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Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services


Grants

Grants are awarded based on financial need determined by the results of the FAFSA form. Grants are gift funds that do not require repayment. A student’s financial aid award will include grant funds whenever guidelines and funding levels permit. Funding is limited in some programs so students must apply early to receive most federal and state grant funds. Priority for grants is given to students that meet the March 31st. priority deadline.

Grant funds are initially awarded based on full-time status during the fall and spring semesters. If a student’s enrollment changes to three-quarter time and half-time status, grant funds will be reduced. Graduate students are not eligible for federal grants but may be eligible for state grants if they demonstrate need and meet specific requirements.

 

Click on the links below for specific Grant information:

Federal PELL Grant

PELL grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Eligibility for the PELL grant is determined by the Department of Education based on results of the FAFSA. Students do not have to be registered full-time to receive the PELL grant. The amount of PELL grant will be determined by the maximum set by the Department of Education, your Expected Family Contribution (EFC Number) and your enrollment status.

The maximum Pell Grant award for the 2008-2009-award year (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009) is $4,731. The amount you get, however, will depend not only on your financial need, but also on your costs to attend school, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

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Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

This federal grant is awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. It is awarded to students with exceptional financial need and is awarded first priority to students receiving the PELL grant. The SEOG Grant is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted.

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Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)

The Texas Public Education grant is awarded to undergraduate and graduate students based on need and availability of funds. A limited amount of funds is available to non-residents of Texas as well as foreign students (additional application required). This grant is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted.

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TEXAS Excellence Grant (TEXAS)

The TEXAS grant is awarded to undergraduate students that have demonstrated financial need and have completed the recommended or advanced curriculum in high school. Students must be enrolled at least three-quarter time to receive this grant. The TEXAS grant and supplemental financial aid must cover tuition and fees for students who meet the eligibility requirements if funds are available. This grant is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted. TEXAS grant funds are awarded based on need, eligibility requirements and availability of funds.

 

Who can apply? Students who are initially awarded must:

  • Be Texas residents
  • Have not been convicted of a felony or crime involving a controlled substance
  • Show financial need
  • Register for the Selective Service or are exempt from this requirement
  • AND
    • Be a graduate of an accredited high school in Texas not earlier than the 1998-99 school year
    • Complete the Recommended High School Program or Distinguished Achievement Program in high school
    • Enroll in a non-profit public college or university in Texas within 16 months of graduation from a public or accredited private high school in Texas and
    • Have accumulated no more than 30 semester credit hours, excluding those earned for dual or concurrent courses or awarded for credit by examination (AP, IB or CLEP).
  • OR
    • Have earned an associate degree from a public technical, state or community college in Texas and
    • Enroll in any public university in Texas no more than 12 months after receiving their associate's degree.

Students entering the program from high school who continue in college and who meet program academic standards can receive awards for up to 150 semester credit hours, until they receive a bachelor's degree, or for five years if enrolled in a 4-year degree plan or six years if enrolled in a 5-year degree plan, whichever comes first.


The academic requirements for continuing in the program for
awards made on or after September 1, 2005:

  • At the end of the first year, the student entering the program from high school must be meeting the school's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
  • At the end of his/her first year in the TEXAS Grant program, the person entering the program on the basis of an associate's degree must have completed at least 75 percent of the hours attempted, have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have completed at least 24 semester credit hours during the year.
  • At the end of the second year in the program or later years, all students must complete at least 75 percent of the hours attempted in the prior academic year, have an overall college grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and complete at least 24 semester credit hours per year.

How can you apply?


You apply for the TEXAS Grant when you complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or other application as required by your college's financial aid office. Funding is limited, so you need to submit your application as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. The financial aid office at each college and university will determine if TEXAS Grant is part of the aid package that is offered to you.

Award tenure:

Students will be eligible to receive TEXAS Grant awards for up to 5 years if enrolled in a degree program of 4 years or less; for up to 6 years if enrolled in a degree program of more than 4 years. At present, only two degree plans have been recognized as being “of more than 4 years” – architecture and engineering.

 

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UTSA Grant (Need-Based)

Additional need-based grants have been made available through Tuition Deregulation. UTSA Grants are awarded to undergraduate and graduate students based on need and availability of funds. This fund is awarded during the regular awarding cycle and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted. Students will be awarded based on their FAFSA application date.

