Financial Aid Resources

Federal Pell Grant

Awards to eligible students are determined through the use of a payment schedule published annually by the U.S. Department of Education. Award amounts vary according to the:

• Educational costs at the institution (the cost of attendance);
• Student’s enrollment status;
• Annual appropriations and award maximums set by Congress; and
• Expected Family Contribution on the student’s Student Aid Report.

Pell grant funds are awarded once per semester, and Summer awards are made if the student’s annual eligibility has not been exhausted during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Year-Round Pell Grant

The objective of the Year-Round Pell Grant is to help accelerate students’ progress in a degree or certificate program. 

If students are Pell eligible and over the course of the Fall and Spring terms use 100% of their Pell funds, they are still eligible to receive additional Pell funds as long as they are enrolled for at least six or more hours in the Summer term.  A separate application will be required for Summer. Check with Student Financial Services for eligibility requirements.

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

Effective in Award Year 2010-2011, the Alamo Colleges will cease to participate in the Federal Stafford Loan Program. Instead, the Alamo Colleges will provide loan funds directly from the Federal Government under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.

Based on recent developments by Congress, effective July 1^st, 2010, colleges are required to move to the Direct Loan Program. All borrowers beginning Fall 2010 must apply for the Direct Loan Program.

To receive a Direct Loan, all students regardless of prior loan borrowing must complete the following two requirements available online:

• Complete a loan entrance counseling
• Complete a New Electronic Master Promissory Note (eMPN)

Submit a “Direct Loans Request Form” to your college Financial Aid Office.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

Eligible students may receive an Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) of up to $750 for the first (1) academic year of study and up to $1,300 for the second (2) academic year of study. To be eligible for each academic year, students must:

• Be a U.S. citizen, or permanent resident;
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient;
• Be enrolled full-time, 3/4 time, or 1/2 time in a degree program;
• Be enrolled in the first (1) or second (2) academic year of their program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution;
• Have completed the recommended or advanced high school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student);
• If a first-year student, not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program; and
• If a second-year student, have at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale for the first academic year.

Note that the amount of the ACG, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student’s Cost of Attendance. In addition, if the number of eligible students is large enough that payment of the full grant amount would exceed the program appropriation in any fiscal year, the amount of the grant to each eligible student may be ratably reduced.

To be eligible for the second (2) year ACG, students must:

• Be eligible for a Pell Grant;
• Enroll full-time, 3/4 time, or 1/2 time in the second (2) year of the program of study; 
• Have completed at least twenty-four (24) semester credit hours with at least a 3.0 GPA;
• Have completed 30 weeks of instructional time; and
• Must not have received an ACG at the same level in a prior year.

Eligibility for transfer students will be calculated based on hours accepted and using U.S. Department of Education guidance.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

This program provides grants from $200 to $1,000 to undergraduate students with a zero (0) Expected Family Contribution who are working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program. To receive SEOG funds students must be enrolled in at least six (6) hours.

Texas Public Educational Grant (TPEG)

Texas Public Educational Grants (TPEG) provide assistance to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need as determined by Student Financial Services. Awards range from $200 to $2,000. The amount of the award is based on need and availability of funds. Students must be undergraduates enrolled for at least six (6) semester credit hours who are Texas residents, non-resident students, or foreign students.

Towards EXcellence Access and Success Grant (TEXAS Grant)

The TEXAS Grant Program pays tuition for students who meet the following program criteria:

• Maintain current Texas residency status;
• Graduated from an accredited Texas high school no earlier than Fall 1998;
• Completed a recommended or advanced high school curriculum;
• Apply and qualify for financial aid;
• Meet the state’s financial aid criteria. The expected family contribution must be less than $4,000n and the student must demonstrate financial need;
• Enroll at least three-quarters time (nine [9] hours) in an Associate’s Degree or Certificate program;
• Enroll and receive the grant no later than the sixteenth (16) month after graduating from high school and before attempting more than thirty (30) college hours; and
• Not be convicted of a felony or crime involving a controlled substance.

