Scholarships for Texas Students
Christen Arafeh 
Scholarships from outside companies as well as university specific for Texas residents.
College Scholarships for Texas Students
If you’re living in Texas and you want to study at a university in your home state you have many options to choose from. If your ambition and desire are reflected in your accomplishments, you may be eligible for a scholarship that can reduce tuition costs and future debts. According to QS World University Rankings, the University of Texas at Austin and Rice University are in the top 100 best universities in the world. The Lone Star State is home to many other reputable higher education institutions, such as Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Dallas or the University of Houston, to name only a few. Check out our list and start the process of winning a scholarship today!
Private Scholarships
Organizations and companies large and small offer scholarships for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is to honor a loved one, sometimes it is for brand recognition, sometimes it is simply for a tax write. They often vary from $100 to full rides. Be sure you aren't overlooking the smaller scholarships!
School-Specific Scholarships
Universities offer scholarships for academics, athletics, or for specific majors or programs of interest. Sometimes scholarships are considered with your initial college application, sometimes there is a different application completely, sometimes there may be multiple applications for different scholarships. Do not forget to check at each school you plan to apply to .
Note: They often have early fall deadlines.
State & Federal Aid
Don't forget to fill out the FAFSA and check with your guidance counselor that you are on track to graduate with all the proper requirements to be considered for state and federal aid. This can be snowballed with additional scholarships.
Scholarships from Outside Sources
- Eligibility: All Texas high school seniors planning to attend college
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: March 15
- Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors and currently enrolled college students in the Texas Panhandle region
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: Second Friday of every February
- Eligibility: Texas residents with financial need (SGI=between $0–125,000) who are first time students pursuing their first bachelors degree
- Amount: Up to full tuition
- Deadline: Second Friday of every FebruaryDue at deadlines for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or the TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid)
- Eligibility: Texas residents with financial need (SGI=between $0–125,000) who are first time students pursuing their first bachelors degree
- Amount: Up to full tuition
- Deadline: Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA)
- Eligibility: The need-based Urban Scholarship Fund is for graduating high school seniors, new and/or returning college students attending two or four-year college/university or technical schools who are Texas residents
- Amount: Up to full tuition
- Deadline: July 10
- Eligibility: The need-based Urban Scholarship Fund is for graduating high school seniors, new and/or returning college students attending two or four-year college/university or technical schools who are Texas residents
- Amount: Up to full tuition
- Deadline: June 1
- Eligibility: Each year, the Committee on Professional Education will accept applications for the Burl Cockrell Memorial Scholarship Award from members or member's immediate family who are enrolled in accredited college or university with major course work in environmental or public health. Criteria have been established by the Committee on Professional Education and approved by the Governing Council.
- Amount: two scholarships for $1,500 apiece
- Deadline: June 1
- Eligibility: Each Spring, the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation awards seventy (70) scholarships to Houston area high school seniors for undergraduate study. The award is $20,000., disbursed over four years (or until the student graduates, if earlier), provided the recipient conforms to the requirements set forth in the award. The recipient may select any major at any four year college or university in the United States. Scholarship applications may be submitted during the student’s senior year in high school. Students may complete our scholarship forms online (see link below) after September 15th of their senior year. Do not submit an application before you take the SAT or ACT. To be eligible for the scholarship, you must have a minimum SAT composite score of 1000 (on the Math and Reading/Writing portions combined), and/or an ACT composite score of 21. All SAT and/or ACT scores must be from the same test date.
- Amount: a grand total of $16,000 dispersed over four years of undergraduate studies
- Deadline: February 21
Scholarships at top Texas colleges
With 92 four-year colleges and universities, Texas offers something for everyone. While the majority of the colleges and universities are located in larger metropolitan areas such as Austen, Dallas, or Houston, you wont have trouble finding colleges and universities throughout the state of Texas.
