DTS is inviting Texas residents to apply for a grant we received through the state of Texas. This grant is separate from the DTS needs-based scholarship process and funds.
Eligibility Requirements
To determine whether to apply, you should meet the following criteria before submitting for the initial review:
- Currently reside in Texas and have been in Texas for at least 1 year.
- Are a U.S. Citizen or Naturalized Citizen.
- Plan to be at least ¾ time, 7 hours Fall and Spring, (and 5 hours Summer).
Yes, to be considered for a TEG award you must have completed the current academic year FAFSA.
No, if you are here on a Visa or are a Permanent Resident you cannot apply for this award. You must be a U.S. citizen or Naturalized citizen to be eligible.
You must have been in Texas for at least 1 year to be considered. If not, you will not be eligible.
Yes, you should still apply and we will review to make a determination based on the criteria needed to meet the TEG requirements.
Three-Step Application Process
Please apply as soon as possible to ensure sufficient time for review and potential awarding before the Fall 2026 payment deadline on Friday, August 7. The deadline to apply and submit all materials is Friday, July 31.
- Submit the FAFSA for the 2026-2027 Academic Year (DTS School Code: G03562)
- Submit the Texas Residency Core Questionnaire (along with supporting documents). Requires login to access.
- Previous TEG recipients and all new TEG applicants must also complete an Enrollment Intention Form to identify the number of credits they intend to take for the upcoming academic year.
Establishment of Domicile
To establish domicile in Texas a dependent’s parents or the non-dependent must meet one of the four categories to qualify:
- Significant Gainful Employment,
- Residential Real Property,
- Marriage, or
- Ownership of a Business,
and establish you in Texas for 12 consecutive months to the semester census date as listed in the Texas Core Residency Questionnaire.
Documents that can establish domicile include but are not limited to:
- pay stubs,
- leases,
- mortgage statements,
- pensions,
- utility bills,
- Verification of employment letter, or
- business statements.
Documents that cannot be used as the main establishment of domicile but may assist include a marriage license/certificate or a warranty/deed.
This is employment, including self-employment, intended to provide an income to a person or allow a person to avoid the expense of paying another person to perform the tasks (as in child care) that is sufficient to provide at least one-half of the person’s tuition, fees and living expenses as determined in keeping with the institution’s student financial aid budget for 9-months or that represents an average of at least twenty hours of employment per week.
A person who is living off his/her earnings (present or past – such as pensions, veterans’ benefits, social security, and savings from previous earnings) may be considered gainfully employed for purposes of establishing domicile, as may a person whose primary support is public assistance.
Employment conditioned on student status, such as work study, internships, the receipt of stipends, fellowships, or research or teaching assistantships does not constitute gainful employment for purposes of resident determination.
Yes, multiple documents can be used to establish your domicile if they establish you in Texas for 12 consecutive months.
Establishing Intent
It depends on your reason for coming to Texas. If you selected that your intent for coming to Texas was for school, then you will need to provide one of the following documents to establish you are intending to stay and become a resident of Texas.
- Utility bills for the 12 consecutive months preceding the census date;
- A Texas high school transcript for full senior year immediately preceding the census date;
- A transcript from a Texas institution showing presence in the state for the 12 consecutive months preceding the census date;
- A Texas driver’s license or Texas ID card that has not expired and, if it reflects an origination date, shows an origination date at least 12 months prior to the census date;
- Cancelled checks that reflect a Texas residence for the 12 consecutive months preceding the census date;
- A current credit report that documents the length and place of residence of the person or the dependent’s parent to be in Texas and the length of residence to be at least 12 consecutive months preceding the census date.
- Texas voter registration card that was issued at least 12 months prior to the census date.
- Pay stubs for the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the census date, reflecting significant gainful employment in Texas;
- Bank statements reflecting a Texas address for the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the census date;
- Written statements from the office of one or more social service agencies (federal or state), attesting to the provision of services for at least the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the census date.
- Lease or rental of residential real property in the name of the person or the dependent’s parent for the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the census date.
While there may be some overlap between documents, most documents for establishing intent cannot be used to establish domicile. If you are needing to establish intent, you cannot submit the same document for both domicile and intent. They must be two separate documents. Ex: Someone cannot submit a lease to establish domicile and intent.
General Questions
If you are a dependent, you will need to have your parents submit both documents that establish domicile and intent in Texas.
Hardship Appeal Policy
The State of Texas requires that students meet certain academic standards for continued renewal of TEG.
End of 1st Academic Year – meet DTS SAP Policy (see DTS Catalog or Advising page for specific degrees)
End of 2nd Academic Year:
- Completion rate of at least 75%
- Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Earn at least 18 credit hours per academic year
If students encounter a severe difficulty that prevented them from meeting any or all of these standards, students can submit a TEG Hardship Appeal. Examples of hardship or severe difficulty include:
- Severe illness or other debilitating condition that affected your academic performance
- Death of a family member
- 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
TEG hardship appeals are limited to academic requirements only. Other TEG qualifiers such as need, state residency, and enrollment are not subject to appeal.
If you have experienced one of the above hardship conditions and it resulted in a loss of eligibility for TEG, please reach out to Financial Aid at financialaid@dts.edu to discuss what documentation will be needed to determine if an exception can be made.
