The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the newest partner in University MNPS — the district’s initiative to connect Academies of Nashville high school seniors with scholarship opportunities at leading colleges and universities — for having last-dollar full-tuition scholarships available to qualified district graduates.

“The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is one of the many highly respected institutions in our state, and now it is within reach for deserving MNPS graduates,” said Dr. Adrienne Battle, Superintendent of Nashville Public Schools. “This partnership is about more than a scholarship — it is about removing every barrier that stands between our students and their futures. The Board of Education and I are proud to welcome UT Knoxville into the University MNPS family and remain committed to building a no-cost pathway to college for every eligible Nashville student.”

Full-Tuition Scholarships

The partnership, which was announced at Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s State of Metro Address, highlights scholarships that cover tuition and mandatory fees available to eligible MNPS graduates admitted to UT Knoxville as part of UT’s Tri-Star Scholarship program. Tri-Star Scholarships include UT Promise, available to admitted students with family incomes below $75,000; the Flagship Scholarship, covering tuition and mandatory fees for admitted students attending MNPS flagship high schools, including Antioch, Cane Ridge, Glencliff, Maplewood, Pearl-Cohn, Stratford, and Whites Creek; and the Pledge Scholarship, covering tuition, mandatory fees, room and board for admitted students with family incomes of less than $40,000.

“We want all Tennessee students, including those in the state’s largest Metro area, to have the opportunity to study at the state’s flagship, land-grant university,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. “That’s why we are thrilled to partner with Metro Nashville Public Schools through the University MNPS program to ensure students have access to pathways like our Tri-Star Scholarship Program. At UT, we are committed to serving the state and developing Tennessee’s future leaders.”

Additional Supports for Students

Beyond financial assistance, the partnership brings UT’s broader Flagship model to Nashville students, including targeted advising, college readiness programming, and ongoing student supports designed to help students succeed in finding a path to college that works for them, and preparing them for success once they get there.

As part of its continued commitment to making college truly no-cost, MNPS is working closely with UT Knoxville and its broader postsecondary partners to explore sustainable pathways to cover housing and other remaining expenses, further expanding access and opportunity for Nashville’s students.

About University MNPS

University MNPS launched as a signature initiative under Dr. Battle to develop, strengthen, and expand partnerships between MNPS and colleges and universities in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. UT Knoxville joins a growing roster of partners that includes Belmont University, Fisk University, Lipscomb University, Nashville State Community College, TCAT Nashville, Tennessee State University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Vanderbilt University.

The district will be celebrating those students who received a scholarship through University MNPS at the Signing Day event on Saturday, May 2, at the Frist Art Museum starting at 9:30 a.m. Students and families can learn more about University MNPS scholarship opportunities on our website.