- Eligibility: All admitted freshman applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships so that no separate application forms or interviews are necessary
- Amount: Up to full cost of attending
- Deadline: January 1 for Regular Decision
- Eligibility: High academic achieving high school seniors with a record of school/community engagement
- Amount: Four years of full tuition, general student fees, on-campus residence hall, meal plan, tuition/transportation for a summer, term, or full year abroad to one of SMU’s Study Abroad international programs
- Deadline: Applicants are encouraged to submit their completed applications by the November 1 deadline, but must complete and return the Application for Admission by January 15 (the deadline for priority consideration for most SMU merit scholarships)
- Eligibility: Applicants grades, leadership, community service, special talents, first generation college status, and academic achievement under difficult circumstances are all considered
- Amount: Four years of full tuition, general student fees, on-campus residence hall, meal plan, tuition/transportation for a summer, term, or full year abroad to one of SMU’s Study Abroad international programs
- Deadline: December 1
- Eligibility: Applicants grades, leadership, community service, special talents, first generation college status, and academic achievement under difficult circumstances are all considered
- Amount: $12,000 per year to full tuition
- Deadline: February 1, but if If you are a candidate for the full tuition Chancellor’s Scholarship, it is highly recommended that you apply by November 1
- Eligibility: Scholarships are awarded for high academic achievement and are automatically considered when they apply for admission
- Amount: Annual award amounts pay one-half toward fall and one-half toward spring terms. If you are a non-resident awarded a Presidential Scholarship, you will also qualify to pay in-state tuition
- Deadline: December 1
- Eligibility: Awards are based on a combination of the applicant’s GPA and SAT/ACT superscore results. For applicants without test scores, merit scholarship awards are based on GPA and a holistic review process incorporating other achievements
- Amount: $12,000 per year to full tuition
- Deadline: February 1
- Eligibility: All applicants who apply for admission and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid are considered. There is no separate scholarship application
- Amount: $5,000 per year to full cost of attending
- Deadline: December 1
- Eligibility: First-time freshman applicants admitted to UT Dallas for the fall semester immediately following high school graduation. Selection is based on curriculum rigor, grades, SATs, and if applicable, class rank
- Amount: All AES awards provide funds to defray some of the costs of UT Dallas tuition and mandatory fees. For out-of-state students, any AES award also qualifies the student for in-state tuition and fee rates
- Deadline: The priority deadline for scholarship consideration is December 1
- Eligibility: The applicant’s completed admissions application allows you to be automatically considered for the Academic Excellence Scholarship. Awards are based on standardized test scores, high school class rank and high school GPA. Non-residents qualify for tuition waivers as well
- Amount: $6,000 per year
- Deadline: November 15
- Eligibility: All Texas high school seniors planning to attend college
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: Applicants who submit an application file after February 1 are considered for academic scholarships based on available funding
Resources for Students in Texas
Serious about attending school in Texas and prefer one stop shopping? It doesn’t get any more streamlined than Apply Texas. This platform, created by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the colleges and universities represented on the site, offers a centralized application means. It is open to both Texas and non-Texas students to apply to the many outstanding postsecondary institutions available in Texas.
This website lists the State and Federal Grants and Scholarship programs available to students at Texas colleges and universities. In addition, it is a great general resource and guide for all students, families, and adult/military learners.
Categories: state scholarships
About the Author
Christen is the founder of Hive Education. She is passionate about helping families navigate the college application and admissions processes. She helps students set goals to work towards their own debt-free degrees with her personalized scholarship searches, scholarship courses, and by sharing her scholarship strategies that won her over $900,000 in for her own college education. With four years of experience in higher education, two years working with teens in inner city high schools in New Orleans, and starting her first college consulting company during a pandemic in 2020 she strives to make college accessible for everyone, especially for first generation, low income, and minority students. In her spare time she loves to share her love for books with her daughters. You can find her on Facebook.
Christen is the founder of Hive Education. She is passionate about helping families navigate the college application and admissions processes. She helps students set goals to work towards their own debt-free degrees with her personalized scholarship searches, scholarship courses, and by sharing her scholarship strategies that won her over $900,000 in for her own college education. With four years of experience in higher education, two years working with teens in inner city high schools in New Orleans, and starting her first college consulting company during a pandemic in 2020 she strives to make college accessible for everyone, especially for first generation, low income, and minority students. In her spare time she loves to share her love for books with her daughters. You can find her on Facebook.
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