Grants

The Federal Pell Grant is available to undergraduate students who have not received a baccalaureate degree and have demonstrated financial need as determined by the FAFSA. The Federal Pell Grant provides a foundation of financial assistance to which assistance from other sources may be added.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Leveraging Education Assistance Partnership Program (LEAPP) and the Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) are available to students, provided the results of their financial aid application show evidence of financial need and funds are available. These funds are awarded on a first come, first served basis. The Towards EXcellence, Access and Success (TEXAS) grant is available to Texas residents having financial need according to the FAFSA and have completed the recommended or distinguished curriculum from an accredited public or private high school.

Student Part-Time Employment

The Student Employment Office in the Department of Student Financial Aid coordinates student part-time employment, both off and on campus. Students may visit the Employment Resource Center in the Pavilion, Room 219, to access the online job database or may access it 24 hours a day on the Internet at JobsforAggies.tamu.edu. College Work-Study, assistantships and regular part-time positions are posted. Students secure their employment through job leads provided by the Department of Student Financial Aid or through their own initiative. Employment counseling is available to those students who have not had previous job seeking experience.

On-campus student employees are paid minimum wage or higher and are paid bi-weekly along with regular University employees. Student employees are not entitled to fringe benefits.

The Federal/State Work-Study Program

Both federal and state programs provide part-time employment for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, within fund limitations, who have an established financial need and desire campus employment.

To qualify for the Federal/State Work-Study Programs, a student must have submitted a FAFSA to the Federal Central Processor, have financial need, be enrolled or accepted for enrollment and be making satisfactory academic progress if enrolled. Students who attend the University only during the summer session are not eligible for this program.

The Community Service Learning Program allows students who qualify for the Federal Work-Study Program to work part-time with various local non-profit, governmental and community-based organizations. This program is designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals or to solve particular problems related to their needs.

The No Child Left Behind initiative is based on the philosophy that children are our nation's greatest asset. It calls all Americans to support teachers and help ensure that every child can read well by the end of the third grade. Eligible and dedicated college students are called to serve as tutors, mentors and role models.

Federal/State Work/Study students are paid minimum wage or higher per hour, work an average of 20 hours per week and do not receive fringe benefits. For more information on Federal/State Work/Study, the Community Service Learning Program or No Child Left Behind, visit the Student Employment Office.

Loan Programs

The Federal Stafford Loan Program and Federal Perkins Loan Program are available to students who have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students will be notified of their eligibility for the Stafford Loan program(s) and the Perkins Loan program through an Offer Letter. Applications and/or promissory notes will be furnished with the Offer Letter if applicable.

Students and parents seeking the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), may obtain information from the Financial Aid website (financialaid.tamu.edu).

Short term loans are available to provide assistance to students who experience temporary financial difficulties with educationally related expenses. Funding for this program is provided in part by The Association of Former Students and the Class of 1926 and other sources. This program is not meant to provide long-term assistance or to replace other assistance available through the Department of Student Financial Aid. Students must be degree-seeking, enrolled full-time and making satisfactory academic progress to be eligible for short term loans. The Emergency Tuition and Required Fees loan program is available to help students pay their Texas A&M University tuition and required fees. The loan is applied directly to the student's tuition and fee account.

Please refer to our website at financialaid.tamu.edu for detailed information on all of the mentioned programs and more.

Completed scholarship applications for four-year awards must be received no later than January 9, 2004; awards are announced at the beginning of March. Scholarships are reserved for U.S. citizens, permanent residents and students who graduate from accredited U.S. high schools. Out-of-state recipients of scholarships valued at $1,000 or more per year qualify for a waiver of non-resident tuition.

College/Departmental Level Scholarships

A number of colleges and departments at the University award scholarships on a merit basis to incoming freshmen interested in particular major fields of study. The sizes of the awards vary, and the term of scholarships range from one to four years. Selection criteria are determined by each awarding college and department. Students may enter college or departmental scholarship competitions in their proposed field of study. Completed scholarship applications must be received no later than January 9 during a high school student's senior year; awards are announced at the beginning of March. Scholarships are reserved for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Valedictorians

Valedictorians from Texas high schools accredited by the Texas Education Agency are entitled to a tuition exemption during their freshman year at Texas A&M. To receive this award, the student must be certified as valedictorian and Texas A&M must be the first college or university of full-time enrollment. No formal application is required. Qualified students must present their official valedictorian declaration to the Department of Student Financial Aid at Texas A&M during the new student conferences or at the beginning of the fall semester.

The Opportunity Awards Program

This program provides awards to high school graduates exhibiting outstanding academic achievement in high school and/or needing financial assistance to attend the University. The scholarships are made possible through endowments created by the generosity of friends and former students of Texas A&M University. Financial benefits range from $500 to $2,500 and vary in length from 1-4 years. Some of the awards are restricted as to course of study or degree objective.

High school graduates who have not attended another college or university are eligible to apply for an Opportunity Award scholarship prior to the fall semester of entrance.

To be considered for such an award, an applicant must have been admitted to the University.

Recipients are selected by the University Scholarship Committee on the basis of the applicant's academic record in high school, test scores, activities, leadership and, if applicable, financial need. Applications are available on the web at financialaid.tamu.edu/OAintro.cfm with a deadline to apply of December 18, 2003. Address requests for additional information to:

Academic Excellence Program

Academic Excellence Awards ranging in value from $500 to $1,500 are available to undergraduate, graduate and professional students currently enrolled in the University. Some of these awards are limited to certain fields of study and to individuals who have attained a necessary academic classification, while others are unrestricted. Applications for the Academic Excellence Awards are available during December on the web at financialaid.tamu.edu/aeintro.cfm. Deadline for submitting applications is March 1.

Two-Year College Scholarship (Transfer Students)

Transfer students who are entering Texas A&M University for their junior year are eligible to apply for the Junior College Scholarship provided they have graduated or completed at least 60 credit hours from an accredited junior or community college. Applications must be submitted prior to June 30 and are available on the web at financialaid.tamu.edu/jcintro.cfm.

Scholarship Recipients and Non-Resident Tuition Waivers

A student who holds a competitive scholarship of at least $1,000 for the academic year or summer for which the student is enrolled and who is either a nonresident or a citizen of a country other than the United States of America is entitled to pay the fees and charges required of Texas residents without regard to the length of time the student has resided in Texas. This scholarship must be awarded by a scholarship committee officially recognized by the Texas A&M University Administration.

Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program

This program is subject to state funding from the State Legislature and may not be available. Texas residents who attended public high school only in Texas and completed grades 9-12 in no more than 36 consecutive months are eligible for a $1,000 tuition scholarship. The high school counselor must send a letter to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board certifying the student's eligibility. A letter is sent to the Department of Student Financial Aid confirming the student is eligible for the graduation scholarship.

Miscellaneous Scholarship Information

Fellowships and scholarships for graduate students are handled by the Office of Graduate Studies, the individual colleges and the major departments. All students should contact their college and major department for information. Most major libraries own scholarship information books. Additionally, the Department of Student Financial Aid has twelve scholarship search computers which are located on the second floor of the Pavilion. The computer system enables the student to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to estimate financial need, research the different types of financial aid available at over 2,800 institutions across the United States, and locate scholarships by cross-referencing personal profile data with scholarship sources in the database.