Awards can be renewed based on criteria set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. In addition to the above requirements, students must meet the following renewal criteria:

• Not have earned an Associate or Baccalaureate Degree;
• Maintain a 75% course completion rate in the most recent academic year;
• Complete at least twenty-four (24) credit hours in the most recently completed academic year;
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher and;
• Receive a TEXAS Grant for no more than ninety (90) attempted semester credit hours.

Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)

The TEOG Program pays tuition for students who meet the following program criteria:

• Maintain current Texas residency status;
• Graduated from an accredited high school;
• Apply for financial aid, have less than $2,000 Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), and demonstrate financial aid;
• Enroll at least half-time;
• Be in the first thirty (30) attempted hours of a first certificate or degree plan program;
• Not have been convicted of a felony or crime involving a controlled substance; and
• Not be eligible for the TEXAS Grant Program.

Awards can be renewed based on criteria set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. In addition to the above requirements, students must meet the following renewal criteria:

• Not have earned an Associate or Baccalaureate Degree;
• Maintained a 75% course completion rate in the most recent academic year;
• Maintained a 2.5 GPA or better; and
• Received a TEOG for no more than seventy-five (75) attempted semester credit hours.

Top 10% Scholarship Program

Students who graduate in the top ten (10) percent of their high school class may qualify for a $2,000 scholarship. Students will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds have been spent. To be eligible for the first year, students must:

• Be Texas residents;
• Demonstrate financial need;
• Complete a 2010-2011 FAFSA by April 1, 20010;
• FAFSA must be processed and cannot be in a reject status;
• Complete the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement HS curriculum;
• Rank in the top ten (10) percent by the end of the fall semester of the senior year in high school;
• Graduate from an accredited high school in Texas; and
• Enroll full-time in a Texas public 2-year or 4-year college or university in fall 2010.

To qualify for renewal, provided funding is available, students must:

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

Educational Aides Exemption Program

The tuition exemption is available to Texas residents with financial need who worked as educational aides in a Texas public school district for at least one (1) out of the last five (5) years preceding the semester or session for which the exemption is received and who continue to be school employees serving in any capacity. Enrollment in courses leading to a teacher certification at a Texas public institution of higher education is required. Students should complete the FAFSA Form and/or provide a copy of the most current income tax information to show financial need. All students must be making satisfactory academic progress. In addition, males must certify compliance with the Selective Service Requirement. Applications for the exemption can be obtained from the SFS Office or from the student’s school district’s Human Resource Office.

Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program

Texas residents who complete grades 9-12 within forty-six (46) months at a public high school in Texas may qualify for tuition exemptions ranging from $500 to $2,000. High school counselors must send a letter certifying a student’s level of eligibility to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Coordinating Board is responsible for notifying the Alamo Colleges and students of awarded amounts.

Hazelwood Program for Texas Veterans

The Hazelwood Act (Texas Education Code 54.203) provides education benefits to honorably discharged or separated Texas veterans and their dependent children and spouses by exempting those veterans from the payment of tuition and certain fees at state colleges. New provisions, authorized in Texas Senate Bill 93, known as the “Hazelwood Legacy Act,” remove certain residency restrictions, extend eligibility to spouses, and permit eligible veterans to assign their unused hours to their child. 

Eligible veterans:

• Those who, at the time of entry into the U.S. Armed Forces:  

Are Texas residents,

Designated Texas as Home of Record, or

Entered into the service in Texas.

• Have served at least 181 days of active military duty, as indicated as “net active service” (the sum of 12(c) and 12(d) on the DD214),
• Have received an honorable discharge or separation or a general discharge under honorable conditions,
• Have no federal veteran’s education benefits, or have federal veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only; such as Chapter 33, for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazelwood benefits (Pell and SEOG Grants are not relevant),
• Are not in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas, and
• Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its costs), unless the college’s governing board has ruled to let veterans receive the benefit while taking non-funded courses.