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UTSA Non-Need Based Grant

Additional non-need based grants have been made available through Tuition Deregulation for undergraduate and graduate students that do not have need according to their FAFSA results. This fund is available to those students that have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) higher than the cost of attendance. This fund is awarded during the regular awarding cycle and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted. Students are awarded based on their FAFSA application date.

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LEAP and SLEAP Grants

The LEAP and SLEAP grants are available from state and federal sources for undergraduate students who have financial need. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted.

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Stipends and Fellowships

The policy of the UTSA Office of Student Financial Aid is to award students receiving stipends and fellowships the maximum amount based on regulations. Undergraduate students receiving stipend amounts and scholarships that are eligible for PELL will be awarded the maximum PELL grant plus scholarship/stipend funds not to exceed the normal cost of attendance specified by the OSFA (PELL grant will be stacked on top of stipend/scholarship amount). All other federal and/or state aid in combination with the stipend/scholarship cannot exceed the total cost of attendance.

Graduate students receiving stipends/fellowship/scholarships can receive other federal and state aid in combination with the stipend/fellowship/scholarship provided the total amount awarded in federal/state and stipend/fellowship/scholarship does not exceed the designated cost of attendance.

The only fund awarded in combination with a stipend/fellowship scholarship that will be allowed to exceed the cost of attendance is the PELL grant. All other federal and state aid in combination with stipend/fellowship/scholarship may not exceed the normal cost of attendance as specified by the OSFA.

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Academic Competitive Grant (ACG)

For AC Grants, students:

  • Must apply for financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have been determined to be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. Students who have not yet submitted a FAFSA must do so online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
  • Students must be a U.S. citizen
  • Must be enrolled in a two or four-year degree program; and
  • Must enrolled full time.

In addition:

  • Students must be in their first or second academic year of a two or four-year degree program;
  • First- year students must have completed high school on or after January 1, 2006
  • Second- year students must have completed high school on or after January 1, 2005;
  • All AC Grant students must have completed a rigorous high school program of study as designated by their state; and
  • For a second- year AC Grant, students must have a GPA from their first year of at least 3.0.

A student is eligible for an AC Grant if:

  • The student completed one of his or her state's designated secondary school programs of study
  • The student has taken and passed the test for at least two Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses; or
  • The student has completed a high school course of study with at least;
    • 4 years of high school English
    • 3 years of high school math, including Algebra I and another higher level math course;
    • 3 years of high school science, which must include 2 years of biology, chemistry, or physics;
    • 3 years of high school social studies; and
    • 1 year of high school foreign language

Starting on July 1, first and second- year students who have already completed their FAFSA and who may be eligible for an AC Grant will receive an email or regular mailing from the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Office (FSA). Applicants will be provided with a link to a secure web site where they can learn more about the AC Grant program and provide additional information to determine eligibility.

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National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART)

For National SMART Grants, students:

  • Must apply for financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have been determined to be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. Students who have not yet submitted a FAFSA may do so online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen;
  • Must be enrolled in a four-year degree program; and
  • Must be enrolled full time.
  • Must be enrolled in at least one course that meets the specific requirements of the student's National SMART Grant-eligible major. It is not necessary that the course be offered by the academic department that confers the degree in the eligible major. For example, a student majoring in biology is eligible to receive a National SMART Grant during a semester in which he or she is enrolled in a physics course if the physics course is required for the major even if the student is not enrolled in any biology courses.
  • A student who is taking general education courses or electives that satisfy general degree requirements for the student's National SMART Grant-eligible program, but who is not taking at least one course specific to and required for the National SMART Grant-eligible major, is not eligible for a National SMART Grant payment for that payment period. If the student were enrolled only in courses that satisfy the general education requirements of the National SMART Grant-eligible program, but not in any courses that are specific to the major, he or she would not be eligible for a National SMART Grant payment for the semester.

In addition:

  • Students must be in their 3rd or 4th academic year of a four-year degree program;
  • Students must be pursuing a major in mathematics, science (including physical life, and computer sciences), technology, engineering, or a critical foreign language, such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Russian; and
  • Students must have a GPA of at least 3.0.

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Designed & maintained by Financial Aid and Enrollment Services—Last update: May 13, 2008