Skip to Search Skip to Navigation Skip to Content
Financial Aid and Enrollment Services

for  New Students for  Graduate Students for  Military/Veterans for  Parents

Grants

Grants are awarded based on financial need as determined by the results of the FAFSA. 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. Priority for grants is given to students that meet the March 15th 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 or 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
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)
TEXAS Excellence Grant (TEXAS)
UTSA Grant
TEACH Grant
Stipends and Fellowships
Top 10% Scholarship

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. Amounts received will count towards life-time aggregate limit. The life-time aggregate limit for Pell grant eligibility is equal to 12 semesters of full-time enrollment.

Pell Grant Award Schedule
Aid Year
Award Amount
EFC Range
2012-2013
$555-$5550
0 - 4995
2013-2014
$582 - $5645
0 - 5081

Federal regulations state that students who are eligible to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and choose to extend their enrollment without graduating cannot continue to receive the Federal Pell Grant.  If you complete the requirements to earn a degree and continue to take undergraduate courses without accepting the degree (for a second major or minor or second degree), we will cancel your Pell Grant for any subsequent semesters as you are no longer eligible for that grant.

Back to Top

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 first priority is given to students who have been awarded the Federal Pell grant. The SEOG Grant is awarded until funds are exhausted.

Back to Top

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 until funds are exhausted.

Back to Top

TEXAS Excellence Grant (TEXAS)

The TEXAS grant is awarded to undergraduate students who 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 until funds are exhausted. TEXAS grant funds are awarded based on need, eligibility requirements and availability of funds.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) requires institutions to collect a statement confirming eligibility in regards to the controlled substance restrictions of the program from all TEXAS Grant recipients each academic year prior to the disbursement of funds.  Each student will be required to submit a TX Grant Controlled Substance Statement of Eligibility form to Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services prior to the first disbursement of each academic year.

Who can apply? Students who are initially awarded must:

  • Be Texas residents
  • Not have been convicted of a felony or crime involving a controlled substance, unless two years have passed since restitution to society has been paid.
  • Show financial need
  • Register for Selective Service or be exempt from this requirement
  • Must have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $4,000 or less
  • Achieve standards in any 2 of the 4 categories listed below:

      • Advanced Academic Programs
        • Earned 12 hours of college credit courses (e.g. dual credit, AP); or
        • Graduate under the Distinguished Achievement High School Plan or
        • Graduated under the International Baccalaureate High School Program
      • Advanced Math
        • Complete a math course beyond Algebra II
      • Class Standing
        • Rank in top 1/3 of high school class;
        • Attain a B average GPA (e.g. 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale)
      • College Readiness
        • Achieve college readiness threshold as determined by the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) (e.g. THEA, COMPASS, ASSET); or
        • Be TSI exempt (e.g. meet minimum score on SAT/ACT, TAKS)

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:

  • Not be a convicted of a felony or crime involving a controlled substance, unless two years have passed since restitution to society has been paid.

AND

  • At the end of the first year, the student entering the program must be meeting the school's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. At UTSA, the student must have an overall college grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale and complete at least 67 percent of all hours attempted to be meeting SAP.
  • 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 in high school. 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.

Procedures for Transfer Students

Transfer students who received the TEXAS Grant at their previous institution, must self-identify to our office that they are renewal students.

    1. Contact our office by walk-in, calling 210-458-8000 or emailing us at financialaid@utsa.edu.
    2. Self-identify that you are a transfer student that previously received the TEXAS Grant and tell us from which institution.
    3. Our office will then manually check to make sure you are able to renew the grant and are meeting the requirements set forth by the THECB.

Hardship Appeals

Should you fail to meet the requirements for renewal, you may submit an appeal to review your eligibility based upon extenuating circumstances. The request must be submitted in writing, must detail the reason behind request and provide any supporting documentation. Reasons that may be considered include: 

  • A severe illness or other debilitating condition that affected academic performance;
  • An indication that you are responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that your provision of care affected your academic performance; or
  • Other extraordinary circumstances that may have impacted your ability to meet renewal requirements (i.e. professional internship). 
  • Students who are graduating at the end of the semester and are going less than 9 hours.

Back to Top

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 until funds are exhausted.

Back to Top

TEACH Grant

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 created the TEACH Grant program to allow eligible students, who plan to teach, to be awarded up to $4,000 per year (pro-rated to $3,000 for ¾-time students, $2,000 for ½-time students, and $1,000 for less-than-half-time students) in grants. The total maximum allowed for a baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate certification program is $16,000. Graduate students are eligible for up to $4,000 per year with an $8,000 maximum limit. For further information please view the TEACH Grant Fact Sheet.

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
  • Be enrolled as an undergraduate with Junior or Senior standing, post-baccalaureate, or graduate student in a post-secondary educational institution that has chosen to participate in the TEACH Grant Program.
  • Be enrolled in course work that is necessary to begin a career in teaching.
  • Sign the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve for each award period with the U.S. Department of Education.

Teaching Service Obligation

Students will be required to teach in a Title I school and a high need field for four out of the eight years immediately following the completion of study or otherwise ceasing enrollment. No partial credit will be earned for serving part, but not all, of the required four years. Four years of service will be required regardless of how many years the grant is received.

High-Need Fields and Schools recognized for TEACH Grant are:

  • Bilingual Education and English Language Acquisition
  •  Foreign Language
  •  Mathematics
  •  Reading Specialists
  •  Science
  •  Special Education
  •  Other teacher shortage areas identified at the time you begin teaching
  • Designated Low Income schools recognized for the TEACH Grant are provided at www.tcli.ed.gov (click on the SEARCH button).

IMPORTANT!
If you do not fulfill the required teaching service obligation, your TEACH Grant(s) will be converted into a Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans that must be repaid with interest accrued from the original award date. Once a TEACH Grant has been converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loan it cannot be changed back into a grant.

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

Top 10% Scholarship

The Top 10% Scholarship is awarded to students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class.  Qualifying students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) by March 15, 2013 and have financial need may be eligible to receive up to $1,500 if they enroll full time in a Texas public college or university during the Fall 2013 semester.  Students who submit their FAFSA after March 15 will be awarded until available funds have been spent.  Funds will only be available until August 31, 2013.

Who can apply?  Students who are initially awarded must:

  • Be a Texas Resident
  • Show financial need
  • Complete a FAFSA or TASFA (if applicable) and file by March 15.  The FAFSA or TASFA must be processed and cannot be in a REJECT status; a 2013-2014 Student Aid Report (SAR) for the student must be on file at the college or university by March 15.
  • Complete Recommended or Distinguished Achievement HS curriculum
  • Rank in the top 10 percent
  • Graduate from an accredited high school in Texas
  • Enroll full time in a Texas public college or university during Fall 2013

Renewal Requirements (contingent upon available funding)

  • Complete 30 semester credit hours (SCH) in the previous year
  • Maintain a cumulative 3.25 GPA
  • Complete at least 75% of hours attempted