If the conditions listed above are met, the applicant must submit the following to the SFS or Veterans Affairs Office:

• A letter from the DVA in Muskogee, Oklahoma, stating that the applicant has no further educational entitlement under the G.I. Bill; and
• A copy of the applicant’s DD214 (member copy #4) showing “Character of Discharge.”

The applicant may enroll in non-credit courses if these conditions are met. A copy of the application is available online at collegeforalltexans.com.

A person who received an exemption before the 2010-2011 academic year continues to be eligible for the exemption provided the person:

• Entered military service in Texas (regardless of whether the veteran was a U.S. citizen or legal resident at the time)
• Declared Texas as the person’s home of record, or
• Would have been determined to be a resident of Texas for purposes of provisions concerning tuition rates at the time the person entered the service.

Children of certain members of the U.S. armed forces – including stepchildren, adopted children, and persons claimed as dependents on a federal income tax return for the preceding or current year – who qualify for tuition and fee exemption must be residents under provisions relating to tuition rates on the date of their registration.

Beginning with tuition and fees for the 2009 Fall semester, an institution of higher education must refund to a student who becomes eligible for an exemption in that semester and who has paid the tuition and other fees for that semester the amount of the tuition and fees paid by the student in the amount of the exemption.

For veterans who are not Texans, Texas Senate Bill 297 expands in-state tuition and fees benefits to military veterans and their spouses and children without regard to the length of time they have resided in Texas, if the person files with the institution a letter of intent to establish residence in Texas and resides in Texas while enrolled in the institution and the person is:

• eligible for benefits under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or any other federal law authorizing educational benefits for veterans
• the spouse of a person who is eligible for such benefits, or
• a child, including a stepchild, of a person who is eligible for such benefits who is 25 years of age or younger on the first day of the semester or other academic term for which the person is registering (excepting a child or stepchild who suffered from a severe illness or other debilitating condition that affected the person’s ability to use the benefit before reaching the age of 25, as ruled upon by the THECB to be granted additional time to use the benefit).

For additional information see the College for All Texans web site. Select:

• Make a Plan
• For Military and Veterans
• Exemptions for Texas Veterans

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership/Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP/SLEAP)

LEAP/SLEAP provides assistance to an undergraduate student who demonstrates financial need as determined by the SFS Office. To be eligible for this grant a student must be enrolled for at least six (6) semester credit hours. Awards are made to Texas residents on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out.

Public Student Incentive Grants (PSIG) Program

Public student incentive grants provide assistance to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need as determined by the SFS Office. To be eligible, students must be Texas residents enrolled in at least six (6) semester credit hours.

The Alamo Colleges award many scholarships, based on the availability of institutional and private funds, to academically meritorious or needy students. Scholarships range from $300-$1500 per academic year (Sept-May) and $375-$750 when awarded by semester. All scholarships and other financial aid already awarded are taken into consideration when determining eligibility. Scholarship lists and applications are available online.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for need-based consideration;
• Enroll as a first time student in college or as a returning Alamo Colleges student with fewer than ninety-nine (99) cumulative college credit hours attempted. Students with Bachelors or Masters degrees will not be
• considered;
• Pursue an Associate Degree, Certificate, or transfer program at the Alamo Colleges;
• Enroll for six to twelve (6-12) credit hours, depending on individual scholarship criteria;
• Have and maintain a satisfactory GPA (2.00-4.00);
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). See Alamo Colleges’ SAP policies online and click on Policies;
• Not be in default on a student loan, or owe a refund to any college for state or federal funds;
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen; and
• Not be related to any of the Alamo Colleges Board members. More information regarding this limitation is available online.

Application Procedures:

Complete and submit to Student Financial Services (SFS) an Alamo Colleges Scholarship Application including the items listed below:

• Submit an official academic transcript from each college previously attended. (Copies of transcripts from other Alamo Colleges are not necessary.);
• Provide a one (1) page essay explaining your family background, personal interests, what you plan to study, and why you want to further your education;
• Entering freshmen must submit a high school transcript;
• Applicants applying for scholarship renewal must provide additional information as requested below; and
• Meet the application deadline of April 15 for the Fall semester and November 1 for the Spring semester.

