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 Office of Financial Aid

Grants

How to Apply for Grants

To be considered for a federal, state, or institutional grant, a student must complete the following steps:

1. Annually, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov).

2. Complete any additional paperwork that the Office of Financial Aid deems necessary to establish your financial need.  You will be notified on PeopleSoft if additional documents are requested.

3. Apply and be admitted to UH-Victoria.

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for need-based grants, an applicant must:

1. Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National or eligible non-citizen,

2. Demonstrate documented need for need-based financial assistance,

3. Be in good academic standing and maintain satisfactory academic progress toward an eligible degree or certificate program,

4. Enroll as a regular student in an eligible program,

5. Must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress,

6. Must meet enrollment status requirements,

7. Have registered with the Selective Service if male,

8. Not be in default on any educational loan or owe a refund on any educational grant,

9. Not been convicted of possession or sale of drugs while enrolled and receiving Title IV Financial Aid, and

10. Have a valid social security number.

How to Accept A Grant Award

Award notices are sent to your UHV email account.  You will need to log into PeopleSoft / UHV Self Service / Financial Aid / Accept or Decline Awards.  Check the appropriate box.

WEB LINK:  http://www.uhv.edu/myPeopleSoft/ 

Grant Disbursement Process

The grants are disbursed after enrollment and eligibility verification is reviewed.  Grants will be credited toward the student’s university account after all required documentation is received and aid has been accepted, declined, or modified in PeopleSoft.  If the student’s enrollment status is activated (at least the minimum amount due on the fee bill is paid OR the awarded aid is more than the minimum due), the grant will be credited toward the student’s account no earlier than the first day of class.  Any resulting credit balance will be issued in the form of a refund check.

Federal Pell Grant

The Pell Grant program is the largest of the federal student aid grant programs and provides a "foundation" of financial aid to which assistance from other federal and non-federal sources may be added.

The Federal Pell Grant is available to students who have never received a baccalaureate degree and meet the general eligibility requirements.

The awards are based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the federal government need analysis method, cost of education and the number of hours the student enrolls. The maximum annual grant may not exceed $4,310 (This fluctuates from year to year according to Congressional appropriations.) To be eligible to receive a Pell Grant, the student's EFC has be be less than 4,111. Some less than half-time students may qualify for Pell Grants.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

The SEOG grant funds are available on a limited basis to undergraduate Pell eligible students with high demonstrated financial need who are pursuing their first undergraduate degree.  The recipients must also meet the general eligibility requirements.  SEOG Grants are up to $450 per semester.

Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

An eligible student may receive the Academic Competitiveness Grant in the amount of $1,300 for the second year of study at a two- or four-year degree granting school. Students must be a Pell-eligible U.S. citizen, be enrolled full-time in a degree program, must have completed a rigorous high school program (after January 1, 2006, for second year recipients in 2007-08), and have earned a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA at the end of the first year of undergraduate study in coursework required for the degree program.  Eligible students must self-identify themselves as completing the rigorous high school program by reporting the information to the Department of Education either during the completion of the FAFSA process or after receiving an informative letter from the Department of Education, complete the process described in the letter.  Students must also meet the general eligibility requirements.

Rigorous Texas high school programs are the Distinguished Achievement or the State Scholars program.

Federal Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant

The SMART Grant Program can be awarded up to $4,000 per year for the third and fourth year of an undergraduate study.  Recipients must be a Pell-eligible U.S. citizen, be enrolled full-time in the third or fourth year of an undergraduate program at a four-year degree granting institution, earn at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the coursework required for the major.  In addition, students must be majoring in Computer Science, Information Systems, Biology, or Mathematical Sciences at UHV.  Students must also meet the general eligibility requirements.

Federal TEACH Grant (New for 2008-2009)

The Federal TEACH Grant program that provides up to $4000 per year to students who are enrolled in an eligible program and agree to teach in a high-need field, at a low-income elementary or secondary school for at least four years within eight years of completing the program for which the TEACH Grant was awarded.  If the grant recipient fails to complete the required teaching service, the TEACH Grant will be treated as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.   For more details, refer to this website:  http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp

Texas Public Education Grants (TPEG)

This program is administered by the university. Grants from the TPEG program are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.  Students must also meet the general eligibility requirements.  Awards are up to $400 per semester and occur as part of the financial aid package for students demonstrating unmet financial need of $2,000 or more and enrolled at least half-time.

Students eligible to pay Texas resident tuition may be eligible for the Resident Texas Public Education Grant and students who are paying nonresident tuition may be eligible for the Non-Resident Texas Public Education Grant.

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) and Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (SLEAP) Grants

The LEAP and SLEAP grants are funded by the federal government and by the State of Texas. In order to receive the LEAP or SLEAP, the student must have a demonstrated unmet need of at least $2000, the Expected Family Contribution of less than $5000, be a Texas resident, and an undergraduate enrolled at least half time. Students must also meet the general eligibility requirements. Grant awards are up to $500 per semester.

Toward Excellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) Grant

In addition to meeting the general eligibility requirements, student must also meet the following: 

Eligibility Requirements for an Initial Award

• Be a Texas resident 
• AND
  • Complete the Recommended High School Program or Distinguished Achievement Program in high school.
  • Enroll in a non-profit public college or university in Texas within 16 months of graduation from a public or accredited private high school in Texas.
  • Have accumulated no more than 30 semester credit hours, excluding those earned for dual or concurrent courses or awarded for credit by examination (AP, IB or CLEP).
• OR
  • Have earned an associates degree from a public technical, state or community college in Texas and
  • Enroll in any public university in Texas no more than 12 months after receiving your associate's degree.

Eligibility Requirements for a Renewal Award

By the end of your first year in the program, you must meet academic standards set by your institution in order to receive a TEXAS Grant the following year. This usually means completing 75 percent of the hours you attempted (for example, nine of 12 semester credit hours) each semester with a 2.5 grade point average (GPA). As of the end of your second or later year in the program, you must have completed at least 24 semester credit hours each year with a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) and must have completed 75 percent of the hours you attempted.

If you were awarded a TEXAS Grant based on your high school performance, you may be eligible to continue to receive the TEXAS Grant for:

• Up to 150 semester credit hours;
• Up to five years (six years if you are in a five-year degree plan); or
• Until you receive a bachelor's degree (whichever comes first).

Students who receive the TEXAS Grant at prior institutions should provide documentation of eligibility to the UHV Financial Aid Office to continue receiving the grant at UHV, pending eligibility.  The Office of Financial Aid will require a copy of the academic transcript from the institution the student received an Associate's Degree.

TEXAS Grant awards for the 2007-08 academic year are $2,585 per semester.

A Professional Judgment process may be necessary if the student does not meet the criteria listed above due to unusual circumstances. This may delay disbursement of aid to his or her account.

Graduate and Undergraduate Tuition Offset Grants

Tuition Offset Grants are awarded to students who are Texas residents with unmet financial need of $2,000 or more, enrolled at least half-time, and have an Expected Family Contribution at least $2,000.  The award amount is $300 per semester.  Students must also meet the general eligibility requirements.

Out-of-State Grants

Upon request, a prospective or current student from out-of-state can meet with a Financial Aid Counselor, to review state grant programs offered by his/her state of residency.  Students must also meet the general eligibility requirements.