About STAPState Tuition Assistance Program

Funded by the state of Texas, the State Tuition Reimbursement Program (STRP) is an education benefit that provides money for college to eligible members of the Texas Military Forces pursuing their educational and career goals.

Texas Army National Guard:
Your unit commander must complete a Memorandum of Good Standing to confirm your satisfactory participation in the National Guard. 
Download and email the form (found under How to Apply) to your unit commander or readiness NCO. 
Email the completed and signed Memorandum to Email. Unit commanders are welcome to send any questions to the same email address.
This must be received by 26 February 2017. This memorandum is only for Texas Army National Guard Members. This does not apply to Air Guard or Texas State Guard Members. 

ALL Applicants:
Only official transcripts or copies of an official transcript will be accepted to report class completion. Other documents, such as unofficial transcripts, grade reports, or screen shots, will not be accepted. 

NOTE: Please keep a copy of your application and supporting documentation for your records.

 

Additional Questions?

All applicants can submit inquiries by email: Click Here

Texas Air National Guard Airmen may also contact:

Texas State Guard Members submit your inquiry by email: Click Here


This benefit is available to active drilling members of the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), Texas Air National Guard (TXANG) and Texas State Guard (TXSG) who have completed Basic Training (or its equivalent). 

Eligible Members must be enrolled in a nationally or regionally accredited Texas college or university and pursuing a certification, the first undergraduate or graduate degree. Second or lateral degrees are not eligible.

This state benefit funds from 3 to 12 credit hours of tuition and mandatory fees per academic semester. Award amounts are based on: 1) available funding, 2) the number of applicants for that semester and 3) the successful completion of courses.

The STRP will reimburse Service Members with out-of-pocket expenses for tuition and mandatory fees. Students are responsible for the school payment of tuition and fees at the beginning of the semester. At the conclusion of the semester, students submit a copy of their official transcript to the Education Office to verify successful course completion. Award payments are issued through the school. Failed, dropped and incomplete classes are not reimbursed.

January 15, 2017: Primary application deadline.

February 5, 2017: Extended application deadline.

February 26, 2017: Deadline for additional & supporting documentation (Memo of Good Standing, invoice and schedule).

June 4, 2017: Deadline to submit official or copy of official transcript.

<<Click here>> for the Spring 17 Application Form

<<Click here>> for the Memorandum of Good Standing

  1. Complete the PDF-fillable application, (6 pages in total).
    1. It is recommended that applicants fill out this application electronically. Red fields are required information.
    2. Sign using a CAC electronic signature
      1. If CAC reader is not available, print out form
      2. Hand sign and scan back to your computer
    3. Submit completed application to the Education Office
      1. If you CAC signed, submit by clicking on the "Submit" button at the top of the form.
      2. If you manually signed, attach the scanned document to an email and send to the Education Office at: Email
    4. Additional documents- see “Deadlines” section for more details
  2. If unable to complete the form electronically
    1. Print out the form
    2. Manually fill out and sign as required
    3. Scan and attach the file to an email and send to: Email
    4. Additional documents- see “Deadlines” section for more details
      1. Required documents
        1. Course Schedule and Fee statement-Send these AFTER the add/drop period to show any schedule changes
        2. Army National Guard Members ONLY: Memorandum of Good Standing –Submit to your unit for Commander’s signature as soon as possible to allow maximum time for review.
      2. Optional document (send only if information is not reflected on your fee statement)
        1. Financial Aid awards (grants, scholarships)
        2. Other military tuition assistance (9/11 GI Bill, FTA, Hazlewood Exemption)
  3. Keep a copy of the completed application for your own records
  4. All members of Army, Air, and State Guard should email their applications to: Email
    1. Air Guard and State Guard Members are encouraged to copy "CC" their component POC offices as required.
    2. If the application is not sent to this Email address, it may not be received by the deadline, which could disqualify the applicant from receiving a tuition award.
  5. At the completion of the academic semester, STRP Applicants are required to submit an official or copy of official transcript to: Email by June 04, 2017.

NOTE: Transcript must be an official or copy of official transcript. Copies of online grade reports or snapshots of grades are not accepted and will be RETURNED WITHOUT ACTION. Failure to submit an official or copy of official transcript by 04 JUNE 2017 will lead to disqualification from award.

