Homeschool benefits and savings in Memphis
The University of Memphis offers home-schooled students dual enrollment courses online and on its campuses, where a 3-credit course costs $600 and a 4-credit course $800. The Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant pays the full price of your student's first five courses, so they cost you nothing. Other options include library educator cards and resources and transit fare savings.
Benefits in Memphis
- University of Memphis homeschool dual enrollment
- Memphis Public Libraries homeschool educator card
- MATA Zero Fare Pilot
- Memphis Public Libraries learning resources
University of Memphis homeschool dual enrollment
Who qualifies
Meets the admission criteria
Home-schooled students need an ACT composite of 19 and an admissions index of at least 100 (30 times the GPA plus the ACT composite).
Sends a recommendation letter
Home-schooled students must also submit a letter of recommendation with transcripts and test scores.
Meets course sub-scores
English Composition needs an ACT English score of 18. College Algebra needs an ACT math score of 18, or 15 for Probability and Statistics.
Is a junior or senior for the grant
The Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant goes only to students in their junior or senior year of high school.
What it is worth
The University of Memphis fee chart, in effect since fall 2025, prices dual enrollment at $191 tuition plus a $9 access fee, or $200 per credit hour.
- 3-credit course price
- $600
- 4-credit course price
- $800
- Courses 1-5, state grant
- Full price
- Courses 6-10, 3 credits, state grant
- $300
- Courses 6-10, 4 credits, state grant
- $400
The fee chart says the university's own matching grant, which covers the rest of courses 6-10, applies only to the high school based program, so ask whether your home-schooled student would owe that balance.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Gather documents
Collect your homeschool transcript, ACT scores, and a letter of recommendation. For fall, they are due by August 1.
- Application
Apply online
Submit the dual enrollment application, the immunization form, and the hold harmless agreement.
- Before November 1
Request spring courses
Course requests are due before November 1 for spring and April 1 for summer and fall.
- Each term
Apply for the state grant
Apply for the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant through the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) portal.
- Each term
Keep a 2.0 college GPA
A cumulative college GPA below 2.0 ends grant eligibility, and it cannot be regained.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition and access fee for courses 1-5
- $100 per credit hour for courses 6-10
- Online and campus courses
Not covered
- University matching grant outside the high school based program
- Courses after the tenth
Who pays first
- Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant
- University of Memphis matching grant, high school based program only
- Your family
State aid is applied to the course cost first, and any university grant is applied after it.
Who to contact
The dual enrollment office answers questions about home-schooled admission, course requests, and fees.
dualenrollment@memphis.edu 901-678-3995 Home-schooled students
Memphis Public Libraries homeschool educator card
Who qualifies
Teaches at home
Teachers, day care workers, and home-school teachers are eligible for an Educator Library Card.
Lives in the service area
Others can pay $50 a year in person.
Shows ID with your address
Bring a Tennessee driver's license or state ID with your current address, or two listed documents such as a utility bill and voter registration card.
What the card gives you
The limits come from Memphis Public Libraries' schools and educators page and its loan period table.
- Physical items on an Educator Card
- 50
- Physical items on a standard card
- 25
- Books
- 21 days, 2 renewals
- Entertainment DVDs
- 7 days
- Card cost in the service area
- Free
- Card renewal
- Every 2 years
You are billed the cost of any item you do not return, and owing $15 or more stops new checkouts.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Gather documents
Bring ID with your current address, and ask what proof the library wants that you teach at home.
- At any branch
Ask for an Educator Card
Library staff set up the Educator Library Card at the desk.
- While you teach
Borrow and place holds
Check out up to 50 physical items and place multiple holds on the same title for group lessons.
- Every two years
Renew the card
Cards in the service area are renewed every two years at no charge.
What it includes
Included
- Up to 50 physical items at once
- Multiple holds on the same title
- Parent/Teacher Collection, including homeschooling manuals
Not included
- Replacement cost of unreturned items
Who to contact about the card
Circulation at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library answers questions about library cards and accounts.
MATA Zero Fare Pilot
Who qualifies
Any MATA rider
The pilot lets all passengers ride MATA services at no cost, with no age, school, or income test.
MATAplus riders stay registered
Paratransit riders must still meet MATAplus eligibility, complete assessments, and book rides through the usual process.
Follows the code of conduct
All passengers must still follow MATA's Passenger Code of Conduct.
What the fare saves
MATA's fare page lists these regular prices, all waived while the Zero Fare Pilot runs.
