Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP)

The Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP) encourages students to complete a degree and become a member of one of these organizations: 

  • Texas Army National Guard
  • Texas Air National Guard
  • Texas State Guard
  • United States Coast Guard
  • United States Merchant Marine
  • Any branch of the armed services of the United States, as a commissioned officer

Each year, the governor and lieutenant governor appoint two students each, and every state senator and state representative each appoint one student to receive an initial conditional scholarship. If a senator or representative doesn’t make a selection by Sept. 30, the lieutenant governor or speaker of the house will make the selection instead.

How Much Can Be Awarded?

The amount of the award will be the lesser of:

  • $30,000
  • The student’s cost of attendance.

Who Can Be Appointed?

Selected students must meet two of these four academic criteria:

  • Be on track to graduate or have graduated high school with the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), the distinguished level of achievement under the Foundation High School program, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.
  • Have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  • Have achieved a college readiness score on the SAT (1070) or ACT (23).
  • Be ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class.

Scholarship Eligibility

To receive a scholarship, an appointed student must:

  • Be registered with Selective Service or be exempt.
  • Be enrolled at a public or private nonprofit institution of higher education in Texas.
  • Meet officer training requirements (see below).
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as indicated by the financial aid office at the recipient’s institution of higher education.
  • Enter into a written agreement with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Coordinating Board).
  • Complete a school-initiated TASSP application.
  • Repay the scholarship if requirements are not met.

If a student fails to meet the requirements to receive a scholarship or fails to complete the application process, they may forfeit the scholarship. The Coordinating Board will notify the legislative office of their nominee’s change in eligibility so the legislator can submit an alternate student.

Officer Training Requirements

Students must meet one of the following officer training requirements:

  • Enroll in and be in good standing, or have completed, a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program or another undergraduate officer commissioning program as certified by the institution.
  • Be accepted into the officer commissioning program for the Texas State Guard, as defined by the Texas Government Code, Title 4, Section 437.001.

How Long Can a Student Receive a Scholarship?

A student cannot receive a scholarship for more than four academic years.

Conditions of Scholarship

The Coordinating Board requires a scholarship recipient to sign a promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the scholarship and promising to repay the amount of the scholarship plus applicable interest, late charges, and any collection costs, including attorneys’ fees, if the recipient fails to meet certain conditions of the scholarship.

Recipients agree to:

  • Either:
    • Complete, or provide documentation of prior completion of, one year of ROTC training or the equivalent for each year that the student receives a scholarship. This includes if the institution of higher education awards ROTC credit for prior service in any branch of the U.S. Armed Services or the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine, or another officer commissioning program; or
    • Provide documentation of acceptance into the officer commissioning program for the Texas State Guard, as defined by the Texas Government Code, Title 4, Section 437.001.
  • Graduate no later than six years after the date the student first enrolls in an institution of higher education after having received a high school diploma, a GED diploma, or its equivalent.
  • After graduation, enter into and provide the Coordinating Board with verification of one of the following:
    • 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.
    • A contract to serve as a commissioned officer in any branch of the armed services of the United States.
  • Meet the physical examination requirements and all other prescreening requirements of the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine, or the branch of the armed services with which the student enters into a contract.
  • Maintain SAP as indicated by the financial aid office at the recipient’s institution of higher education.

If a recipient fails to meet the conditions of the scholarship, they cannot regain scholarship eligibility.

Loan Repayment Requirements

Once the scholarship is converted to a loan, the repayment requirements include:

  • The student will have a 6-month grace after the scholarship becomes a loan before repayment begins; however, interest begins to accrue on the date the scholarship is converted to a loan.
  • The TASSP loan has a 15-year repayment period and a required minimum monthly payment of $100 or an amount required to repay the loan within 15 years, whichever is greater.
  • The TASSP interest rate will be the same rate charged for a College Access Loan at the time the funds were disbursed.

Note: Students experiencing a medical disability or any type of financial hardship can apply for postponed or reduced payments and cancellation (medical disability only) of their TASSP loan either verbally or by submitting a General Postponement Request to the Coordinating Board.

How Can I Apply?

  1. You must be appointed by a Texas senator or representative or the lieutenant governor or governor. If you are interested in this program and think you meet the program requirements, contact your legislator for more information. Students may locate their legislator at 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 webpage, Governor’s Appointment Responsibility.
  2. Once selected, you will receive a Notice of Selection email.
  3. Once you decide upon the higher education institution and corresponding ROTC program in which you will enroll, provide your Notice of Selection to the institution’s financial aid office.
  4. The financial aid office will certify your program eligibility to the 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 Coordinating Board receives the institution’s eligibility certification, you will receive an email requesting that you complete your TASSP application at Apply Online.
  6. The Texas Armed Services Scholarship online application must be completed or the legislator may provide an alternate nominee.

Where Can I Get More Information?

Review Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 22, Subchapter I, or contact our Customer Support Services at:

  • Toll-free: 800-242-3062
  • Online: Contact Us (select “Financial Aid Question” as the subject under Contact Reason)