The University of Texas at Austin | International Office |   Financial Aid



Financial Aid

Tuition Loans

Tuition Loans are one way students can find temporary financial assistance.

Important information about tuition loans:
Students wishing to take a tuition loan for their first installment must be enrolled full time (12 hours undergraduate student or 9 hours graduate student), have a 2.0 or better GPA if an undergraduate student or a 3.0 or better GPA if a graduate student. Students with GPA’s below these minimums will be ineligible for tuition loans from this fund. In addition, the loan amount will be limited to a maximum of $4000 for the semester. Students whose installment payments are over $4000 may take a tuition loan for the maximum ($4000) but will have to pay the balance of their installment on or before the payment deadline either in cash, money order or credit card or their courses will be dropped. If you are prohibited from taking a tuition loan, you may access UT Direct on the web for alternate ways to pay your tuition. Open My Finances Menu and click on Student Accounts and scroll down to How to Pay.

Students who will have appointments with benefits:
Students with appointments that allow them to pay in-state tuition rates are eligible to take tuition loans from an entirely different loan fund for their tuition. In-state tuition loans are drawn from a much larger loan fund and thus there is very little chance of the loan fund running out of money before all students are registered. Also, students eligible to take a loan from this fund will NOT have the above GPA or funds limits as required for the International Office Tuition Loan Fund. Students, who will have a 20 hour appointment as a TA or GRA and thus be entitled to in-state tuition, should apply for a waiver of the non-resident portion of their tuition online at: Request for Resident Tuition Entitlement by Reason of Students own Employment. This should be done as soon as possible and definitely BEFORE the payment deadline for fall registration and before attempting a tuition loan.

Financial assistance for which international students may apply is EXTREMELY LIMITED.

Many students find assistance through on-campus employment. Graduate students may apply for teaching or research assistantships through their academic department. Contact the academic department for information about such awards. Part-time employment on campus is a possibility for graduate and undergraduate students who are eligible through their F1 or J1 student status or those on other visas who have work authorization. However, there is considerable competition for these on-campus jobs. Immigration regulations greatly restrict off-campus employment opportunities. (Carefully read eligibility requirements and additional documentation required.)

Financial Aid through International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)

Financial Aid up to $2,500 per semester is awarded 3 times a year to students who demonstrate financial need.
This is a competitive process as the number of awards allotted per semester is limited.
Please note: General financial aid awarded by ISSS does not provide a waiver on the non-resident portion of a student’s tuition & fee bill.

Download the Financial Aid Application

Submission Deadlines are as follows:

Aid for Summer 2009   : February 20, 2009

Aid for the 2009-2010 Academic Year (Fall, Spring & Summer) : April 6, 2009

Aid for Spring 2010 : September 30, 2009

Tuition Assistance for Mexican Students (TAMS)

Please Note: The application process for TAMS has changed!
Please read through the following information carefully.

TAMS provides a waiver of the non-resident portion of a student's tuition bill. TAMS is not a cash award. To be eligible for TAMS, you must be a citizen and resident of Mexico who demonstrates financial need. TAMS is not a cash award.

New Students:
Students who have been formally admitted to the University of Texas at Austin may submit a TAMS application. It is important to send the application for TAMS before submitting proof of financial support. After an incoming student has proven to The University that he or she has all the funding necessary for the issuance of immigration documents, the student has shown that there is no financial need.

Download the TAMS application for New Students: TAMS Application 1

Priority Submission Deadline for New Students: June 15, 2009

Continuing students who do not currently have a TAMS award:
If you are a continuing student who demonstrates financial need and you do not currently have a TAMS award, you may submit a TAMS application.

Download the TAMS application for Continuing Students: TAMS Application 1

Priority Submission Deadline for Continuing Students: June 15, 2009

Continuing students who currently have a TAMS award:
If you are a continuing student who currently has a TAMS award, and continue to demonstrate financial need, you must submit a TAMS Renewal Application in order to renew your TAMS award for the upcoming academic year.

If you do not submit a TAMS Renewal Application by the deadline specified below, you may submit your application by the New Student deadline, however, you risk losing your award for the upcoming academic year.

Download the Renewal Application for TAMS: TAMS Renewal Application

Submission Deadline for Continuing Students: March 20, 2009

TAMS is a renewable award. It is necessary to re-apply for TAMS each academic year before start of the fall semester.

Good Neighbor Scholarship (GNS)

The GNS provides one year of tuition (fall, spring, and summer) to students who were born in and are residents of a nation in the Western Hemisphere (excluding Cuba and the U.S.). The scholarship is administered through ISSS on behalf of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Please see the link below for information regarding eligibility, as well as to download the GNS Cover Sheet and application.

Please note: The deadline to submit your GNS Cover Sheet and Application is Friday, February 13, 2009.  
**Applications received after 5:00pm on this date will NOT be accepted.**

GNS Application
GNS Cover Sheet

Other Assistance

Other assistance consists primarily of small loans for emergencies. Students must apply in person at International Student & Scholar Services.

Additional Opportunties Outside of UT-Austin

Notices from private foundations/corporationsthat have been received by International Student & Scholar Services at UT-Austin are listed in our monthy newsletter and archived on our Additional Financial Aid Opportunities website.