Students needing financial aid are required to apply for financial aid every year. Start the process by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and entering our school code of 0036440.

No. You can still apply for aid, but keep in mind you should try to apply at least 4-6 weeks before the end of your enrollment for the academic year because we need sufficient time to complete the process before your enrollment ends. The Pell Grant program (for qualified undergraduates) and the government loan programs remain available throughout the year.

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is an eligibility index number used by the financial aid office to determine how much financial aid you are eligible for. When you fill out the FAFSA, you will provide all the information that is needed to calculate this number. The SAI is not an indicator of the amount of aid you should expect to receive or the amount you’re expected to pay. The SAI replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Our office will send you an email to let you know if documents are needed. You can also view the Document Tracking status under Student Financial Aid & Scholarships on Raiderlink. Any requested documents may be submitted via online form, U.S. Mail or dropped off in person to our office. Always include your TTU student identification number (R Number) and make sure all documents are signed.

To be considered independent for financial aid purposes you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You will be at least 24 years old by December 31 in the academic year
• Married as of the date the FAFSA was completed
• Working on a Master’s degree or PhD
• Active duty military
• Veteran of the U.S. armed forces
• Have children who receive more than half of their support from you
• Orphan or ward of the court
• Emancipated minor in your state of legal residence
• In a legal guardianship in your state of legal residence
• Homeless or in danger of being homeless

Documentation may be required to verify these criteria. For more information visit our page dedicated to Dependency status.

You can check the status of received documents in the financial aid office by checking on Raiderlink.

The standard calculation from the FAFSA uses the prior-prior calendar year income and resources. If your parent of record/stepparent has had a change resulting in a substantial decrease in expected income, or the loss of other resource(s), complete the  Special Circumstance Request Form. Submission of an appeal is not a guarantee of additional aid from the University.

The most up-to-date financial aid award package can be viewed on Raiderlink.

Students can expect to receive the Presidential Merit Scholarship for up to 8 semesters of enrollment at Texas Tech. Students are strongly encouraged to create and follow an academic plan that will allow them to graduate in 4 years.

Students can expect to receive the Transfer Merit Scholarship for up to 6 semesters of enrollment at Texas Tech.

Yes. If you are enrolled less than full-time, your financial aid will be prorated based on your enrolled credit hours. Students enrolled in less than half-time credit hours may not be eligible for financial aid.

You can speak with one of our advisors to see if additional loan options are available. Loans, both need-based (Federal Direct Subsidized) and non-need based (Federal Direct Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS, or Graduate PLUS) may be available. Additional loan options are available, such as, College Access Loan, Forward loan and private education loans.

The financial aid budget is an estimate of your cost of attendance. The financial aid office uses an average of the varying costs to determine a financial aid budget. Your billing statement from Student Business Services reflects the actual costs of your chosen housing and food plan along with other costs such as parking.

You are still eligible for financial aid if you are living off campus with parents or renting in the local area. If your financial aid (grants/scholarships and loan) exceeds the billed charges of tuition and fees, the credit balance on your student account will be refunded to you to assist with your off-campus expenses.

Yes. You are still eligible to apply for and receive financial aid for all approved study abroad programs through the University. If you need additional financial assistance, you may consider other educational loans such as CAL, Forward loan and private education loans.

Need-based financial aid is determined by cost of attendance minus your FAFSA calculated SAI. Funds are limited and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Need based grants can include the Federal Pell grant, Federal SEOG, and TTU grant. You must make Satisfactory Academic Progress to remain eligible for Federal financial aid. Merit scholarships, such as the Presidential Merit, are based on your academics included with your application for admission to the University. You must maintain a certain GPA to retain eligibility for your merit scholarship.

Yes. Federal Work Study is a limited, federally funded campus-based financial aid fund. Students not eligible for federal work study can still apply to work on campus for departments with institutional funding available to pay for work opportunities. Students can begin to apply for work positions on August 1.

Full-time enrollment for undergraduate students is a minimum of 12 hours per term. Most aid programs require full-time enrollment (12 hours) for full disbursement.

For Law, full-time is 12 hours. For all other graduate students, full-time enrollment is 9 graduate-level hours. Only the hours from your graduate-level courses are counted toward your enrollment.

To be eligible for financial aid, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress standards based on federal, state and institutional requirements.

In addition to the possible impact on your enrollment status at the university, withdrawing from some or all of your classes can affect your financial aid eligibility. Dropping a class can result in a loss of funding and meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Yes, however, there is limited funding available for summer terms. It is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

New students (both freshmen and transfers) are considered for scholarships based on the information submitted as part of the admissions application. There is no additional application required for scholarships from Texas Tech or those awarded by individual colleges and departments.

Students who qualify for a Presidential Merit Scholarship based on GPA and test score are automatically awarded upon admission. Please allow up to one week following your admission to Texas Tech for these awards to be added to your financial aid package.

Other Texas Tech scholarships and those awarded from colleges and departments are posted throughout the summer months based on the review of student applications and available funding.

The most current report of scholarship awards is available on Raiderlink, as part of your financial aid package.

Students can report external scholarship awards and other sources of aid by completing an online form. This allows these awards to be entered as part of your financial aid package and reduces the likelihood of an adjustment to other funding sources.

Please mail all external scholarship checks to:

Texas Tech Financial Aid & Scholarships
West Hall Room 301
Box 45011
Lubbock, Texas 79409

Please ensure that checks are addressed to Texas Tech University. If a check is addressed to the student, please endorse the check prior to mailing to expedite processing.

Renewal requirements for Presidential Merit awards are based on the amount of the scholarship. Please see the table below to determine your required GPA.

All Presidential Merit scholarships require 30 Texas Tech credit hours earned each year. This is a cumulative total of fall, spring, and summer coursework for each academic year.

Requirements for scholarship renewal are specific to the award. Scholarships may require a minimum GPA, a certain number of hours earned at Texas Tech each year, and/or submission of a ‘thank you’ letter. Students may be asked to write a donor thank you letter at a later time.

The awarding office can answer questions specific to your award(s).

Certain conditions must be met to allow funds to disburse. You must have satisfied all the paperwork needed, all corresponding holds must be removed, and you must be enrolled for the number of credits your aid is set up for. You need to register for full time credits if your aid is offered to you as a full-time student (12 credits for undergraduates or 5th years, or 10 credits for graduate students).

Disbursement begins 10 days before the start of each semester. If you have signed up for direct deposit, and all of the above criteria has been met, funds should arrive in your bank account by the first week of the semester. Please bear in mind that it takes approximately 2-3 business days for the direct deposit to arrive in your personal bank account after aid has disbursed to your student account to pay tuition and fees.