Texas Armed Services Scholarship

The Texas Armed Services Scholarship offers a unique opportunity for eligible students to achieve their educational goals and become our armed forces’ next generation of leaders. 

The Scholarship at a Glance

✔ Legislative appointment required
✔ Up to $30,000 per year
✔ Must complete officer training
✔ Four-year service commitment after graduation
✔ Converts to a loan if requirements are not met

About the Scholarship

The Texas Armed Services Scholarship is a conditional scholarship, offering significant financial assistance to eligible students who meet the scholarship’s requirements. This includes being appointed for the scholarship by a Texas elected official, maintaining strong academic performance, participating in and/or completing officer training programs, and serving for at least four years as a commissioned officer in any branch of the United States armed services or in the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, or U.S. Merchant Marine after graduation.

Scholarship Amount

If appointed, the scholarship award is the lesser of:

  • $30,000 per academic year, or
  • Your cost of attendance.
    Note: Some students have additional expenses when participating in officer training programs. If you are appointed, talk to your financial aid office about costs that may be covered by your scholarship.

While you only need to be appointed once, you may receive the scholarship for up to four academic years.

Step 1: Obtain a Legislative Appointment

To receive a scholarship, you must first be appointed by a Texas elected official. You cannot receive the scholarship without this appointment.

You may be appointed by:

  • The governor
  • The lieutenant governor
  • A Texas state senator
  • A Texas state representative

Each year:

  • The governor and lieutenant governor each appoint two students.
  • Each state senator and representative appoints one student.

For more information, contact:

  • Your legislator (find your legislator using Who Represents Me)
  • Other members of the Texas House and Senate
    (Note:     Legislators may appoint individuals from outside their districts.)
  • The lieutenant governor’s office at 512-463-0001
  • The governor’s Appointments Office at 512-463-1828 or via the Governor’s Appointment Responsibility webpage

Step 2: Institution Verifies Eligibility

Once appointed, you will receive an official Notice of Selection from the Coordinating Board at the email address you provided to the appointing official. This email provides important next steps for you to receive your scholarship. You must provide this notice to the Financial Aid Office at the institution you attend or plan to attend.

Once appointed, your institution must confirm that you meet the following requirements to receive and maintain the scholarship:

  • Be registered with Selective Service or be exempt.
  • Be enrolled at a public or private nonprofit institution of higher education in Texas.
  • Meet academic requirements (see below).
  • Meet officer training requirements (see below).
  • Enter into a written agreement with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
  • Complete a school-initiated scholarship application each academic year.

If you fail to meet these requirements or do not complete the application process, you may forfeit the scholarship. In such cases, the Coordinating Board will notify the legislative office of your change in eligibility, and an alternate will be offered the scholarship.

Academic Requirements

Initial Scholarship Recipients

Undergraduate students receiving the scholarship for the first time must have either:

Returning Scholarship Recipients

Returning recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution’s financial aid office.

Officer Training Requirements

You must meet one of the following training requirements:

Be accepted into the officer commissioning program for the Texas State Guard https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.437.htm.

  • 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 your institution; or
  • Be accepted into the officer commissioning program for the Texas State Guard https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.437.htm.

If Your Plans Change

If you decide to decline the scholarship, notify the Coordinating Board by emailing TASSP@highered.texas.gov.

Step 3: Complete Application and Accept Terms (For Each Scholarship)

Each time your scholarship is certified by your institution — typically on an annual basis — you must complete an application and promissory note.

After your institution certifies your eligibility, you will receive an email prompting you to complete your scholarship application through THECB Application Portal. You must sign a promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the scholarship.

If you do not meet the requirements below, you may be required to repay the scholarship amount plus applicable interest and other charges, and you will not be able to regain eligibility for the scholarship.

While in school, your scholarship may convert to a loan if you:

  • Fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress.
  • Withdraw from your institution or your officer training program without subsequently enrolling in another eligible institution or training program.

Step 4: Service Requirement

After graduation, you must provide verification of either:

  • A contract to serve as a commissioned officer in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces; or
  • A four-year commitment to serve in the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Texas State Guard, United States Coast Guard, or United States Merchant Marine.

Your scholarship may convert to a loan if you do not meet these service requirements within 12 months of graduation. You are considered to have fulfilled your service requirement after four years of service or upon honorable discharge.

Loan Repayment Requirements (If Converted)

If your scholarship converts to a loan, you must:

  • Begin repayment after a six-month grace period, which starts when you leave school (interest begins accruing when the scholarship converts to a loan).
  • Repay the loan over 15 years with a required minimum monthly payment of $100 or the amount needed to repay within 15 years, whichever is greater.
  • Pay interest at the same rate charged for a College Access Loan at the time you received your scholarship.

Contact Us

To speak with a customer service representative, call 833-597-0454, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT.

Online inquiries: TASSP@highered.texas.gov

Additional Information

Program Statute: Texas Education Code, Title 3, Subchapter FF

Program Rules: