Grants

Grants are based on financial need and require completion of the FAFSA each year. These funds are considered gift aid and do not require repayment. Grant program eligibility is based on financial need, academic standing, and availability of funds, which can vary from year to year.

Institutional Grants

TLU Grant eligibility is based on need and requires completion of the FAFSA. Award amounts may vary and require Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for renewal.

Federal Grants

Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. You may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time. Award amounts can change yearly. The amount you get will depend on:

  • your Student Aid Index (based on your FAFSA form);
  • the cost of attendance (determined by your school for your specific program);
  • your status as a full-time or part-time student;
  • your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less, and
  • your remaining Pell eligibility under your Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) amount.

Please note that you can receive the Federal Pell Grant for no more than 12 terms of full-time enrollment or the equivalent (roughly six years). You’ll receive a notice if you’re getting close to your limit.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

FSEOG is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. The FSEOG program is administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school. Each participating school receives a certain amount of FSEOG funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid. Once the full amount of the school’s FSEOG funds has been awarded to students, no more FSEOG awards can be made for that year. This system works differently from the Federal Pell Grant Program, which provides funds to every eligible student. Each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds. TLU’s priority deadline is January 15 each year.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant

TEACH is different from other federal student grants because it requires you to agree to complete a teaching service obligation as a condition for receiving the grant, and if you don’t complete the service obligation, the TEACH Grant will be converted to a loan that you must repay, with interest.

To be eligible for a TEACH Grant, you must:

  • meet the basic eligibility criteria for the Federal Student Aid programs;
  • complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form;
  • be enrolled at a school that participates in the TEACH Grant Program;
  • be enrolled in a TEACH Grant-eligible program;
  • meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75th percentile on one or more portions of a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25). For specific information about the academic requirements, talk to the financial aid office at your college or career school;
  • receive TEACH Grant counseling that explains the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant service obligation. You must complete counseling each year that you receive a TEACH Grant, and
  • sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve or Repay.

A TEACH Grant-eligible program is a program of study that is designed to prepare you to teach in a high-need field and that leads to a bachelor’s or master’s degree or is a postbaccalaureate program. A two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree is considered a program that leads to a bachelor’s degree. A postbaccalaureate program is not TEACH Grant-eligible if it is offered by a school that also offers a bachelor’s degree in education.

Schools that participate in the TEACH Grant Program determine which of their programs are TEACH Grant-eligible. A program that is TEACH Grant-eligible at one school might not be TEACH Grant-eligible at another school. Additionally, even if a program meets the eligibility requirements to be a TEACH Grant-eligible program, it may not be designated as such by the school. Contact the financial aid office at the school you are attending (or that you plan to attend) to find out which programs at that school are eligible.

State Grants

Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) provides grant aid to students with financial need who are attending nonprofit private colleges and universities in Texas.

Funding is limited. Each year institutions try to award funds to as many eligible students as possible. However, all eligible students may not receive funding.

To be eligible for a TEG award, a student must:

  • be classified by the institution as a Texas resident;
  • be registered with Selective Service or be exempt;
  • have a Student Aid Index (SAI) below the annual maximum;
  • have financial need, as determined by the institution;
  • be enrolled in an eligible institution in Texas in a degree plan leading to a first associate, baccalaureate, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree (excluding degree plans that are intended to lead to religious ministry);
  • be enrolled at least 3/4 time;
  • be required to pay more tuition than is required at a comparable public institution;
  • not have previously earned a degree for which they are currently enrolled, and
  • not be a recipient of an athletic scholarship during any semester TEG is awarded.

To continue receiving a TEG award, an eligible student must:

  • meet all eligibility requirements, and
  • meet yearly academic program requirements. Check with your institution for details.