The State of Texas has a financial aid application for students who are not United States Citizens, but who are Texas residents. This application is called the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA). The application for 2021-2022 opens October 1, 2020 and has a priority deadline of January 15, 2021.

Texas residents who are not U.S. citizens may not receive Federal Aid, but can receive State and Institutional Aid. Our office reviews you for these funds by looking at the information from your TASFA.

To fill out this application, you must meet the oneof the following criteria:

1. You resided in Texas for 36 consecutive months before earning a high school diploma or GED, and
   • Lived part of that time with a parent or legal guardian
   • Were not a resident of another state
   • Had not been admitted to a college and completed credit prior to 2001

Or

1. You hold a visa* that allows you to live in the United States.
   • You or your parent (if you are dependent) must be employed in Texas for at least 12 months before you enroll in college

*For more information about visas that permit you to establish a domicile in the United States, please view the table of Immigration Visa Types.

Scholarships and Financial Aid will not share your immigration status with anyone. You can review FERPA guidelines to better understand your rights.

If you meet the criteria above, and are not eligible to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), follow these steps to complete the eTASFA at Texas A&M University.

1. Log in to the Howdy Portal.
2. If you have already been admitted, go to the My Finances tab. If you have not yet been admitted but have applied for admissions, go to the Applicant tab.
3. Under the TASFA channel, click on the link to the Texas Application for State Financial Aid.
4. Complete all sections of the application.
5. If your application requires parent information, you will have the option of sending your parent an email with instructions on how to electronically sign your eTASFA. Or, you can print the eTASFA for your parent to sign.
6. After your application is fully signed and submitted, allow one business day before checking your Financial Aid Portal for additional documents that may be required.

The eTASFA is available for the 2021-2022 academic year and for the 2020-2021 academic year.

After completing the eTASFA, please allow 1-2 business days for the following documents to be requested in your Financial Aid Portal:

• Signed 2019 Parent Tax Return (Dependent students only)
• 2019 Parent W-2 Forms (Dependent students only)
• Signed 2019 Student (and spouse, if married) Tax Return
• 2019 Student (and spouse, if married) W-2 Forms
• Selective Service Registration Acknowledgement Card (male students only).
  • If you are unsure if you must register for Selective Service, you can read about Selective Service registration requirements on the Selective Service website.
    
    

After your application is reviewed, you may be required to provide additional documents. If so, you will be contacted by a financial aid advisor with more details and instructions.

• Double check documents before submitting. We cannot process documents without all required information and signatures.
• Submit documents in person, by postal mail, fax, or Financial Aid Portal document upload
• Check your tamu.edu email and financial aid portal regularly, as this is how we communicate with students.
• Let us know if you have questions. We are here to help via email, over the phone, and in person.
• Submit the application early! Funding is limited, so you could miss out on funds if you wait to submit your application.
  
  

Do NOT:

• Leave any questions blank on the TASFA form. ALL questions must have an answer. If you cannot answer a question or submit a document, please check with our office on what to do.
• Email documents. This is not a secure way to send personal information.
• Wait until the priority date to submit the TASFA. Additional documents may be requested after you have submitted your application. Apply early to allow time to submit these before the priority date.

Am I a Texas resident?

Residency is determined by the Office of the Registrar. For more information on eligibility requirements and the Affidavit of Intent to Become a Permanent Resident, please view Residency for Tuition Purposes. If you qualify for Resident status based on the criteria, you are eligible to apply for State aid.

Can I fill out both the TASFA and FAFSA?

No. You are eligible for either the FAFSA, TASFA, or ISFAA. You may only fill out one application.

What if I did not work during the tax year?

If you did not work, you will not need to submit a W-2 or a Tax Return Transcript at this time. However, an advisor may ask you for further documentation to verify your information during processing. Please make sure that you have answered all questions about student earnings on the TASFA.

What if my parent does not have a W-2 because they run their own business?

If your parent is self-employed and does not have any wages on the “Wages, Salaries, Tips, ETC” of the Tax Return, then our office will waive the W-2 requirement. This also applies to any students who may have earned money through self-employment.

What if my parent is not authorized to work in the U.S.?

Even if your parent is not authorized to work in the U.S, he or she must file taxes on income earned in the U.S. If your parent earned more than $400 in cash, he or she may be considered an independent contractor and must file taxes. Please see IRS Publication 17 for more details on tax filing rules.

What if my parent worked in another country?

If your parent worked in another country, then we will request that country’s equivalent of tax returns and W-2s. Foreign tax documents will need to be translated and converted into U.S. Dollars. 

Need help understanding you rights as a non-citizen?

International Student Services keeps an updated webpage to help our undocumented students stay on top of news concerning DACA and your legal rights. Visit the Deferred Action page on the International Students Services website. 

The Texas A&M University School of Law has an Immigrant Rights Clinic. Contact information is below:
Star-Telegram Building
307 W. 7th St., Ste LL50
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
irc-info@law.tamu.edu
817-212-4123

Need someone to talk to?

Your mental health is important, if you need someone to talk to Student Counseling Services is ready to help you. Their counselors are equipped to support undocumented students with their specific needs and concerns.

Need outside loans?

Finding a loan as a non-citizen can be difficult. Visit the Elm Select website for help on your search.