Applying to college is complicated.
On the financial side alone, students must know how to read financial aid packages and understand the workings of scholarships and loans. But financial literacy is not taught extensively in high school.
“You need to be really financially literate to understand all the nuances here, the rewards of it, but the risks of it as well,” said Jason Titus, managing director of programs for the education-focused nonprofit Tarrant to and Through Partnership, or T3. “It can be very hard to do, especially if no one in your family has attended college before.”
The complicated process and a lack of knowledge can pose a barrier to students ultimately attending, he said. T3 works to address such gaps by supporting high school students with advising and scholarships.
Students who participate in T3 are eligible for scholarships from eight partner institutions. The program offers first-dollar scholarships of $500 per year and last-dollar scholarships that cover all remaining tuition costs after other financial aid has been applied.
Other scholarship programs across the county and state can help families afford college, as well as federal and state grant programs.
Here is a roundup of some opportunities available to Tarrant County students exploring college.
Each school mentioned offers additional scholarships. Students should research schools they are interested in to see what may be available to them.
Terms to Know
First-dollar scholarship — a scholarship of a set amount that is applied before other aid.
Last-dollar scholarship — a scholarship that covers remaining costs after other forms of financial aid are applied.
Satisfactory academic progress — requirements set by a college or university that often must be met in order to stay eligible for financial aid. This includes a minimum grade average, successfully completing a certain percentage of classes and making timely progress toward a degree.
Adjusted gross income — the total amount of money a family makes minus any deductions for which they are eligible, such as alimony payments or retirement contributions. This number can be found on a federal tax return.
Full-time student— designations indicating how many classes a student is taking. At many colleges, a student is considered full time if they are taking 12 or more credit hours in a semester, usually about four classes. Some scholarships require students to be full time in order to be eligible.
State and federal aid
Both the federal government and the state of Texas offer financial aid to students who qualify.
The Federal Pell Grant provides money to students based on family income and does not have to be paid back. Eligibility is determined based upon completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Filing a FAFSA also qualifies a student for state financial aid.
One state grant is the Toward EXcellence, Access and Success Grant. To receive the TEXAS Grant, a student must be a resident in the state, have financial need and be enrolled in college at least three-quarters time. Students must enroll at a four-year college or university within 16 months of high school graduation.
Community college students are eligible for the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant if they are residents in the state, have financial need and are enrolled at least half time.
The Tuition Equalization Grant supports those enrolled at private colleges and universities in the state. To be eligible, students must have financial need, be enrolled in college at least three-quarters time and may not be receiving an athletic scholarship from their school.
The deadline for completing a FAFSA form to receive aid for the 2026-27 school year is June 30, 2027. Students are encouraged to apply sooner as many colleges require the completed form much earlier to qualify for institutional aid.
Experts recommend that students file the application as soon as possible.
Texas Wesleyan University Free Tuition Promise
Students who qualify for the full Federal Pell Grant can have the remainder of tuition costs covered by the university through this program.
To qualify, a student must be a Texas resident, a freshman in college and enrolled full time.
The scholarship covers up to four years if students maintain full-time enrollment and a grade average of 2.0 or higher.
TCU for Texans
This program covers tuition as well as offers help with food and housing costs for qualifying Texas students.
To be eligible, a student must be a resident of the state, a Pell Grant recipient and come from a family with an adjusted gross income of $70,000 or less.
Students can renew the scholarship each year if they maintain eligibility, make satisfactory academic progress and continue to be enrolled full time.
Blaze Forward Tuition Program
University of Texas at Arlington students who qualify for this program have 100% of their tuition and fees covered by a combination of grants and scholarships.
To be eligible, a student must be a Texas resident, a Pell Grant and TEXAS Grant recipient, come from a family making a combined adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less and enroll full time.
Incoming freshmen can receive the scholarship for all four years of their undergraduate education, provided they maintain eligibility requirements and earn a cumulative grade average of 2.5 or higher.
All schools in the University of Texas System offer their own version of this program. Students can learn more here.
Tarleton State Promise
The Tarleton State Promise program is a last-dollar scholarship that covers tuition, a meal plan and includes a book allowance. The program is available to Tarleton State students at the Stephenville and Fort Worth campuses.
Students can renew the scholarship for up to four years as long as they continue to meet the requirements and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
To be eligible, a student must be a Texas resident, receive a TEXAS Grant, be eligible for a federal Pell Grant, come from a family with an adjusted gross income of $85,000 or less, graduate in the top half of their high school class and enroll full time at the university.
Tarleton State is a member of the Texas A&M University System. Students wishing to attend A&M’s College Station or Galveston campuses should research the Aggie Assurance program.
Tarrant County College supplemental grants
The community college offers need-based grants on a first-come, first-serve basis to cover full-time tuition and books.
Students have an increased chance of receiving the grant if they apply by March.
The college also offers a range of scholarships with varying requirements.
McKinnon Rice is the higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at mckinnon.rice@fortworthreport.org.
The Fort Worth Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.
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