The Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) program provides grant aid to financially needy students to enable them to attend private colleges or universities in Texas. On June 4, 2025, the state of Texas and the federal government agreed that some parts of the Texas Education Code - specifically those that allow for individuals who are not lawfully present in the U.S. to be treated as Texas residents - conflict with federal law. Because of this, a U.S. District Court issued a permanent order preventing colleges and universities in Texas from offering state financial aid funds to students who do not meet certain legal residency requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, such as a lawful permanent resident.
- Must meet Texas Residency Rules for state financial aid, as determined by the TXCORE form.
- Demonstrate financial need in the form of a Student Aid Index (SAI), which is determined by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Enroll as a degree seeking student with an academic plan that leads to a first associate's, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degree at an eligible Texas institution. However, students enrolled in a Theology degree program leading to a licensure to preach cannot receive TEG.
- Must be enrolled in at least three-quarter time, which is 9 hours for undergraduates and 7 hours for graduates/professional students.
- Must not be receiving athletic scholarships
- Must be registered with the Selective Service, if required.
- First time recipients of TEG must meet SMU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy in order to receive it the next year. After their first year receiving TEG, students must meet the following academic progress rules as set by the state of Texas:
- Undergraduates – at the end of each year, student must have a 2.5 GPA, a total of 24 credit hours completed, and a 75% completion rate.
- Graduate/Professional students – at the end of each year, student must have a 2.5 GPA, a total of 18 credit hours completed, and a 75% completion rate.
Aid Amount
Amount varies each year and is determined by the Texas Legislature. For the 2025-2026 academic year, students with an SAI at or below 24,200 qualify for a TEG amount of $3,873. Undergraduate students demonstrating exceptional need (with an SAI less than 3,698) qualify for a TEG amount of up to $5,810 (depending on availability of funds).
Please note, SMU’s total TEG allocation varies each year and is determined by the Texas Legislature. Thus, priority is given to needy undergraduate students at the beginning of each year, but some funds may become available for graduate/professional students.
Hardship Provisions
The Texas Education Code allows for exceptions to be made when students are experiencing certain hardships. These hardship conditions include:
- a severe illness or other debilitating condition that may affect the student's academic performance;
- responsibility for a dependent that is sick, injured, or needy and the provision of care may affect their academic performance;
- the birth of a child or placement of a child with the student for adoption or foster care that may affect the student's academic performance; or
- a student's need to complete fewer than the required minimum number of hours in a given term in order to complete a degree.
If you have experienced one of the above hardship conditions, and it resulted in a loss of eligibility for TEG, please reach out to the SMU Mane Desk at manedesk@smu.edu to discuss what documentation will be needed to determine if Financial Aid Services may make an exception.