- Adult bus fare
- $1.00
- Student bus fare
- $1.00
- Daily Fast Pass
- $2.00
- MATAplus base fare
- $2.00
- Children under 5 with a paying adult
- Free
The student reduced fare is only for Memphis-Shelby County Schools students with a $3 MATA ID card, so if fares return, a homeschooled teen would pay the regular fare.
How the pilot works
- Since November 16, 2025
Ride without paying
Board any bus or trolley without a fare, and book MATAplus trips as usual.
- During the pilot
MATA evaluates the program
MATA and the city are studying ridership, operations, and costs before deciding whether fare-free service continues.
- Before any change
Watch for notice
MATA says it will announce any return of fares well in advance on matatransit.com/zero-fare and @RideMATA.
What it includes
Included
- Fixed-route buses
- Downtown trolleys
- MATAplus paratransit
- Ready by MATA on-demand rides
Not included
- A set end date
- Changes to MATAplus eligibility rules
Who to contact about Zero Fare
The MATA Call Center answers questions about routes, fares, and the Zero Fare Pilot.
Memphis Public Libraries learning resources
Who qualifies
Lives in the service area
Residents and property owners in Memphis, Lakeland, and unincorporated Shelby County get a free card. Nearby Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi residents can pay $50 a year in person.
A parent signs for minors
Parents can apply online for children 17 and under, and for a card at the desk a parent shows ID and signs the application.
Shows ID for physical items
An online card number covers e-resources. To borrow physical items, bring ID showing your current address to any branch.
What the card gives you
The terms come from Memphis Public Libraries' children's resources, Book Bundles, and library card pages.
- Book Bundle picked by a children's librarian
- Free
- World Book eBooks and STEM e-books
- Always available
- Physical items on a standard card
- 25
- Book loan period
- 21 days
- Overdue fines
- None
- Out-of-area card
- $50 a year
Online-only card numbers cover e-resources and public computers for two years; borrowing physical items, including a Book Bundle, needs ID shown at a branch.
How to get started
- Online
Get a card number
Apply online for your child if they are 17 or under, or your teen 13 or older can apply.
- At any branch
Show ID for full borrowing
Bring a Tennessee ID with your current address, or two listed documents, to check out physical items.
- Any time
Request a Book Bundle
Fill out the Book Bundle form, and librarians place books matched to your child's interests on hold and notify you when they are ready.
What it includes
Included
- PebbleGo for grades K-2
- Gale in Context Elementary and Middle School
- World Book Kids, Student, and Discover
- Transparent Language, including KidSpeak
- Libby e-books, audiobooks, and magazines
Not included
- Replacement cost of unreturned items
- Free cards outside the service area
Who to contact about library resources
LINC at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library answers general questions, and the Ask a Question service handles questions online.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Tennessee
For independent homeschools, file a notice with the local education agency before each school year. A first-time filing may be made at any time during the school year; there is no fixed August 1 deadline.
Tennessee sets these rules:
- Subjects: Independent homeschool parents select and identify their curriculum and provide at least four hours of instruction per day for 180 days each year. Church-related schools set their own program requirements.
- Testing: Testing in grades 5, 7, and 9 for registered independent homeschools.
- Records: Independent homeschool parents keep attendance records, permit inspection, and submit them at year end. Maintain grades, transcripts, student records, and copies of final diplomas; provide required test results to the recipients specified in the current testing rule.
- Teachers: An independent homeschool parent-teacher needs a high-school diploma or equivalent. Church-related umbrella schools set their own enrollment and parent requirements.
Tennessee also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Individualized Education Account pays a student with a qualifying disability and an active IEP the state and special-education funding for their district, including an independently homeschooled student. Most students must have spent the prior year in a Tennessee public school, and 2026-27 applications are closed.
Read the Tennessee homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Tennessee
Questions parents ask
- Can a home-schooled student take University of Memphis courses?
- Yes. The university has a home-schooled route with the same admission criteria as its high school based program, plus a required letter of recommendation.
- Does a homeschool parent qualify for the Educator Card?
- Yes. Memphis Public Libraries lists home-school teachers by name among the people eligible for an Educator Library Card.
- Can my homeschooled child ride MATA free?
- Yes. During the pilot no fare is collected from any passenger, so your child does not need a school or MATA ID.
- What is a Memphis Public Libraries Book Bundle?
- You fill out a form about your child's interests, and a children's librarian picks a set of books and places them on hold for you to pick up.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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