Toward EXcellence, Access

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Toward EXcellence, Access Success (TEXAS) Grant
Program

• 2003-2004

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Students who are Eligible (Initial Year Awards)

• For initial year awards, students must
• be Texas Residents
• graduate from H.S. in 1998-99 or later
• complete recommended or distinguished H.S.
  curriculum at a public high school or its
  equivalent at a private accredited H.S.
• enroll at least ¾ time
• show financial need
• receive 1st TX Grant within 16 months of H.S.
  graduation and
• have not been convicted of a felony or a crime
  involving a controlled substance.

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Selecting Initial Award Recipients

• Financial Aid Offices at colleges select
  recipients. To do so, they
• 1) rank students by need
• 2) move down the need ranking, identifying
  students who also meet the curriculum requirement
• Both conditions must be met for an award to be
  made.

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Maintaining Eligibility

• To continue receiving awards, students must
• meet program satisfactory academic progress
  requirements
• continue to be Texas residents
• continue to show need
• enroll ¾ time as an undergraduate, unless
  receiving waiver
• not be convicted of a crime involving a
  controlled substance
• not have a baccalaureate degree and
• cumulate lt6 yrs lt150 TX Grant hours.

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• Priorities in Making Awards
• Continuing Awards have priority over initial
  awards
• (Stress on Completion of Studies)
• Continuing students
• Transfer students
• Returning stop out students
• Students who regained eligibility after losing
  it
• With Initial Awards
• Priority is on the neediest

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A Students Award Equals

• The greater of actual tuition and fees or
  statewide average tuition fees.
• If actual tuition fees is less than the
  statewide average, the student gets excess to
  cover other education expenses.
• in-district tuition and fees at community
  colleges private college student awards are
  based on public university tuition and fees.

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Award Tenure for HS Students

• Award eligibility ends with the first of the
  following
• 6 years from semester of first TX Grant, or
• 150 hours (excluding hours received while in
  H.S., or through placement exams, or while not
  receiving TX Grants), or
• Receipt of a baccalaureate degree.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

• First year in college
• institutions financial aid SAP requirements
  including probation, etc.
• All other years
• program requirements
• Overall GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• 75 completion rate in last academic year.
• By end of 2nd year, student must be holding a
  cumulative GPA of 2.5 and must have had a 75
  completion rate if he/she is to get an award in
  the 3rd year.

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Associates Degree (AD) Recipients

• Students who receive ADs in May 2001 or later
  may receive TEXAS Grants even if they do not meet
  the H.S. requirements of initial award if they
• enroll in higher level undergraduate work within
  12 months of receiving AD
• are Texas Residents
• have need
• have no controlled substance convictions
• enroll at least ¾ time and
• do not have baccalaureate degree.

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Award Tenure for AD Students

• For students receiving 1st awards within 12
  months of completing an Associates Degree,
  eligibility ends with the first of the following
• - 4 years from semester of first award, or
• -90 hours, or
• - Receipt of a baccalaureate degree.

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Program Size

• 1999-2000
• 2000-2001
• 2001-2002
• 2002-2003

• 10,900 students
• 18,140 students
• 53,148 students
• 75,000 students (est.)

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If Parents, Students, Counselors have questions
To acquire basic financial aid
information 1-888-311-8881 or www.collegefort
exans.com/paying/finaidtypes.htm