Scholarships
We’re Here to Help
Need help paying for college? We award over $10 million in scholarships each year. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, volunteer services, employment and financial need.
New Undergraduate Scholarships
Our institutional scholarships are awarded to new incoming college students who are pursuing their first undergraduate degree in a traditional campus-based program. Students enrolled in a 100% online program and/or pursuing a competency-based education (CBE/TAB) degree are not eligible for East Texas A&M scholarships.
Presidential Scholarship
The Presidential Scholarship is offered to students who rank in the top 10% of their graduating high school class on or before February 1:
- Awards will be based on calculated rank submitted via school transcript and postmarked to East Texas A&M University by the February 15 priority deadline.
- Transcripts submitted on or before February 1 without ranking will have a rank calculated based on the median ranking of the applicant pool at the time of admission.
- Transcripts submitted/resubmitted/updated that are postmarked after February 15 will not be considered for a change in tier, due to not meeting the February 15 priority deadline.
Recipients of the Presidential Scholarship must meet all the following criteria, without exception:
- Be admitted to the university and enter East Texas A&M in the calendar year of graduation from high school.
- Be enrolled in and complete at least 15 credit hours of East Texas A&M coursework during each fall or spring semester as an undergraduate student working towards first undergraduate degree.
| Presidential Scholarship | ACADEMIC INDEX | AWARD | DURATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time new freshman and may be combined with Honors College or donor-funded scholarships | Class rank in the TOP 10% | $4,000 | Up to 8 long semesters or graduation (whichever comes first). Four-year scholarship valued at $16,000 |
Blue and Gold Scholarships
| Blue and Gold Freshman Scholarships | ACADEMIC INDEX | AWARD | DURATION |
| First-time new freshmen and may be combined with donor-funded scholarships | TIER 1 (around 3.8 GPA and rank near top 20%) | $2,000 | Up to 8 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first. Four-year scholarship valued at $8,000 |
| TIER 2 (around 3.5 GPA and rank near top 30%) | $1,000 | Up to 8 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first. Four-year scholarship valued at $4,000 | |
| TIER 3 (around 3.0 GPA and rank near top 50%) | $500 | Up to 8 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first. Four-year scholarship valued at $2,000 |
| Blue and Gold Transfer Scholarships | ACADEMIC INDEX | AWARD | DURATION |
| First-time transfer students from a two-year college with an Associate’s Degree or who earned 45 credit hours may be combined with donor-funded scholarships | TIER 1 (3.8 college transfer cumulative GPA) | $2,500 | Up to 4 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first. Two-year scholarship valued at $5,000 |
| TIER 2 (3.5 college transfer cumulative GPA) | $2,000 | Up to 4 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first. Two-year scholarship valued at $4,000 | |
| TIER 3 (3.0 college transfer cumulative GPA) | $1,000 | Up to 4 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first. Two-year scholarship valued at $2,000 |
Blue and Gold Transfer Scholarships
Blue and Gold Freshman Scholarships are offered to students who have achieved the following combination of rank and cumulative GPA in their graduating high school class on or before February 1:
- TIER 1 (around 3.8 GPA and rank near top 20%)
- TIER 2 (around 3.5 GPA and rank near top 30%)
- TIER 3 (around 3.0 GPA and rank near top 50%)
- Awards will be based on calculated rank submitted via school transcript and postmarked to East Texas A&M University by the February 15 priority deadline.
- Transcripts submitted on or before February 1 without ranking will have a rank calculated based on the median ranking of the applicant pool at the time of admission.
- Transcripts submitted/resubmitted/updated that are postmarked after February 15 will not be considered for a change in tier, due to not meeting the February 15 priority deadline.
Recipients of the Blue and Gold Scholarship must meet all the following criteria, without exception:
- Be admitted to the university and enter East Texas A&M in the calendar year of graduation from high school.
- Be enrolled in and complete at least 15 credit hours of East Texas A&M coursework during each long semester as an undergraduate student working towards first undergraduate degree.
