UHV offers financial aid packages for low-income students
When students consider going to college to get a degree, one of the more common questions and challenges they face is getting financial aid, and the University of Houston-Victoria has some new financial aid packages to help.
UHV recently launched the Jaguars Achieving Graduation Promise, or the JAG Promise initiative. The initiative is made up of three parts that address the need to make college more affordable and accessible for all students: the JAG Promise, the JAG Promise Healthcare and the Gap scholarship. Each of these packages offer students assistance with areas of financial need.
“UHV has a long history of providing a quality, affordable higher education to students from all walks of life, especially those who need a little extra support,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “The JAG Promise initiative and other programs like it help our students make the financial leap required to earn their degrees and change their lives for the better.”
The three packages were created to address a rising concern among students about the cost of college, especially for first-generation students who may not have the same amount of financial resources as others, said Karla DeCuir, UHV interim vice president for enrollment management. Students who wish to apply for the packages must be Texas residents and should fill out the FAFSA or TASFA as well as a UHV scholarship application.
“We want prospective students to see that college is possible for them because help is available,” DeCuir said. “UHV has staff dedicated to helping students through admissions, financial aid, transferring credits and any other question students may have. Combined with the available aid packages, we want to make it possible for anyone to go to college.”
The JAG Promise is a financial aid package for students who qualify for state and federal grants. The purpose of the packages is to guarantee that all tuition and mandatory fees will be covered through grants and other sources. To qualify, students must be first-time college freshmen who graduated from a Texas high school within 16 months of enrolling at UHV. The student and parents’ income should be $65,000 or less, and students must fill out a FAFSA or TASFA application and the UHV scholarship applications before Dec. 1 for spring or March 15 for fall 2024 enrollment. The program is renewable every year for students who continue to meet the eligibility guidelines.
The JAG Healthcare Promise offers a similar guarantee to cover all tuition and fees. However, instead of focusing on financial need, this program covers students who are pursuing majors in health-related fields including biology, nursing, kinesiology, health studies, biomedical sciences and the Bachelor of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration. To receive the funds, students should be residents of Victoria or one of the surrounding counties, including Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, Colorado, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Matagorda, Refugio, Waller and Wharton. Students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher and be enrolled as full-time students. The JAG Healthcare Promise does not have an application deadline, but funds are limited, so it’s best for students to apply early.
The JAG Gap Scholarship focuses on filling the gaps not covered by traditional financial aid sources. The scholarship provides up to $2,000 per semester to undergraduate students who have out-of-pocket expenses that remain uncovered after all other aid has been awarded. To receive the funds, applicants must be new students enrolled part time in an undergraduate program. To receive the scholarship for the spring, students should register by Dec. 1 or register by July 15 for the fall.
For more information about the packages and how to apply to UHV, visit www.uhv.edu/jagpromise.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.