Sec. 56.3041. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY OF PERSON GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL ON OR AFTER MAY 1, 2013. (a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling in an eligible institution must:

(1) be a resident of this state as determined by coordinating board rules;

(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) as follows:

(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited private high school in this state who completed the foundation high school program established under Section 28.025 or its equivalent and have accomplished any two or more of the following:

(i) successful completion of the course requirements of the international baccalaureate diploma program or earning of the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of college credit in high school through courses described in Sections 28.009(a)(1), (2), and (3);

(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the coordinating board under Section 51.334 on any assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under that section or qualification for an exemption as described by Section 51.338(b), (c), or (d);

(iii) graduation in the top one-third of the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent; or

(iv) completion for high school credit of at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful completion of an Algebra II course or at least one advanced career and technical or technology applications course;

(B) have received an associate degree from a public or private institution of higher education;

(C) be an undergraduate student who has:

(i) previously attended another institution of higher education;

(ii) received an initial Texas Educational Opportunity Grant under Subchapter P for the 2014 fall semester or a subsequent academic term;

(iii) completed at least 24 semester credit hours at any institution or institutions of higher education; and

(iv) earned an overall grade point average of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all course work previously attempted; or

(D) if sufficient money is available, meet the eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A);

(3) meet financial need requirements established by the coordinating board;

(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certificate program at an eligible institution;

(5) except as provided under rules adopted under Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as:

(A) an entering undergraduate student for at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the calendar month in which the person graduated from high school;

(B) an entering undergraduate student who entered military service not later than the first anniversary of the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the coordinating board, at the eligible institution not later than 12 months after being honorably discharged from military service;

(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the calendar month in which the person received an associate degree from a public or private institution of higher education; or

(D) an undergraduate student described by Subdivision (2)(C) who has never previously received a TEXAS grant;

(6) have applied for any available financial aid or assistance; and

(7) comply with any additional nonacademic requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.

(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2)(A), a student who graduated under the recommended or advanced high school program is considered to have successfully completed the curriculum requirements of Section 51.803(a)(2)(A)(i). This subsection expires September 1, 2020.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 919, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1197 (S.B. 28), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 211 (H.B. 5), Sec. 68(a), eff. June 10, 2013.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1155 (S.B. 215), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 842 (H.B. 2223), Sec. 2.08, eff. June 15, 2017.