Homeschool benefits: Motlow State Community College

Motlow State Community College lets homeschool students take college classes with the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant, which pays the full tuition for the first five classes, worth $591 for a 3-credit class at Motlow's 2026-27 rate. For classes 6 through 10 the grant pays $100 per credit hour, and your student qualifies with ACT sub-scores of 18 in English and 19 in reading and math.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Has the ACT sub-scores

   Homeschool students need ACT sub-scores of 18 or higher in English and 19 or higher in reading and math, from a national or residual test. If the scores fall short, your student can challenge them with the Accuplacer at Motlow.

2. Is a junior or senior for the grant

   Motlow admits students as early as 9th grade, but 9th and 10th graders are not eligible for the Dual Enrollment Grant.

3. Completes the consent form

   After applying, your student submits the Dual Enrollment Consent Form in MyMotlow, and you complete the parent portion and the counselor portion, with the transcript and ACT scores uploaded.

4. Keeps a 2.0 college GPA

   Your student must keep a collegiate GPA of 2.0 or higher, and a lost grant cannot be regained even if the GPA recovers.

What it is worth

Motlow charges $197 per credit hour of in-state tuition for fall 2026 through summer 2027, and the state grant pays tuition in full for classes 1-5 and $100 per credit hour for classes 6-10.

3-credit class tuition

$591

Classes 1-5, grant pays

All tuition

Classes 6-10, 3 credits, grant pays

$300

Classes 6-10, 3 credits, tuition left

$291

Class 11 and after, grant pays

$0

Textbooks are not covered, and Motlow's fee table adds program, activity, international, and technology fees, so ask the dual enrollment coordinator what a homeschool student is billed per class.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before you apply

   Get ACT scores

   Take the national or residual ACT, or plan to use the Accuplacer at Motlow if the sub-scores fall short.

2. Application

   Apply to Motlow

   Complete the whole admissions application, including the terms at the end, then allow a couple of days for an email with next steps.

3. After the email

   Finish the consent form

   Your student submits the Dual Enrollment Consent Form in MyMotlow, and emails go to you and the counselor to complete your parts.

4. Each academic year

   Apply for the grant

   Submit a new Dual Enrollment Grant application every year by the deadline, which College for TN lists as June 30.

5. Each term

   Watch your Motlow email

   Bills go to your student's Motlow email. Pay at any campus, online in MyMotlow, or by phone at 931-393-1531.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition for classes 1-5

Not covered

• Textbooks
• Tuition and fees left on classes 6-10
• Classes after the tenth

Who pays first

1. Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant
2. Your family

The state grant is applied first, and your family pays any tuition and fees it does not cover.

Who to contact

Lisa Campbell coordinates dual enrollment for homeschooled students, online public high schools, and Bedford and Coffee counties.

lcampbell@mscc.edu 931-393-1823 Dual enrollment FAQ

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

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