Financial Aid: Student Loans and Other Funding
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.
For general questions, reach us at 254-968-9070 and 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. The application opens on October 1 and is due by 11:59 p.m. CT, June 30. In some cases, you may be able to only file the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA ). The Office of Financial Aid will determine the types of college financial aid you’re eligible for based on your FAFSA/TASFA.
Types of financial aid for college students:
- Grants for college, such as Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Texas Public Education Grants, the TEXAS Grant Program and the Tarleton Tuition Grant, are awarded based on demonstrated financial need by the federal government or State of Texas and don’t need to be repaid.
- Student loans, such as the Federal Direct Loan and Grad PLUS Loan, can be used to cover tuition and fees, as well as other costs of attendance such as books, and typically have a low interest rate and long term for repayment.
- Student employment provides part-time work opportunities to help cover college expenses through the Federal Work-Study Program and State Work-Study Program, as well as Tarleton’s Intern 2 Learn Program. You can also apply for work-study through Handshake, Tarleton’s employment system from Career Services.
- Other forms of financial assistance: waivers and exemptions.
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 or 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 college financial aid you may receive depends on your eligibility, which is determined by filing a FAFSA and/or TASFA.
Our Office of Financial Aid strives to help current and future students and their families navigate the complicated financial aid process with a transparent, user-friendly website. 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.
Schedule an Appointment
Prospective Students:
Prospective students are students that have been admitted but have not enrolled into classes, applied but have not received an admission decision, or have not applied for admission.
Please contact our office to schedule an appointment.
Current Students:
- Login to EAB Navigate with your UID and password (same as myGateway). If you have problems with your password, use Tarleton Password Manager or call 254-968-9885 to reset your password.
- Select schedule an appointment
- Select Texan Services as the appointment type
- Choose how you would like to your appointment to be conducted (in person, by phone, zoom chat)
Special Circumstances COVID-19
We understand that due to the current COVID-19 situation there are going to be many families that may have significant income changes. If you or your family’s financial situation has changed substantially since completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you can submit a Special Circumstances Appeal for reconsideration of your financial need for the 2020-2021 Aid Year (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021).
Why Apply for Financial Aid?
To stay informed on your college financial aid, always check your go.tarleton.edu email account.
Get informed on Cost of Attendance to help you budget and plan
Cost of attendance is different for undergraduate and graduate students. We provide essential details on direct and indirect college costs, including tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation and more.
Understand financial aid eligibility before registering for classes
All undergraduate and graduate students are required to enroll at least half time at Tarleton to be eligible to apply for, receive and maintain federal, state and university financial aid, including student loans and college grants. This means you have to take at least six course credits each semester.
Explore financial aid opportunities for Study Abroad
If you study abroad in the summer, you may be interested in applying for student loans from federal or private funds to help cover your program, travel and living expenses. Learn more about college financial aid for study abroad at Tarleton.
Rest assured your financial aid will get credited to your account
First, we deposit all of your college financial aid, including approved student loans but not student employment, into your account. Then, we withdraw funds for tuition, required fees, and room and board (if you live on campus). If your student financial aid award is greater than your cost of attendance, you may have a credit that will be refunded to you.
Get help from our student financial aid advisors
We know the process and documentation required in applying for student loans and other types of financial aid for college. We also understand that student and family circumstances can change. If you or your family’s financial situation is substantially different from when you completed your FAFSA, please meet with one of our financial aid advisers to evaluate your college financial aid and explore possible opportunities to make adjustments.
Stay informed about your financial aid award and opportunities
All financial aid award notifications are sent to current and future students electronically at your go.tarleton.edu email address. You can also use myGateway to view and accept your financial aid award or verify that you have provided all of the documentation required in applying for student loans, college grants and other types of financial aid.
Priority Deadlines
The final deadline for all required documents to be considered for college financial aid is January 15. Some types of financial aid are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis, so submit your application early.
Financial Aid Basics
Learn how the college financial aid process works, including cost of attendance, budgeting, how to pay for college, student loan programs and more.
Borrowing Student Loans
Before you consider applying for student loans, get these five quick tips on borrowing money to pay for college.