Texas Scholarships

They say that everything is bigger in Texas - and it seems that includes scholarships for college students. Texas scholarships supply a massive amount of financial aid for aspiring students each year. Maximizing those scholarship opportunities can help you minimize your student loans and make it easier to attend college without having to worry about untenable student loan debt upon graduation. Read below to learn how to qualify for a Texas scholarship, how they work and where to find them.

What is a Texas Scholarship?

There are many scholarship providers that focus on a specific region or state. And as the second-most populous state in the country, Texas has a wide variety of local scholarships as well as a number of scholarships for those not from Texas, but attending college in the Lone Star State.

There are Texas scholarships for students living anywhere in the Lone Star State, as well as for those living in specific cities or counties. For example, the Mark Kilroy Foundation Scholarship program only gives out awards to students from Brazoria or Galveston County.

Some Texas scholarships may be considered merit scholarships and are given to students for general academic success, while others include more specific career or academic requirements. For example, the G.B. Mann Scholarship is given to a student who is majoring in civil engineering and is also from Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro or Rockwall County.

How to apply for Texas Scholarship

Requirements for Texas scholarships may vary depending on the provider. First, start by compiling all of the scholarships you’re eligible for and rank them by the due date. Make sure to focus on the scholarships you’re a good fit for.

To qualify for a school-based scholarship, you may have to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many schools mandate that students submit the FAFSA before they can be considered for internal grants and scholarships.

Also, if you’re attending school in-state, you must submit the FAFSA to receive the TEXAS Grant, a state-based grant only given to local students attending a Texas school. The Tuition Equalization Grant Program (TEG), which provides up to $5,246 per year, also requires the FAFSA.

Frequently Asked Questions about Texas Scholarships

What are the best Texas scholarships?

Most of the best Texas scholarships are given by specific universities to their students. For example, the University of Texas-Austin provides free tuition for students with a household income that is less than $65,000. The school offers tuition assistance for students with a household income between $125,000 and $65,000.

Also, the state of Texas offers free tuition for one year for valedictorian students who attend an in-state school. This is only available for graduates of Texas high schools.

Do I have to attend school in Texas to be eligible for a Texas scholarship?

Scholarship providers can set their own eligibility requirements, and many do not mandate that students attend a Texas school to receive a Texas scholarship. There are some scholarships that require you to be a Texas resident only, some that require you attend a Texas school and some will require both residence and attendance in Texas. Make sure you read through all the requirements and understand what the rules are.

Do I have to be from Texas to receive a Texas scholarship?

In many cases, you must be a current Texas resident to qualify for a Texas scholarship. Each scholarship may have their own residency definition, but it often means living in the state for at least one year.

There may be some rare exceptions. For example, the Good Neighbor Scholarship Program offers 12 months of free tuition at a Texas school to students from a country in the Western Hemisphere, excluding the U.S. or Cuba.

Also, the University of Houston Tier One Scholarship is available for both in-state and out-of-state students. Out-of-state students will receive a tuition waiver granting them in-state status at the University of Houston.

Some scholarships may accept students who either attend school in Texas or who graduated from a Texas high school. For example, the Austin Alliance for Women in Media Scholarship requires that you either attend a school in the Austin area or have attended high school in Austin.

Where can I find Texas scholarships?

Texas scholarships are available through online scholarship databases like Scholarships.com. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board also has a list of scholarships for Texas students.

The school you attend may also be a good source for Texas scholarships. For example, the University of Texas offers the C.R. Smith Endowed Scholarship, which pays between $10,000 and $12,000 per year for up to five years of undergraduate study.

When applying to college, visit the financial aid website and figure out how to maximize your scholarship opportunities. Some schools may have a separate scholarship application that you must complete in order to qualify for all potential scholarships.

Explore more scholarship categories

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