The cost of college can include a variety of items including some you might not expect. By understanding college costs, you can compare schools and explore options for how to lower your costs.
Learn more about the costs of college as well as ways that you can help lower your costs by visiting the Federal Student Aid website.
Focus on the net price of college instead of the sticker price.
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college or career school affordable.
Financial aid can come from federal, state, school, and private sources to help you pay for college or career school.
Besides financial aid, you should also think about what you can do to lower your costs when you go to college.
Searching for Scholarships
There are a lot of scholarship opportunities available out there…you just have to know where to look! You can use an app for your device such as Scholly, Going Merry or Raise Me. (See links below)
You can also find MANY institution specific scholarship opportunities just by visiting the website of a college you are interested in attending. Here is a list of where you can find school specific scholarship opportunities for major Texas universities.
OTHER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
K12 TO SNHU PROGRAM
K12 has teamed up with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) to offer 20% off onlne tuition to eligible high school graduates of K12-powered schools. Students who graduate from Stride K12-powered schools (including TVAH) and enroll in any SNHU undergraduate program may be eligible for this tuition scholarship for the duration of their program as long as they meet all eligibility requirements.
Learn more about the K12 to SNHU Scholarship Program by clicking here!
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Each year, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards 150 college scholarships worth $20,000 to high school students across the United States through the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Students need a 3.0 GPA and to complete an online application that requires no essays, no recommendations, and no transcripts by September 30, 2025, at 5 p.m. Eastern.
Learn more about the Coca-Cola Scholars Program by clicking here!
Comprehensive Scholarship List
You can look through a comprehensive scholarship list here –
Please note that this list is not organized or maintained by K12 staff.
AMET Scholarship Program
The AMET Scholarship Window is open from January 15th – March 15th each year. Scholarship Awards will be available in June for Summer enrollees and August for Fall enrollees. High School Seniors, early graduating Juniors, and college prior winners are all encouraged to apply!
*The Art Scholarship opens at a later date, after the 2026 AMET Conference theme has been announced. Stay tuned!
QUESTBRIDGE COLLEGE MATCH
The QuestBridge National College Match and the National Merit Scholarship Program have very competitive eligibility requirements.
QuestBridge applicants should have taken challenging courses like Advanced Placement (AP®) or International Baccalaureate (IB®), be ranked in the top 5–10% of their graduating class, have strong writing ability, SAT score > 1260 or ACT composite score >27 and show financial need.
National Merit Scholarship Program applicants, in addition to taking the PSAT/NMSQT®, must be enrolled in high school and hold US citizenship (or plan to become a US citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed).
TEXAS FIRST DIPLOMA
The Texas First Diploma is designed to keep Texas’ best and brightest on a direct track to a postsecondary pathway here in our great state. Texas’ top students can accelerate their path to college and earn up to a year in scholarship dollars to attend select Texas institutions.
BORROWING MONEY
Loans allow students to borrow money for college or career school. In contrast to grants and scholarships,students must repay their loans, with interest. Here are the different types of loans available.
Federal Loan: Direct Subsidized Loans
These loans are made to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of higher education at a college or career school. The Department of Education pays the interest on these loans while students are enrolled in college.
Federal Loan: Direct Unsubsidized Loans
These loans are made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but in this case, the student does not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the loan. The interest on these loans accrues while students are enrolled in college and becomes a part of the total debt owed.
Federal Loan: Direct PLUS Loans
These loans are made to graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid.
Federal Loan: Federal Perkins Loan Program
A school-based, loan program for undergraduates and graduate students with exceptional financial need. Under this program, the college or university is the lender.
State Loan: College Access Loan (CAL)
The College Access Loan program provides alternative student loans to Texas students who are unable to meet the cost of attendance. The maximum annual loan amount is calculated by subtracting all other financial aid (regardless of whether the student accepts the aid) from the cost of attendance.
State Loan: Texas B-On-Time Loan (BOT)
The Texas B-On-Time Loan program is a zero-interest loan with a loan forgiveness option. Based on state funds, new BOT loans may be available in the future. However, current funding is only available to past recipients. The institution’s financial aid office will determine renewal eligibility.
State Loan: Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP)
This scholarship becomes a loan if recipients fail to meet the program requirements. The purpose of TASSP is to encourage students to join a branch of the military that allows them to serve in the state of Texas or as commissioned officers in any branch of the United States military.