  • STRP awards are based on: 1. available funding, 2. number of applicants and 3. successful course completion. Award amounts may vary from one semester to the next.
  • A new application must be submitted for each semester in which State Tuition Assistance is requested. See Important Deadlines for submission deadlines.
  • Applicants will be notified by email of application status throughout the semester. If you are not receiving status updates, contact the Education Office to ensure that your application was received and is being processed.
  • The tuition award will only reimburse classes that are successfully completed. Classes that are dropped after the drop deadline, incomplete or failed will not be reimbursed. Official transcripts or a copy of the official transcript are required to confirm grades.
  • This program does not pay until the completion of the academic semester. Therefore, if unable to fund the full tuition balance at the beginning of the semester, it is the applicant’s responsibility to request an alternate payment option, such as an emergency tuition loan or an installment payment plan with the school, in order to fund the full charges at the beginning of the semester. Classes may be dropped if a balance remains unpaid and/or no payment arrangement is made with the school at the beginning of the semester.
  • Schedule changes, to include class drops and/or withdrawals, should be reported by submitting an updated course schedule and fee statement to the Education Office.
  • The STRP award is issued at the completion of the academic semester and only after an official transcript or copy of official transcript is received in the Education Office.
  • STRP award recipients will receive an email payment notification when the payment has been scheduled for wire transfer to the school.
  • By Texas State law, this program is only authorized to issue payments directly to a college or university in Texas.
  • Schools may take 7-10 days from the date the payment is scheduled to process the payment. It may take additional time for the school to update the student’s account.
  • If the STRP payment creates an overpayment on the student’s account, then the school may issue a refund of the overpayment amount. The school may offer other options to handle the overpayment.
  • The Education Office is unable to track a payment after it has been issued to a school. Only the school’s business office can see when the payment is available to be posted to the student’s account. Please follow up with your school’s business office or Third Party Sponsor Coordinator for payment or account status. Be sure to have the control # and amount of payment information available when following up with your school for payment.

FAQ

  • Active drilling members in “Good Standing” with TXARNG, TXANG or TXSG.

  • Eligible ranks are: Enlisted (E1-E9), Officers (O1-O5) and Warrant Officers (W1-W3).

  • Applicants must be accepted and registered in a Texas qualifying college or university for a minimum of 3 semester credit hours. Part-time or full-time students are eligible.

  • Applicants must have completed Basic Training prior to the start of the semester. TXSG must complete BOT, RBOT or AIT.

  • Members must continue to serve in their component through the end of the semester. As of the date of signature on the application, the Service Member’s Expiration of Term of Service (ETS) or Mandatory Retirement Date (MRD) must be a date after the official last day of class. State Guard Members do not have a contract ETS date, but must serve through the end of the semester in order to receive the award payment.

  • ROTC (GRFD and DANG) Cadets utilizing the Room & Board scholarship option or non-scholarship contracts are eligible.

  • AGR are not eligible.

  • Eligible school must be a public or private Texas state college or university with headquarters in Texas as defined in Texas Education Code Section 61.003. For profit schools are not eligible.

  • Must have and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

  • Based on available funding, STA is available for fall and spring academic semesters only.

  • The average award payment is for up to 6 credits of tuition and fees, not to exceed $2,250 per semester.

  • Applicants can apply for a high needs exemption to receive up to 12 credits of tuition and mandatory fees with a maximum payout of $4,500 per semester (See section on High Need Exemption).

  • Private school reimbursement rates are calculated based on the average STA award for public schools.

  • Public school Out-of-State or Out-of-district resident tuition/fee charges are not eligible for reimbursement. Tuition will be paid at the in-state or in-district rate.

  • Applicants pursuing their first undergraduate, graduate or professional degree have funding priority, in that order.

  • State tuition assistance is available for five academic years or ten semesters. This applies during semesters of reduced funding as well.

  • Incomplete, Dropped or Failed classes are ineligible for reimbursement.

  • Continuing education classes (not receiving state tax support) are not eligible for reimbursement.

  • STA will not pay for the same class twice.

  • Yes, State TA can be used or “stacked” with other federal tuition assistance or state programs to cover up to 100% of tuition and eligible fees.

  • If other programs are covering 100% of the tuition and eligible fees, then State TA is not needed and will not be awarded.

  • Yes, however, your Pell, SEOG, grants and/or scholarships will be included when determining your eligible award amount.

  • Loans will not be included in the calculation of eligible award amount.

  • Failure to disclose other financial aid, grants or scholarships may be grounds for denial, permanent disqualification from the program as well as prosecution under the Texas Military Code of Justice.

  • The standard STA award is 6 credit hours not to exceed $2,250 per semester.

  • A HNE approval will grant up to an additional 6 semester credit hours not to exceed $2,250 in funding for tuition and fees (total of 12 credits or $4,500 per semester).

  • The HNE is a one time, per semester, exemption for undergraduate applicants (graduate students will not be considered) who meet certain eligibility criteria (see below).

  • HNE is subject to available funding and only a limited number of applicants will be approved. Requests are reviewed on a case by case basis after all standard STA awards are reviewed and approved.

To be eligible for HNE, the student must be an undergraduate student seeking their first Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree AND meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Officer Without Degrees (OWD) (commissioned officers)

  • Within 1st 3 years Time in Service (TIS)

  • ROTC-SMP Cadet that does NOT have a tuition scholarship contract

  • First year student (fewer than 30 semester credit hours)

  • Graduating at the end of the semester

  • Ineligible for financial aid such as Pell Grant, SEOG, Texas Grant, or other scholarships

  • Attending a private school

  • Complete the STA Application.

  • The last page of the application is the request for this HNE. Follow the instructions on the page. Do NOT forget to sign the page.

  • Only a limited number of HNE requests will be approved. Requests are prioritized and approved until funding runs out.

  • It’s a statutory requirement that can only be changed by the Texas Legislature.