FAFSA
FAFSA The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Beginning with the class of 2022
As part of Texas House Bill 3, all 12th grade students graduating in the 2021-2022 school year are required to complete the FAFSA, TASFA or OPT-OUT Form in order to be eligible to graduate.
Read more about the Financial Aid Requirement.
To review the 2025-2026 FAFSA filing requirements, visit studentaid.gov or contact the financial aid office at the institution you plan to attend.
FAFSA Vocabulary
Loans
Unsubsidized: accrues interest while you are in school and during repayment
Subsidized: DO NOT accrue interest while you are in school and during repayment
Stafford: loans awarded in two forms (1) subsidized and (2) unsubsidized
Grants
Pell Grant: Federal grant by the Department of Education
SEOG: Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
Scholarships Institutional: School awarded scholarships based on academics, athletics, extracurricular, leadership, etc.
Miscellaneous: Scholarships sponsored by corporate companies, organizations, businesses, student’s high school
Filling out the FAFSA is so important! Distributed and processed by the U.S. Department of Education, the FAFSA collects the information required to determine need and eligibility for financial aid. It is needed in order to apply for virtually all Federal Title IV student aid programs, including Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and the campus-based programs. The FAFSA opens on October 1st of every year and must be completed for every year a student intends to enroll in a post-secondary program.
TASFA
Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA)
The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is a free application that collects information to help determine eligibility for state (or institutional) financial aid programs administered by institutions of higher education in the state of Texas.
Students classified as Texas residents who are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to complete the TASFA. To review the 2025-2026 TASFA filing requirements, visit the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board website or contact the financial aid office at the institution you plan to attend. The federal application covers federal and state financial aid opportunities. If you meet the FAFSA filing requirements, then you should submit a completed FAFSA. Do not complete both the FAFSA and TASFA.
Texas Veterans Hazlewood Act
Texas Veterans Hazlewood Act The Hazlewood Act is a state of Texas benefit that provides qualified veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas. This does not include living expenses, books, or supply fees.