Student Financial Aid
Important 2026-2027 Financial Aid Dates
| 2026-2027 FAFSA Opens | October 1, 2025 |
| 2026-2027 TASFA Opens | October 1, 2025 |
| Institutional Need-Based Financial Aid Priority Deadline | January 15, 2026 |
| Financial Aid State Priority Deadline | January 15, 2026 |
| Merit-Based Scholarship Priority Deadline | February 15, 2026 |
| Freshman and Transfer Award Offer Notification | January 2026 |
| Continuing and Graduate Students Award Offer Notification | March 2026 |
| Submit Outstanding Requirements to Receive Fall Aid Offer by Payment Deadline | July 1, 2026 |
Important 2025-2026 Financial Aid Dates
| 2025-2026 FAFSA Opens | December 1, 2024 |
| 2025-2026 TASFA Opens | December 1, 2024 |
| Merit-Based Scholarship Priority Deadline | February 15, 2025 |
| Financial Aid State Priority Deadline | February 15, 2025 |
| Institutional Need-Based Aid & Scholarship Priority Deadline | March 15, 2025 |
| Freshman and Transfer Award Offer Notification | March 2025 |
| Continuing Students Award Offer Notification | April 2025 |
| Submit Outstanding Requirements to Receive Fall Aid Offer by Payment Deadline | July 1, 2025 |
What is Financial Aid?
Financial aid is money that doesn’t come from family or personal savings or earnings to help pay for college. Several types of financial aid are available to students and families that cover educational expenses and make college more affordable. Student financial aid can be awarded based on merit, need, or both, and some financial aid for college is required to be paid back or earned while others are gifts and don’t need to be repaid. Most U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens can apply for federal, state, or university financial aid. The amount of student financial aid you may receive depends on your eligibility, which is determined by filing a FAFSA or TASFA.
Types of financial aid for college students:
- Grants: need-based funds that do not have to be repaid. They are typically awarded by the university, federal or state government to help cover educational expenses.
- Scholarships: funds awarded to students based on achievements, talents, or other criteria and do not have to be repaid. They can come from the university, community organizations, or private donors and are often awarded for academic merit, leadership, or specific areas of study.
- Student Loans: borrowed funds that must be repaid with interest. They can come from federal, state, or private lenders and are meant to help cover the cost of attendance.
- Student Employment: allows students to earn money through part-time jobs, often on campus, to help pay for educational and personal expenses. You can apply for work-study positions through Handshake, Tarleton State’s employment system from Career Services.
- Exemptions and Waivers: reduce or eliminate certain tuition and fee charges for eligible students, as determined by state or institutional programs.
Awarding over $106 million annually in student financial aid, Tarleton State University helps put college in reach for everyone. Our Office of Financial Aid helps you apply for, accept and manage federal, state and university funding to achieve your educational goals as a Tarleton Texan.
Here you’ll find information on applying for grants, student loans and other financial aid for college, when to expect your financial aid award, income and academic eligibility and more.
We encourage you to talk with one of our financial aid advisers for guidance and personalized answers to your questions. We are available through email, phone, in-person walk-ins, select high school events, and outreach activities on campus, such as Texan Orientation, Admitted Student Day, Campus Preview Days, and FAFSA Information Sessions.
You can always reach us at 254-968-9070 and via email at finaid@tarleton.edu.
How Do I Apply For College Financial Aid?
Register for an FSA ID and file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be considered for federal, state, and university financial aid, including student loans and college grants. If you are a dependent, your parent must fill out the FAFSA, too. Tarleton’s FAFSA code is 003631.
In some cases, you may be able to only file the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA).
