State Financial Aid In Texas TASFAA New Aid Officers Workshop May 12, 2015 Shebah Spears Program Specialist, Grants and Special Programs Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Topics  Role of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)  General overview of financial aid in Texas  General overview of the eligibility requirements for the state financial aid programs  Questions 2

Role of The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)  Created by the Texas Legislature in 1965  Purpose:  Provide leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system  Responsibilities:  Assess the state of higher education in Texas;  Develop recommendations to the Legislature, Governor, and institutions for its enhancement; and  Establish policies for the efficient and effective use of the state’s higher education resources. 3

Role of The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Continued  Provide customer service to students, families, and institutions  Provide training  Interpret legislation and develop rules  Allocate available funding and process funding requests  Process applications, collect student loan payments, and process benefits  Perform program reviews and audits  Collect and provide information requested by the Legislature 4

3 Type of State Programs Grant, Scholarship, Loan, and Work Programs as well as Exemption Programs Exempt tuition and/or fees for certain groups of eligible students and Waiver Programs Waive tuition rates for non-resident students 5

Federal vs. State – Eligibility Comparison  Eligible Student:  Federal – citizen or eligible non-citizen  State – resident of Texas  Shadowing of Federal Processes:  Federal Methodology (FM) Calculation o FAFSA – citizen or eligible non-citizen o TASFA – non citizen or ineligible non-citizen, but resident of Texas  Verification Guidelines/Requirements  Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Guidelines/Requirements 6

Sources of Aid in Texas 7 Federal$6,683,059,787 State$580,516,883 Institutional$1,199,739,412 Other$778,462,271 Total$9,241,778,353 (Source: FY13 Report on Student Financial Aid in Texas Higher Education)

State Financial Aid Priority Deadline – March 15  To prioritize the limited funding to eligible students and to provide consistency for Texas students at Texas institutions.  Though all institutions are encouraged to advertise and implement, implementation of the priority deadline is required at the General Academic Teaching Institutions or GATI’s (public universities, Lamar- Orange, and Lamar-Port Arthur).  Institutions have the flexibility to define what it means to meet the deadline – except for the Top 10 Percent Scholarship Program which is defined in rule. 8

Towards EXcellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS Grant )  Provide grants to academically-prepared needy students at public institutions  Public 2-year institutions can only make renewal year (RY) awards to eligible students with an initial year (IY) award at a 2 year prior to fall 2014  Student eligibility:  IY “basic” eligibility requirements  IY “priority model” eligibility requirements  RY or continuation eligibility requirements  Maximum award amounts determined annually 9

TEXAS Grant – IY Basic Eligibility  Basic Requirements:  Classified as a Texas resident by the institution  Registered with selective service, or exempt  No felony conviction or crime involving a controlled substance  Demonstration of financial need and Expected Family Cost (EFC) cap o 9-month EFC cap for 15/16 = $4,800  Enroll in at least 9 semester credit hours (SCH) as an undergraduate baccalaureate student who is in one of the four initial eligibility avenues 10

TEXAS Grant – IY Basic Eligibility 1.Incoming student who: Graduated from an accredited public or private high school in Texas after completing the Foundation, Recommended, or Distinguished Achievement high school program or the equivalent; and enrolls within 16 months from high school graduation having not accumulated more than 30 SCH’s (excluding credits for dual enrollment or by examination). 2.Incoming student who: Earned an associate’s degree from a public or private nonprofit institution of higher education in Texas, and enrolls within 12 months after receiving the associate’s degree. 3.Incoming student who: Graduated from an accredited public or private high school in Texas May 1, 2013 or later after completing the Foundation, Recommended, or Distinguished Achievement high school program or the equivalent; enlisted in military service within 12 months of high school graduation; and enrolls within 12 months of receiving an honorable discharge. 4.Incoming transfer student who: Transfers into a public university in Texas with at least 24 SCH’s and a 2.5 GPA; and received an initial year (IY) Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG) in Fall 2014 or later. 11

TEXAS Grant – IY Priority Model  Priority Model Requirements:  Meet the basic IY eligibility requirements  Meet the state priority deadline  Meet the requirements in at least 2 of the following 4 areas: 12 AREAREQUIREMENT(S) Advanced Academic Program 12 hours of college credit (dual credit or AP courses), complete the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), or complete the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). TSI ReadinessMeet the Texas Success Initiatives (TSI) assessment thresholds or qualify for an exemption. Class StandingGraduate in the top one/third of the HS graduating class or have a B average. Advanced MathComplete at least one math course beyond Algebra II as determined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

TEXAS Grant – RY Eligibility  Enroll in at least 9 SCH’s as:  an undergraduate student who previously received an IY award prior to fall 2014; or  an undergraduate student enrolled in a baccalaureate program who received an IY award fall 2014 or later.  Maintain:  classification as a resident of Texas  registration with Selective Service, or exemption  no felony conviction or crime involving a controlled substance  financial need (no EFC cap)  Meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements 13

Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)  Provide grants to needy students at public 2-year institutions  Student Eligibility:  Initial year (IY) eligibility requirements  Renewal year (RY) or continuation eligibility requirements  Maximum award amounts determined annually  Proration Required: o 12 or more SCH’s through census date – 100% of maximum award o 9 to 11 SCH’s through census date – 75% of maximum award o 6 to 8 SCH’s through census date – 50% of maximum award 14

