Tennessee Higher Education Commission announces TN Direct Admissions Pilot to simplify path to college and technical training

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today announced the launch of TN Direct Admissions, a new pilot program that automatically accepts eligible high school seniors into participating in-state public and private universities and the state's community and technical colleges, using existing academic data.

All 23 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) and 13 Tennessee community colleges are participating.

Research shows that the college application and financial aid process often feels too complex, causing many students to give up before completing their applications. One in four students starts an application but never finish.

To address these challenges, Tennessee’s Direct Admissions Pilot is the first in the nation to directly connect automatic college admissions with state-supported and merit-based financial aid. The goal is to help students clearly see where they’ve been accepted and how they can afford to enroll, increasing the likelihood they’ll attend college in the fall.

This November (2025), 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 with a list of the in-state colleges and TCATs 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.

Led by THEC in partnership with the Lumina Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Making Caring Common at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the pilot will explore whether connecting direct admissions with clear financial aid can help more Tennessee students confidently continue their education after high school.

This fall, a total of 53 higher education institutions are participating in the TN Direct Admissions program and pilot initiative.

Through this effort, the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) is offering direct admissions to the state’s 23 TCATs and 13 community colleges. In addition, 17 public and private colleges and universities across Tennessee are participating in the pilot.

“The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and our community and technical colleges are excited to be part of this groundbreaking project for the benefit of students,” said TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings. “We’ve been working for some time on ways to streamline the enrollment process, and automatic admission with the financial aid application makes perfect sense. Making the admissions and financial aid process easier will be good for students and parents, and that’s why all of our institutions are gladly participating in the Direct Admissions pilot.”

As part of the pilot this year, THEC and partners are conducting a controlled study to assess how different types of information affect students’ decisions to enroll in college.

The study aims to determine whether providing clear financial aid information alongside direct admissions increases the likelihood of college enrollment compared to receiving only direct admissions information, or no letter at all. Students in the program will also be eligible to receive additional college-going supports, including proactive outreach to parents and counselors, as well as personalized contact from a direct admissions advisor.

Findings from the study will be shared broadly with a national audience of colleges, universities, higher education leaders, with the goal of informing similar efforts in other states and elevating direct admissions as a scalable strategy nationwide.

"TN Direct Admissions is a bold step toward eliminating the barriers that prevent too many students from taking the next step after high school,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “For the first time in the nation, we are pairing direct admissions with personalized financial aid information, so students not only know where they’ve been accepted—they’ll also know how they can afford to go. Tennessee is proud to lead the way in simplifying the path to higher education for students and families."

“Preparing students to reach their future college and career aspirations is the ultimate goal of the educational journey that culminates in high school graduation,” said Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds. “Making that next step, to a state college, university, or one of our TCAT schools, is a tremendous step forward for Tennessee as we help today’s students thrive in the workforce of tomorrow.”

“Too much red tape complicates students’ pathways to college—limiting who can get a degree and access a well-paying job,” said Dr. Taylor Odle, of UW-Madison, Research and Evaluation Partner and Principal Investigator for the pilot study. “By simplifying the college admissions and financial aid processes in tandem, we are taking a monumental step in making college more accessible and sending a clear message to students: There is a place for you in college—and there are resources to help you afford it. No complicated forms, no application fees, no long essays, no letters of recommendation.”

"This pilot is an important opportunity to explore how innovative admission approaches— including direct admissions and upfront, straightforward financial aid information — can remove common admission barriers and promote access,” said Trisha Ross Anderson, Research and Evaluation Partner, Harvard Graduate School of Education. “Through this study, we will learn not only about the impact of direct admissions and financial aid on students’ college enrollment, but how students feel about their direct admission experience."

General information about TN Direct Admissions will be provided to participating high schools and made available through school counselors. Additional resources, including webinars, videos, flyers, and posters, will also be provided and made accessible on CollegeForTN.org to support schools, students and families throughout the process.

More information is available on the TN Direct Admissions FAQ page.