The Blue and Gold Transfer Scholarship is offered to students who have achieved the following college transfer cumulative GPA on or before February 1:
- TIER 1 (3.80 college transfer cumulative GPA)
- TIER 2 (3.50 college transfer cumulative GPA)
- TIER 3 (3.00 college transfer cumulative GPA)
- Awards will be based on college transfer cumulative GPA submitted via school transcript and postmarked to East Texas A&M University by February 15 priority deadline.
- Transcripts submitted/resubmitted/updated that are postmarked after February 15 will not be considered for a change in tier, due to not meeting the February 15 priority deadline.
Recipients of the Blue and Gold Transfer Scholarship must meet all the following criteria, without exception:
- Be admitted to the university and enter East Texas A&M in the calendar year of graduation from a two-year school with an earned associate degree or 45 credit hours without gaps in enrollment.
- Be enrolled in and complete at least 15 credit hours of East Texas A&M coursework during each fall or spring semester as an undergraduate student working towards first undergraduate degree.
President’s Promise Scholarship
| President’s Promise Scholarship | AWARD | DURATION |
| First-time new freshman students with a filed FAFSA, Pell-eligible and AGI $85K or less, Texas resident and may be combined with Honors College or donor-funded scholarships | Full tuition (fees are not covered by this scholarship and will be billed separately) | Up to 8 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first |
| First-time new transfer students with a filed FAFSA, Pell-eligible and AGI $85K or less, Texas resident, from a two-year college with an associate degree or earned 45 credit hours and may be combined with donor-funded scholarships | Full tuition (fees are not covered by this scholarship and will be billed separately) | up to 8 long semesters (fall and spring) or graduation, whichever comes first |
The President’s Promise Scholarship is offered to students who meet the specified criteria as well as students who are eligible for the Dallas County Promise or Independent School District Pledge.
Recipients of the President’s Promise Scholarship must meet all the following criteria, without exception:
- Be admitted to the university and enter East Texas A&M in the calendar year of graduation from high school, or from a two-year school with an earned associate degree or 45 credit hours without gaps in enrollment.
- Be enrolled in and complete at least 15 credit hours of East Texas A&M coursework during each fall or spring semester as an undergraduate student working towards a first undergraduate degree.
- Qualify for a Federal Pell Grant or the equivalent demonstrated need as defined by TASFA and have a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less.
- Be a Texas resident for tuition purposes.
- The deadline to complete FAFSA/TASFA is June 1.
The President’s Promise Scholarship covers all tuition not covered by other grants or scholarships and will meet 100% of the student’s tuition costs for up to eight semesters for new entering freshmen or up to four semesters for new entering transfers.
(Fees are not covered by the President’s Promise scholarship and will be billed to the student’s account separately).
- Presidential and Blue and Gold: Maintain a minimum 2.75 semester GPA  and  institutional cumulative GPA
- President's Promise: Maintain a minimum 2.00 semester GPA  and institutional cumulative GPA
- Successfully enroll  and  complete a minimum of 15 East Texas A&M credit hours each fall/spring semester and 30 East Texas A&M credit hours each academic year
Homer Tate Initiative Scholarship
Homer Tate Initiative Scholarship
The Homer Tate Initiative Scholarship was established to assist students with funding in their last term before graduation. Scholarships are limited to only undergraduate and graduate students in their last remaining 3 credit hours.
To qualify for the Homer Tate Initiative Scholarship, a student must:
- Be a FAFSA or TASFA financial aid applicant in good standing with Financial Aid.
- Be enrolled in the last 3 credit hours required to complete the degree.
- Be graduating at the end of the semester for which the student is applying for the scholarship, and understand they must have a Graduation Application on file with the Registrar’s Office.
- Provide a complete application which includes information from their Academic Advisor as documentation of remaining course requirement to complete degree.
- Have a balance due after any offered financial aid is applied.
- Students pursuing Competency Based degrees, such as the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) in Organizational Leadership and Competency Based Criminal Justice (CBCJ), are not eligible to apply for East Texas A&M University scholarships.
- Complete the Application form for Homer Tate Scholarship.
- Applications must be submitted on or before the 12th class day of the fall or spring semester of the 4th class day of the summer semester.
- Scholarship applications are reviewed in the order received.
- Check your LeoMail for communication regarding the scholarship.
- Funding is limited, so apply today!
Frequently Asked Questions
I am an International Student. Am I eligible to apply?