TEOG – IY Eligibility  Classified as a Texas resident by the institution  Registered with Selective Service, or exempt  No felony conviction or crime involving a controlled substance  Demonstration of financial need  9-month EFC cap for 15/16 = $4,800  Enroll in at least 6 SCH’s as an entering undergraduate student having not accumulated more than 30 SCH’s this includes all hours earned that are being accepted by your institution (excluding credits for dual enrollment or by examination) 15

TEOG – RY Eligibility  Enroll in at least 6 SCH’s as:  An undergraduate student who previous received an IY TEOG award  Maintain:  classification as a resident of Texas  registration with Selective Service, or exemption  no felony conviction or crime involving a controlled substance  financial need (no EFC cap)  Meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements 16

Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG)  Provide grants to needy students at private/independent non-profit institutions  Student eligibility:  First award ( formerly known as “IY” ) eligibility requirements  Subsequent award ( formerly known as “RY” ) eligibility requirements  Maximum award amounts determined every 2 years 17

TEG – Eligibility  Classified as a Texas resident by the institution, or a National Merit Finalist with at least $1,000 in scholarships  Registered with Selective Service, or exempt  Not concurrently receiving an athletic scholarship  Demonstrate financial need  Required to pay more tuition than is required at a comparable public institution  Enroll in at least 9 SCH’s as an undergraduate or graduate student working on the first associate’s, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree that does not lead to ordination or licensure to preach  Meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements 18

Tuition Set-Aside Program – Texas Public Education Grant  Texas Public Educational Grant (TPEG)  Provide grants to needy students at public institutions  Funded through statutory tuition set-asides o Allocated at the institutional level  Eligibility requirements: o Financial need o Register with Selective Service or be exempt (not required of community colleges)  Awarded based on institution’s policies and procedures  Eligibility continuation: o Renewal awards occur at the institution’s discretion o No statutory end to student eligibility 19

Tuition Set-Aside Program - Designated  Institution designated Tuition Set-Aside Program – named by the institution  Provide need-based financial aid at public universities  Funded through designated tuition set-asides o Allocated at the institutional level  Eligibility requirements: o Financial need o Priority to students whose tuition/fee costs are not met through other non-loan programs  Awarded based on institution’s policies and procedures  Eligibility continuation: o Renewal awards occur at the institution’s discretion o No statutory end to student eligibility 20

Top 10 Percent Scholarship  Encourage outstanding high school graduates in the top 10 percent of their class to attend a public institution in Texas  Student eligibility:  Initial year (IY) eligibility requirements  Renewal year (RY) or continuation eligibility requirements  Award amounts determined annually 21

Top 10 – IY Eligibility  Classified as a Texas resident by the institution  Registration with Selective Service, or be exempt  Graduation from a public or private accredited high school in Texas in the top 10 percent of the HS graduating class  Completion of the Recommended or Distinguished (or the equivalent) curriculum  Submit the FAFSA in time to generate the CPS results in a non-rejected status by the state priority deadline (March 15), or the TASFA to the institution by the state priority deadline  Meet need component (COA – EFC – PELL > $0)  Enroll full-time (enrolled in at least 12 SCH’s) in the fall semester immediately following high school graduation and maintain full-time enrollment through the census date 22

Top 10 – RY Eligibility  Submit the FAFSA in time to generate the CPS results in a non-rejected status by the state priority deadline (March 15), or submit the TASFA by the state priority deadline  Meet need component (COA – EFC – PELL > $0)  Enroll full-time in the fall semester and maintain full-time enrollment through the census date of the semester  Meet SAP requirements  Maintain a cumulative 3.25 GPA, successfully complete at least 30 SCH’s in the previous year, and successfully complete of at least 75% of the SCH’s attempted in the previous year  End of Eligibility  4 years or completion of a Bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first 23

Texas College Work-Study (TCWS)  Provide eligible Texas students employment as a means to fund their education at public and private institutions  Eligibility requirements:  Enroll in at least 6 SCH’s  Texas resident as determined by the institution  Financial need  Registered with Selective Service (or exempt)  Not receiving an athletic scholarship  Not enrolled in a seminary or other religious program 24

Exemption/Waiver Programs Complete Listing: 25 Exemption ProgramsWaiver Programs Hazlewood Highest Ranking HS Grad Police Officers Firefighters Foster Care Dual Credit Etc. Competitive Scholarship Military Teaching/Research Assistants Good Neighbor Scholarship Border County Border States Etc.

Texas B-On-Time Loan (BOT)  Provide eligible Texas students no-interest loans with forgiveness provisions if specific graduation goals are met  Eligibility requirements:  Texas resident enrolled full-time and eligible for federal aid  Eligibility continuation:  End of 1 st year – institution’s SAP policy  Thereafter, overall GPA of 2.5 and 75% completion rate in the most recent year  Eligibility ends with completion of a baccalaureate degree or 150 attempted SCH’s while receiving the loan  Repayment benefits:  Loan forgiveness if graduation goals are met, or 0% interest if not eligible for forgiveness 26

College Access Loan Program (CAL)  Provide alternative loans to Texas students who are unable to meet the cost of attendance at public and private/non-profit institutions  Current interest rate of 5.25% fixed, proposed reduction to 4.5% for academic year  Eligibility requirements:  Texas resident enroll in at least 9 SCH’s  Receive a favorable credit evaluation or provide an eligible cosigner who receives a favorable credit evaluation  Meet the institution’s SAP policy 27

Contact Information Direct Contact Information: or x6332 General Contact Information: or General Website: G&SP Site: Distribution List: 28

QUESTIONS? 29