Tuition and Financial Aid
Types of Financial Aid
Basis for the Type of Financial Aid
The aid awarded to a student may consist of a grant, scholarship, loan, part-time job, or any combination of these programs. The total amount of aid the student receives depends on the student's cost of attendance, their student aid index, meeting application deadlines, outside resources, academic history, and the availability of funds.
The following is a summary of the types of assistance that are available to graduate students at The University of Texas at Dallas. The student should be aware that many of the programs are subject to change without notice by the state or federal government. Information on all programs may be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid unless otherwise noted.
Texas Public Education Grant
An act of the 64th Texas Legislature established this grant program to provide financial assistance to students. This program is funded through appropriation of a portion of the tuition charge for resident and nonresident students. Students completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) will automatically be considered for this grant. Awards are based on the availability of funds and the student's financial need.
Educational Assistance Grant
This program was established to provide financial assistance to students by an act of the Texas Legislature. The program is funded through appropriation of a portion of the designated tuition charge for resident and nonresident students. Students completing a FAFSA will automatically be considered for this grant. Awards are based on availability of funds and the student's financial need.
Hazlewood Veteran Tuition Exemption
The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas. This does not include living expenses, books, or supply fees. Information on the Hazlewood Act and eligibility requirements are available at the Texas Veterans Commission website. Additional information can be found in the Office of Financial Aid Hazlewood Exemption website.
Federal Work-Study Program
Federal Work-Study employment is available to students on the basis of demonstrated financial need and is counted as a form of need-based financial aid. Student employees are paid as a result of working part-time in a position either on- or off-campus. The wages of students participating in this program are subsidized with federal funds. Students completing a FAFSA will automatically be considered for this program. Awards are based on availability of funds and the student's financial need.
The hourly pay rate depends on the type of job, qualifications, and classification. The number of hours and work schedule will vary depending on the position. For information on job availability, students who have been awarded Federal Work-Study as part of their financial aid package should contact the Career Center at 972-883-2943 or go to their website at career.utdallas.edu to access the Handshake system.
Other On-Campus Employment
Various programs and schools of the University employ students in positions that are not Federal Work-Study positions and are not based on need. Normally, students are employed for a maximum of 19 1/2 hours per week. Students interested in these positions should contact the Career Center at 972-883-2943 or go to their website at career.utdallas.edu to access the Handshake system.
Federal Direct Loan
Funds from this program are made available to students from the U.S Department of Education. All graduate Federal Direct Loans are unsubsidized. The maximum amount a student can borrow from this program in an academic year depends on the student's total cost of attendance as determined by the school and what other forms of financial aid the student is receiving. Graduate students may not borrow more than $20,500 in an academic year. The unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan accrues interest while the student is in school; a student may choose to pay the accruing interest while in school or may defer the repayment of the interest until after graduation, when it is added to the principle of the loan. Students completing a FAFSA will automatically be considered for this program.
Detailed information regarding this program, including the Master Promissory Note and entrance counseling, is available at studentaid.gov.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
Funds from this program are made available to students from the U.S Department of Education. The maximum amount a student can borrow from this program in an academic year depends on the student's total cost of attendance as determined by the school and what other forms of financial aid the student is receiving. The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS accrues interest while the student is in school. Students requesting a Graduate PLUS Loan must pass a credit check or have an eligible endorser for the loan. To be eligible for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan students must complete a FAFSA. Students who would like to be offered this loan should contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Detailed information regarding this program, including the Master Promissory Note and entrance counseling, is available at studentaid.gov.
TEACH Grant Program
The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides up to $4,000 per year ($16,000 total for four-year programs) in grants to students who intend to teach full-time in high-need subject areas for at least four years at schools that serve students from low-income families. The maximum award is subject to reduction by Congress.
- Eligible students must be enrolled in coursework that is necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework. Coursework that will prepare a student to teach in a high-need subject area (e.g., math courses for a student who intends to be a math teacher) is acceptable.
- Eligible students must meet the following academic achievement requirements of either scoring above the 75th percentile on either the SAT or the ACT or graduating from high school with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.250 on a 4.000 scale. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.250 throughout the academic program for which they receive a TEACH Grant.