Unfortunately, no. You must also be a financial aid applicant with a FAFSA or TASFA application on file.
What if I was offered financial aid, but declined it?
If the offered amount was sufficient to cover your balance, then you would not be eligible to apply for the scholarship. “Financial aid” includes scholarships, grants, and loans. Keep in mind that most federal and institution funds will not disburse for students in 3 credit hours.
What is a graduation application?
A graduation application is your application to graduate from the university and receive your diploma.
I applied. What happens now?
Please continue to monitor your LeoMail for communication regarding the scholarship.
What if I have additional questions not covered in this FAQ?
Will I increase my chances of being awarded the scholarship by providing a resume or academic records?
What if I graduate in a different term than the current one?
You would be eligible to apply for your very last semester.
If you choose to apply early, please understand that applications will be processed for the current term only, after the application deadline. For example – if you are graduating in Summer II, and it is currently the May Mini, your application will not be processed until after the census date of Summer II.
We will continue to open the scholarship application each semester, until funding is depleted.
What if I am on a payment plan?
If awarded the scholarship, it could still pay the amount you were billed for applicable tuition and applicable fees.
What if financial aid already paid my balance?
What if I already paid my balance out of pocket?
If awarded the scholarship, it would still pay the amount you were billed for tuition and applicable fees (unless you were offered sufficient financial aid to cover your balance, and declined it). Keep in mind that most federal and institution funds will not disburse for students in 3 credit hours.
What if I am transferring in coursework?
Please provide documentation of the outside coursework, and apply for Homer Tate for your last 3 hours at this institution. Homer Tate funds cannot be applied to outside coursework. You may be eligible to complete a Consortium Agreement. Eligibility for Homer Tate will be determined by the Scholarship Office.
Outside Scholarships
Scholarships and awards from private outside and non-profit institutions and organizations are a great way to help finance your education.
East Texas A&M compiles a list of several outside scholarships. Students are also encouraged to search on their own. The scholarship directories below are a valuable resource for researching and finding many scholarships for which you may be eligible.
If you are the recipient of any type of award, typically scholarships or corporate sponsorships from a source other than East Texas A&M, you must report it to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships as soon as possible using the Outside Resource Form. An adjustment in your financial aid offer may be needed according to the guidelines of the aid programs currently offered. You may be required to repay the financial assistance you have already received if you are no longer eligible for those aid programs.
You can find the Outside Resource Form on our Forms page to fill and send to [email protected].
If you receive an outside scholarship or corporate sponsorship, please inform the donor to document the check or include a letter with the recipient’s name and the semester to which the funds apply. All scholarship/sponsorship/endowment money should be sent to:
Financial Aid and Scholarships
East Texas A&M University
P.O. Box 3011
Commerce, TX 75429
The links below are provided for informational purposes only. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement. Neither the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships nor East Texas A&M can guarantee the accuracy or the timeliness of the information on these sites.
Always be cautious and ensure that any scholarship found is legitimate and not a scam.
Honors Program
The Honors College offers programs for incoming freshmen who apply in their senior year of high school and for current East Texas A&M and transfer students. As part of the Honors College, you will experience an interdisciplinary curriculum featuring unique and challenging courses. With small class sizes and personal faculty mentors, you will complete a capstone experience, such as working with a faculty member on a research project, engaging in an off-campus internship or a project of your own design! Honors College students are eligible to apply for Honors housing and for scholarships that can help offset tuition, fees, housing, meals and books.
For additional information, visit the Honors College website or email [email protected].
Donor Funded and Departmental Scholarship Opportunities
Admitted students can apply for donor-funded and departmental scholarship opportunities by completing our General Scholarship Application. Students admitted in a CBE (Competency-Based Education) program or accepted under the PSA program are not eligible to apply for donor-funded scholarships.
The scholarship application cycle for donor-funded and departmental scholarships begins December 1. There will be three rounds of review of the applications. The priority deadline for most opportunities is January 15. There will be two additional deadlines March 15 and June 1. Any offers will need to be accepted by the acceptance deadlines for each of the three rounds. Any awards not accepted by the deadlines will be canceled and funds offered to other students. Canceled offers will not be reinstated. After applying, be sure to check the portal frequently for any new opportunities that may have opened up. Offer notifications will be sent via the student myLeo email address.
