Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP)

The purpose of the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program is to encourage students to become members of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the United States Coast Guard, or the United States Merchant Marine, or to become commissioned officers in any branch of the armed services of the United States. Each year the governor and the lieutenant governor may each appoint two students, and each state senator and each state representative may appoint one student to receive an initial conditional scholarship award.

Who Can Be Appointed?

Selected students must meet two of the following four academic criteria:

• Is on track to graduate or graduated high school with the Distinguished Level of Achievement Plan or the International Baccalaureate Program
• A high school GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Achieved a college readiness score on the SAT (1070) or ACT (23)
• Ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class

Selected non-freshman students must also meet the Continued Eligibility Requirements outlined below.

The Coordinating Board requests that TASSP nomination submissions take place no later than July 31, 2018 to provide students sufficient time to complete the application process.

Initial Eligibility

Students must

• be appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, state senator or state representative;
• enroll in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) or another undergraduate officer commissioning program while enrolled in the institution, as certified by the institution;
• complete school initiated TASSP application by Oct. 15, 2018;
• agree to
• complete four years of ROTC training or the equivalent of four years of ROTC training if the institution awards ROTC credit for prior service in any branch of the U.S. Armed Services or the Texas Armed National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine, or another undergraduate officer commissioning program;
• graduate no later than six years after the date first enrolled;
• after graduation, enter into
• a four year commitment to be a member of the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine; or
• contract to serve as a commissioned officer in any branch of the armed services of the United States;
• repay the scholarship if the requirements are not met;
• meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements set by the institution.

Continued Eligibility Requirements

To maintain eligibility for future awards, the student must

• maintain satisfactory academic progress;
• continue to be a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC);
• not have earned a baccalaureate degree or completed a cumulative total 150 hours.

How Much Can Be Awarded?

The amount of the award will be the lesser of

• $4,000; or
• an amount not to exceed the student’s cost of attendance less the total amount to be paid to a student for that academic year for being under contract with one of the branches of the armed services of the United States and other financial assistance.

A student may receive a scholarship for four of the six years allowed for graduation.

Repayment

A scholarship will become a loan if the student fails to

• maintain satisfactory academic progress;
• fulfill any of the terms of the scholarship;
• fulfill a four-year commitment to be a member of the Texas Army National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine; or
• contract to serve as a commissioned officer in any branch of the armed services of the United States.

How Can I Apply?

1. You will need to be selected by a Texas senator or representative or the lieutenant governor or governor. If you are interested in this program and you feel you meet the program requirements, you should contact your legislator for more information. Students may locate their legislator by visiting, Who Represents Me. The lieutenant governor’s office may be reached at (512) 463-0001. To contact the governor's office, a student may call the Appointments Office at (512) 463-1828 or visit the office's web page, Governor’s Appointment Responsibility.
2. Once selected, you will receive a Notice of Selection.
3. Once you decide upon the higher education institution and corresponding ROTC program in which you will enroll, you will take your Notice of Selection to the institution's financial aid office.
4. The financial aid office will certify your program eligibility to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Because program eligibility requirements include that you be enrolled in the institution and in the ROTC program at that institution, the financial aid office cannot provide their eligibility certification before those two criteria are met.
5. Once the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board receives the institution's eligibility certification, you will receive an email requesting you to complete your Texas Armed Services Scholarship application at Loans Online.
6. The Texas Armed Services Scholarship application must be completed by Oct. 15, 2018 or the legislator can provide an alternate nominee.

Where Can I Get More Information?

For more information, review Coordinating Board Rules, Chapter 22, Subchapter I or contact our Borrower Services Department at:

Toll Free: (800) 242-3062
Email: Borrower Services