FAST
Dual Credit FAST
Beginning Fall 2013, the State of Texas adopted the Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program. The FAST program, as outlined in Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 13, Subchapter Q, provides funding to participating public institutions of higher education so they can offer dual credit courses to educationally disadvantaged students at no cost to these students.
The Texas Education Code (TEC) defines “educationally disadvantaged” as those students eligible for the national free/reduced-price lunch program. A student who meets this requirement in any of the four school years prior to the academic year in which the student is enrolled in the eligible dual credit course may be eligible for the FAST program.
Each semester, an institution will complete two processes related to the FAST program. The first process requires an institution to securely upload a roster file of registered dual credit students to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). This roster will be evaluated by the THECB against Texas Education Agency (TEA) data to confirm whether students were reported as educationally disadvantaged. The THECB will return an updated roster to institutions including an educationally disadvantaged indicator to confirm student eligibility.
Because of the FAST process, East Texas A&M will apply a temporary waiver to clear dual credit balances until it can be determined which students are eligible for FAST and who are not. The waiver will also keep dual credit students off the drop list. Once we are notified by the THECB of students eligible for FAST, we will bill non-FAST students directly or their school district, depending on the agreement for their charges. Payments may be made in full or over the remaining months on a payment plan. FAST students will not receive a bill for their tuition/fees or course materials. School districts will be billed for course materials.
Commit to ROAR Scholarship
The Commit to ROAR Scholarship awards a graduating East Texas A&M University dual credit student a $2000 scholarship issued as $1000 for the Fall and $1000 for the Spring during the student's first year as a degree-seeking student at ET.
- Available fall semester following high school graduation ONLY.
- Non-renewable.
- May be combined with additional freshman and donor-funded scholarships.
ELIGIBILITY:
Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Commit to ROAR Scholarship:
- 12 credit hours earned through East Texas A&M's Dual Credit Program.
- 2.75 minimum college GPA earned through East Texas A&M University dual credit coursework.
- Must maintain a 2.75 college GPA or better through the student's first fall and spring semesters as a degree-seeking student.
- Must enroll in a minimum of 15 credit hours each term, fall and spring, of degree- seeking first year.
*Graduating seniors who take dual credit courses through East Texas A&M University will be automatically admitted as a first-time, full-time students if they opt in before they graduate. Dual credit seniors should look for communication offering the chance to OPT IN for the Fall semester following graduation. Counselors will have access to this information as well and may offer it to their graduating seniors.