- Eligible students must complete TEACH Grant counseling and sign a "TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve." The TEACH Grant service agreement specifies the conditions under which the grant will be awarded, the teaching service requirements, and includes an acknowledgement by the student that if the required teaching service obligation is not met, TEACH Grant funds will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.
To apply for the TEACH Grant you must submit the FAFSA. Additional information regarding the program can be found at studentaid.gov.
Teaching Obligation
To avoid repaying the TEACH Grant as a loan with interest, a student must be a highly qualified, full-time teacher in a high-need subject area at a school serving low-income students for at least four years within eight years of completing or withdrawing from the academic program for which the grant was received.
Scholarship Programs
The University of Texas at Dallas offers scholarships that are administered by schools, departments, or programs. Students are encouraged to review scholarship opportunities via the centralized listing managed by the Office of Financial Aid.
In accord with Chapter 54 of the Texas Education Code provided below, all applications for competitive academic scholarships for graduate study are reviewed by the Committee on Student Scholarships and/or the Graduate Scholarship Committee in the appropriate academic unit. Please note that not all competitively awarded scholarships are eligible for a competitive scholarship waiver.
Texas Education Code
Sec. 54.213. SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT
(a) An institution of higher education may charge a nonresident student who holds a competitive scholarship of at least $1,000 for the academic year or summer term for which the student is enrolled resident tuition and fees without regard to the length of time the student has resided in Texas. The student must compete with other students, including Texas residents, for the scholarship and the scholarship must be awarded by a scholarship committee officially recognized by the administration and be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under criteria developed by the coordinating board.
(b) The total number of students at an institution paying resident tuition under this section for a particular semester may not exceed five percent of the total number of students registered at the institution for the same semester of the preceding academic year.
(c) The difference between tuition charged to the student under this section and the tuition the student would be charged if this section did not apply to the student shall not be accounted for in such a way as to reduce the general revenue appropriation to an institution of higher education that charges a nonresident student resident tuition and fees under this section.
Transferred and redesignated from Texas Education Code, Section 54.064 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 359, Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2012.
Scholarships are awarded in accordance with the published eligibility criteria and award factors set forth by each respective program. Factors that may influence scholarship awarding include donor or program specifications, financial need for need-based scholarships, and availability of funding. Committees responsible for awarding a competitive scholarship may consider and give positive weight to such factors as the following:
- Courses taken
- Grades received in specific courses
- Good academic standing
- Academic promise
- Full or part-time enrollment
- Degree seeking
- Financial need may be considered but is not required
The criteria cited above is not an exhaustive list. Please visit UT Dallas Scholarships for more information.
The State of Texas limits how many competitive scholarship waivers may be offered, and the awarding of such waivers is at the sole discretion of the University. The Office of Financial Aid processes competitive scholarship waivers.
International Education Fund Scholarship (IEFS)
Through the proceeds from the International Education fee, scholarships are available for study-abroad programs. These scholarships are open to both graduate and undergraduate students enrolled full-time at time of application. Graduate students must be admitted to a degree seeking program and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. While abroad, the recipient of this scholarship must be enrolled in a full-time course of study. Coursework undertaken must apply to the student's degree program. Additional information is available on the IEFS website.
Teaching and Research Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships are available on a limited basis in most graduate programs. In addition, many faculty members have research projects which provide Research Assistantships. These Teaching and Research assistantships normally involve half-time employment and are awarded on the basis of merit. Students holding these assistantships must be enrolled for a minimum of nine semester credit hours for each regular semester in which the assistantship is awarded. The Dean of each school designates the minimum semester credit hours for a summer session. A student on a Teaching/Research Assistantship who is enrolled in the minimum number of semester credit hours and wishes to drop a course must obtain the signature of the Dean of Graduate Education. Students on probation will not be supported on an assistantship. Applications should be made to the appropriate Graduate Program office at least 60 days prior to the date of registration.
Prior to their appointment as Teaching Assistants, international students must meet the English requirements described in the "English Requirements for Teaching Assistants" section. All Teaching Assistants are required to attend TA Orientation held immediately prior to fall and spring semesters.