Texas State Scholarships & Grants: A Step-by-Step Guide

Your kid’s worked hard. Texas has money on the table. But most families never hear about it — or they assume FAFSA won’t help. This page cuts through the noise and shows you what actually matters.

🎓 Texas doesn’t offer automatic merit aid at the state level, but it does provide generous grants — if you file FAFSA or TASFA and qualify based on income or need.

🎯 What You Need to Know

The TEXAS Grant is the largest award — but only for low-income students who enroll at a 4-year public university immediately after high school.
FAFSA or TASFA is required for every major grant program — no exceptions.
Private college students have a separate option (TEG), and there’s help for community college students too.
Many Texas colleges offer tuition guarantees for families under $60K–$65K income — but most parents never hear about them in time.

💡 Quick Facts

Program	Amount	Type	FAFSA/TASFA Required?	Where It Applies
TEXAS Grant	Up to $5,387/year	Need-based	Yes	Public 4-year colleges
Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG)	Up to $3,364/year	Need-based	Yes	Private nonprofit colleges
Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)	Up to $3,000/year	Need-based	Yes	Public 2-year colleges

“The TEXAS Grant was the only reason my son could afford to attend UT Austin. But we almost missed the deadline because nobody explained how important FAFSA was.” — Houston Parent

✅ What to Do (and When)

✅ File FAFSA or TASFA first. Texas requires it for all aid, including the big state grants and most university programs.
📅 Don’t miss priority deadlines. Some schools run out of money fast — aim to file by January 15 if possible.
🎓 Know where they’re headed. The TEXAS Grant only applies at public 4-year colleges and must be used right after high school.
🏛️ Looking at private schools? The TEG grant can help cover the gap if your kid qualifies based on need.
📘 Starting at a 2-year college? The TEOG grant helps cover tuition at community and technical schools — but only if you act early.
🔁 Keep your aid year to year. Most Texas grants require full-time enrollment and academic progress to renew.

❓ Can’t File FAFSA? Here’s What to Know About TASFA

If your son or daughter can’t file the FAFSA — maybe because they’re undocumented or have DACA — they can still qualify for state aid in Texas using the TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid).

Form	Who It’s For	Covers	Federal Aid?	State Aid?
FAFSA	U.S. citizens Permanent residents	Federal, state, and school-based aid	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
TASFA	Undocumented or DACA students TX residents only	State and school-based aid (no federal)	❌ No	✅ Yes

TASFA isn’t submitted online. Each college has its own process — usually a downloadable PDF you turn in with supporting documents. Start early and check your college’s financial aid page for instructions.

📎 You can find the current TASFA form at CollegeForAllTexans.com.

Need help deciding which one your child should file? If your kid has a Social Security number and is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident — it’s FAFSA. Everyone else in Texas? Check TASFA.

🏫 Texas Universities

📘 Planning a 2-Year or Tech Path?

Texas supports students at public 2-year colleges through the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG). It covers up to $3,000/year and requires FAFSA (or TASFA), financial need, and at least 6 credit hours per term.

Some schools also offer Promise programs or local scholarships — check with your child’s target college for stackable aid.

🎖 One More Thing: If your kid’s thinking about ROTC, look into the Texas Armed Services Scholarship. It offers up to $10,000/year — but only if they’re nominated by a legislator and commit to military service after college.

Also — a lot of Texas universities cover full tuition for low-income families through their own guarantees:

UT Austin: Free tuition for families earning ≤ $65K (Texas Advance Commitment)
Texas A&M: Tuition covered for Pell-eligible families under $60K (Aggie Assurance)
Texas Tech: Red Raider Guarantee for incomes under $65K
University of Houston: Cougar Promise up to $65K

Most require early FAFSA and Texas residency — so check now, not later.

📦 Want Help Making Sense of All This?

We created the free College Ready Parent Starter Kit to help you organize deadlines, build a brag sheet, and avoid the biggest scholarship mistakes.

It’s built by parents (like you) who’ve actually done this — not a generic checklist you’ll forget by tomorrow.

📥 Get the Free Starter Kit

Created by CollegeReadyParent.org — You’re not just a parent. You’re the only map they’ve got.

Even if it feels like you’re behind, you’re not. You’re here now. That’s what matters most.