Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
The Competitive Scholarship waiver, authorized under Texas Education Code 54.213a, is an optional state waiver that institutions may offer. In this, an eligible degree-seeking non-resident student who holds competitive scholarships of a specified minimum dollar amount may be eligible to pay the fees and charges required of Texas residents without regard to the length of time the student has resided in Texas. The student must have applied for and competed with other students (including Texas residents) for the scholarships and the scholarships must be offered by a Texas A&M University college or department scholarship committee or authorized university representative. University units may occasionally seek input from an outside donor however, outside donor(s) may not make the final recipient selection.
Undergraduate students must be awarded and maintain competitive scholarships of at least $4,000 per academic year to qualify for this waiver. Graduate and professional students must be awarded and maintain competitive scholarships of at least $1000 per academic year to qualify for this waiver. Receipt of a competitive scholarship waiver, may result in adjustments to other financial aid offers.
The Texas Education Code requires that all male students (both registered and exempt) receiving state funding, waivers or exemptions provide a one-time Selective Service Statement of Registration Status. Eligible students will be prompted to provide this documentation in the Financial Aid Portal at howdy.tamu.edu. This requirement must be complete for the waiver to post to the student account.
Students may receive this waiver at the discretion of the University and in compliance with the limit on the number of waivers allowed by the State of Texas. Students may be recipients of only one non-resident tuition waiver program in a single semester.
Non-resident distance education students who reside outside the state of Texas pay an administrative and teaching fee in place of non-resident tuition, and are not eligible for this or other non-resident tuition waivers. Students with excess credit hours are also not eligible for this nor other non-resident tuition waivers. Students are responsible for payment of tuition and fees not covered under the waiver and are subject to late payment penalties and late registration charges if tuition and fees are not paid.
Scholarships that qualify for Non-Resident Tuition Waivers follow this process:
- University department certifies that the scholarship awarding process qualifies for a non-resident waiver.
- University department awards competitive scholarship.
- Scholarships & Financial Aid verifies student recipients meet Selective Service registration requirements (or exemption).
- Scholarships & Financial Aid posts the anticipated non-resident tuition waiver as a resource to financial aid package.
- Scholarships & Financial Aid shares student and scholarship information with Student Business Services.
- Student Business Services credits the non-resident waiver to non-resident tuition charges on the student billing account.
There is no minimum GPA requirement for multi-year scholarship recipients to continue to receive the waiver. As long as the student is making satisfactory academic progress and keeps the qualifying scholarship(s) that meet the minimum dollar amount, the student will continue to receive the benefit of the non-resident tuition waiver for the same academic year (fall, spring, summer). If the student loses eligibility for the qualifying scholarship(s) or falls below the minimum dollar amount required, the student will lose eligibility for the waiver and will be assessed non-resident tuition rates.
For more information or to examine the University SAP regarding this, please view the Non-resident Tuition Waiver for Competitive Scholarship Recipients.