Start with the FAFSA or TASFA
Most Texas aid on this list is need-based, which means the state and colleges look at your family's financial aid form before anything else. U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens file the FAFSA; many students who can't file it use the TASFA, the Texas Application for State Financial Aid.
Texas sets a state priority deadline for these forms. Programs on this list give priority, or require, filing by that date. For the 2027–28 school year, that date is January 15, 2027, so put it on your calendar now.
The TEXAS Grant
The TEXAS Grant is the state's main grant for students with financial need who go to a Texas public university. For 2025–26 it paid up to $5,429 per semester, or $16,287 per year, at public universities. Amounts for 2026–27 are still pending.
To qualify, your child generally needs to be a Texas resident with financial need, graduate from an accredited Texas high school, and enroll at least three-quarter time in a bachelor's program at a Texas public university within 16 months of graduating. Priority goes to students who apply by the state priority deadline (January 15, 2027, for 2027–28) and meet the academic criteria. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's program guidelines have the full rules.
Free tuition at UT Austin and Texas A&M
Two flagship universities cover tuition for many Texas families with incomes up to $100,000. Eligibility is tied to admission and your family's financial aid form.
- Texas Advance Commitment at UT Austin covers tuition for Texas undergraduates whose family adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less. Families qualify through their admission and FAFSA or TASFA. Details are on the Texas Advance Commitment site.
- Aggie Assurance at Texas A&M covers tuition at the College Station campus for incoming Texas-resident undergraduates whose family income and assets are below $100,000 and who meet the state priority deadline. See Texas A&M's announcement.
Dallas College Promise
If your child attends a Dallas County Promise high school, the Dallas College Promise can cover tuition at Dallas College. Seniors need to show financial need on the FAFSA or TASFA and list Dallas College (school code 004453). Class of 2027 dates haven't been published yet, so watch the Promise for Seniors page.
Families of Texas veterans: Hazlewood Legacy
The Hazlewood Legacy Program lets an eligible veteran pass unused Hazlewood hours to a child. It waives tuition, dues and most required fees, but not books, housing or meals. The child must be 25 or younger on the first day of the term, be a Texas resident, and apply each term. The Texas Veterans Commission lists the veteran's requirements.
Local scholarships through one application
The Communities Foundation of Texas runs a universal application for dozens of separate funds. Each fund has its own rules, such as specific schools or counties, majors like STEM or the arts, employer connections, or children of first responders. The application reopens in January 2027, and each fund sets its own deadline. In 2026 they ran from mid-February to mid-May. Start at the CFT scholarship page.
What to do next
- This fall: file the FAFSA or TASFA as early as you can, and list every Texas college your child is considering.
- By January 15, 2027: submit the FAFSA or TASFA to meet the Texas priority deadline, and confirm each program's dates on its official site.
- January: open the Communities Foundation of Texas application and look for funds that match your child's school, county and interests.
- Keep going: browse every Texas scholarship we've verified and the national awards for seniors.