The University of Texas at Tyler recently re-branded their Reaching Higher Scholarship to the Patriot Promise Scholarship. The Patriot Promise Scholarship is now available for new students at UT Tyler, such as freshmen or incoming transfers.
Patriot Promise offers to cover tuition and fees not covered by financial aid. With UT Tyler being the biggest transfer school for TJC students, many may want to take advantage of this opportunity.
TJC freshman Caroline Phillips said, “I feel that the Patriot Promise is going to do a lot of good for this community and lots of students. It’s exciting to think more people will have the chance of higher education through it.”
With some students beginning their journey at junior colleges to avoid debt, the UT Promise Scholarship provides opportunities for students to further their education.
“I think the Patriot Promise is a great resource for transferring students. Most students start at a junior college for the reason of debt, so I think a transfer scholarship for these students increases the chance of them going on to complete a four-year degree.” Both Horstkamp and Phillips plan on transferring to UT Tyler and applying for the scholarship.
David Barron, the associate vice president of University Enrollment at UT Tyler, explains the requirements for potential candidates.
“You have to be full time; you have to be a Texas resident,” Barron said. “You have to file the FAFSA and you have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000.”
You also must receive less than $10,000 from grants and aid in order to receive the scholarship. While the scholarship is first come first serve, Barron expressed even late applicants still have a chance to be awarded some aid as they do have a high budget and the chances of the money running out is slim.
There is no special application process for the scholarship. All students have to do is fill out the FAFSA application and they are automatically considered.
The deadline to apply is May 1. If awarded the scholarship students will receive an email and see on their financial aid tab that they received it. The scholarship covers only tuition and fees not covered by FAFSA. It is not a refundable scholarship.
When the Patriot Promise Scholarship was first introduced it was only offered to incoming freshmen students at UT. With rebranding and restructuring, the scholarship is now offered to incoming freshman as well as transfer students.
“We’re excited to expand it to our transfer population. I think that’d be a good addition for our TJC students,” Barron said. “TJC students are our largest feeder community college students to the institution. So we have a lot of TJC alums that come here and finish their degree and are very successful. So this should very well help a lot of students in meeting that financial aid, as well.”