- Log in to myLEO and click on the APPS tab.
- Click on Scholarships.
- Click the “Sign-Up” button located in the upper, right corner of the page.
- Your LeoMail university email address and a user-created password is required to set up the account.
- A confirmation email will be sent to your LeoMail account, and you will need to click the link in the email in order to access the portal for the first time
- Log in to myLEO and click on the APPS tab.
- Click on Scholarships.
- Click the “Sign-In” button located in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
- Use your LeoMail university email address and your previously created password to sign in.
- Should you forget your password, click “Trouble Signing In” to enter your LeoMail email address, and then click “Recover Password”. A password reset email will be sent to you.
- Scholarship Portal (read-only)
When you first sign in to the Scholarship Portal, you will be in the General Scholarship Application. This application lets you apply for endowed and departmental scholarships. We will use this information to match you with scholarship opportunities. You will need to fill in all the questions. If any information is missing, you will be prompted to complete the missing information before you are able to submit the application.
Please pay close attention to the questions asked. There may be options that require selections such as “Other” or “Not Applicable.” For example, if the high school you attended is not shown in the “High School Name” section, you will select “Other,” and you will need to respond to the following statement: “If you chose ‘Other’ for High School Name, please specify.”
On the General Scholarship Application, you will also see an Applicant Record tab. The applicant information comes from our student information system. If you find that the information is incorrect, please e-mail [email protected] so that we can advise you on how to correct this information.
Once you have completely filled out the application, you will select “Finish” and “Continue.” You also have the option to save the application without submitting it until you are completely finished. You may do this by clicking on “Save and Keep Editing.”
Navigate to “Opportunities” then “Recommended.” The list of recommended opportunities shown is comprised of scholarships that will require you to answer additional questions, provide additional information or provide an essay.
In order for you to determine what information you need to submit for a particular scholarship, click on the “Apply” button next to the scholarship you would like to review. After completing the required information, you will click on “Finish and Submit.” Please note: This process will need to be repeated for each recommended scholarship for which you would like to be considered.
You will also notice the “All” tab on the “Opportunities” section. These are all of the scholarships available. Do not apply to any other scholarships listed on this tab. You should only apply to those scholarships on the “Recommended” tab.
On the “My Applications” tab you will see the scholarships that have been automatically matched with your information provided on the General Scholarship Application. You are automatically considered for these scholarships. No further action is required for these particular scholarships.
As you complete the additional information required for your recommended opportunities, those scholarships will appear in the “Current” section. Each scholarship will appear as a box, with the status in the top right corner.
You may also log in to view updates regarding your application status for various scholarship opportunities in the “Current” section during the application review process.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will notify applicants via their LeoMail account if a scholarship offer has been made.
The priority deadline to apply for most university donor-funded scholarships for the upcoming academic year is January 15. Scholarships with remaining funds to be awarded after the review of the applications by the priority deadline may be reopened for additional applications on a rolling basis until all funds have been committed.
Some donor-funded and departmental scholarships have rolling deadlines past the priority deadline.
Three Rounds For Donor-Funded Scholarship Review
- Priority Deadline – January 15, 2024
- Regular Deadline – March 15, 2024
- Final Remaining Deadline – June 1, 2024
Notice of Awards & Acceptance Deadlines
- Priority Deadline – February 9, 2024 – Must be accepted by March 1
- Regular Deadline – April 1, 2024 – Must be accepted by May 1
- Final Remaining Deadline – June 19, 2024 – Must be accepted by July 10
As new scholarship opportunities are added regularly, please continue to log in to the Scholarship Portal for any new scholarship opportunities that may become available.
Some recommended opportunities may require references. On the “Home” tab, you will see a tab titled, “Manage References.” When you add someone as a reference, we will contact them with instructions on how to upload their reference letter to complete the reference. You will see the status here. You may come back to this location to add additional references, if necessary.
It is suggested that you ask a reference for permission to use them as a reference. Once you have applied, let them know to expect an email with instructions. This will assist with the timely completion of your reference.
If you have additional questions regarding the Scholarship Portal or the General Scholarship Application, please email [email protected].