Selection of Recipients:

Selections will be based on students’ overall academic progress, financial need, extracurricular activities, leadership skills, and participation in community activities.

Notice of Awards:

Once scholarship applications are reviewed, students are notified via email to log onto Banner at alamo.edu to review their status.

Renewal of Scholarships:

Scholarships may be renewed on an academic year or semester basis, contingent upon Satisfactory Academic Progress and availability of funds. Students must reapply for continuation of scholarships by the deadline for the next academic year (September-May) or semester. A separate sheet describing how the scholarship benefited the student and why it should be renewed must be attached.

Revocation of Award:

The Office of Student Financial Services reserves the right to cancel any scholarship at any time if the applicant fails to meet the standards of academic progress, scholarship requirements, or falsifies information reported.

Federal Stafford Loans Programs (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)

Stafford Loans are low-interest student loans certified by the Alamo Colleges and guaranteed by the federal government. These loans can be made through many banks or credit unions. The interest rate for unsubsidized loans is fixed at 6.8%, while the subsidized rates vary as follows:

For subsidized loans, the federal government pays the interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time. Unsubsidized loans, on the other hand, require students to make interest payments or to agree to capitalize the interest, which is deferred but becomes part of the principle. Dependent students may borrow up to $3,500 during their grade level one (1) year and up to $4,500 in grade level two (2) in addition to $2,000 of unsubsidized leans each year. Independent students can borrow up to the same level of subsidized amounts per grade level, and as additional $6,000 in unsubsidized loan per year. Because subsidized loans are based on financial need, the SFS Office establishes the amount students are eligible to borrow. Students must attend a counseling session concerning the loan, full repayment of which begins six (6) months after the student leaves school or drops below half-time status. 

These deadlines also apply to the PLUS Loan Program below.

Federal PLUS Loans Program

The PLUS Program allows parents to borrow up to the cost of education for each dependent enrolled in college at least half-time. PLUS loans can be made through most banks or credit unions at a variable interest rate not to exceed 8.5%. Repayment for parent borrowers begins sixty (60) days after disbursement of the entire loan amount. The PLUS loan amount, together with all other financial aid, may not total more than the student’s Cost of Attendance at one of the Alamo Colleges.

Consolidation Loan Program

Consolidation Loans may be arranged to combine loans made to a student under Title IV programs and the Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL) Program. These loans provide repayment periods appropriate for the total amount outstanding. For example, a student whose total loan debt exceeds $7,500 may be given a repayment period longer than ten (10) years. Repayment of a Consolidation Loan must begin within sixty (60) days after the selected loans have been consolidated. Students must contact their lenders to find out if they qualify for a Consolidation Loan.

Short-Term Loans

The Short-Term Loan is a zero (0) interest, institutional emergency loan for tuition that must be repaid in thirty (30) days. These loans are offered prior to the start of the Fall and Spring semesters only. Students work with the SFS Office to determine their eligibility and the amount of the loan. Students must show proof that they have applied for and will be eligible for a PELL grant. Funds are limited and a separate application is required.

Federal Work-Study Program

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program provides a job for undergraduate students enrolled at least half-time who demonstrate financial need to help pay for their educational expenses. The hourly pay rate is typically above current federal minimum wage. The amount of FWS awarded depends on a student’s financial need, availability of funding, and the amount of other aid the student receives. Students may not work more than nineteen (19) hours per week. FWS students are paid once (1) per month and may pick up their checks at the Bursar/Business Office.

Off-Campus Employment

Private, off-campus employment is administered by many local community or city agencies that hire Alamo Colleges’ students. The firms’ policies are not related to the Alamo Colleges. In addition to earning money while attending college, students have an opportunity to participate in the local work force and gain valuable work experience.