eligible. Through this effort, the Tennessee Board of Regents is offering direct admissions to the state’s 23 Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) and 13 community colleges. In addition, 17 public and private colleges and universities across Tennessee are participating in the pilot.

Troy Grant, vice chancellor for strategic enrollment management with the Tennessee Board of Regents, said no other state has combined tuition-free technical colleges with a direct admissions program, and added that the board is leading the effort to expand access to education workforce opportunities through 23 Colleges of Applied Technology, or “T-CATS,” and 13 community colleges.

He said many of the students who qualify will be getting their first experience with a school that’s entirely focused on preparing them for a career.

“This is truly a game changer, especially for students in rural and underserved communities that will now have a much clearer path — about what their options are and where they can matriculate, and kind of how they get from point A to point B — in terms of making that their goals, in terms of articulating higher education a reality,” he explained.

Grant said the TCAT schools and community colleges are powering the state’s workforce, with more than 400 career programs — many tailored to meet local industry needs. He added that this deep connection to communities means most TCAT students land full-time jobs within a year, with campuses across the state.