UTRGV Tuition Advantage
As always - and especially now - UTRGV understands the importance of supporting our students and families by making the university experience more affordable.
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage grant covers the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for students with a family income of $125,000 or less** who have unmet financial need.
Learn more about the Tuition Advantage grant below to see if you qualify.
Eligibility Criteria & Scenarios
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First-Time Freshman |
New Transfer |
Readmit |
Continuing |
|---|---|---|---|
|
$125K Family Income or Less |
$125K Family Income or Less |
$125K Family Income or Less |
$125K Family Income or Less |
|
Financial Need |
Financial Need |
Financial Need |
Financial Need |
|
Minimum 19 ACT or 990 SAT or Top 25% of HS Class**** |
Minimum 2.5 Overall GPA |
Minimum 2.5 UTRGV GPA |
Minimum 2.5 UTRGV GPA |
|
Admitted to UTRGV by: April 1st |
Admitted to UTRGV by: April 1st |
Admitted to UTRGV by: April 1st |
N/A |
|
*2025-26 FAFSA/TASFA completed by April 1st, 2025 |
*2025-26 FAFSA/TASFA completed by April 1st, 2025 |
*2025-26 FAFSA/TASFA completed by April 1st, 2025 |
*2025-26 FAFSA/TASFA completed by April 1st, 2025 |
| N/A | Must meet Financial Aid SAP (satisfactory academic progress) | Must meet Financial Aid SAP (satisfactory academic progress) | Must meet Financial Aid SAP (satisfactory academic progress) |
|
Texas Resident |
Texas Resident |
Texas Resident |
Texas Resident |
|
Enrolled 15 *** Semester Credit Hours or more |
Enrolled 15 *** Semester Credit Hours or more |
Enrolled 15 *** Semester Credit Hours or more |
Enrolled 15 *** Semester Credit Hours or more |
|
Covers: Tuition and Mandatory Fees |
Covers: Tuition and Mandatory Fees |
Covers: Tuition and Mandatory Fees |
Covers: Tuition and Mandatory Fees |
*Based on fund availability per academic year and awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
**Effective Fall 2022 Tuition Advantage will apply to students with an adjusted family income of $125,000 or less, based on unmet financial need. Please refer to our FAQ’s section below.
***Due to limited fund availability, students must be taking classes that are part of their degree plan and fulfilling any unmet degree requirements as reflected in Degree Works.
**** NEW for Fall 2025-2026, Tuition Advantage will be expanded to include students in the Top 25% of High School class.
FAQs
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage grant is the university's commitment to making higher education more accessible. Students who qualify for this program have the potential to have tuition and mandatory fees fully covered. UTRGV understands the importance of providing financial assistance for students with unmet financial need and strives to provide transparency in the awarding process.
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage grant is a program designed to cover tuition and mandatory fees by first utilizing federal and state aid, like Federal Pell and Texas Grant, scholarships and other gift aid. Any remaining tuition and mandatory fees not covered by these programs will be covered by the Tuition Advantage.
Yes, if you are a new freshman or transfer student, you must have submitted the appropriate ApplyTexas Application and been admitted to UTRGV by the April 1 deadline.
Students interested in being considered for the Tuition Advantage grant must file a FAFSA/TASFA every year, have a family income of $125,000 or less, and meet all eligibility requirements. Students currently attending UTRGV or returning to UTRGV as a Readmit student must meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for the award.
For eligible students with a family income of $125,000 or less, tuition and mandatory fees will be covered through grants, scholarships and/or additional UTRGV financial aid. A student’s Student Aid Index (SAI), as determined by the US Department of Education, is included in the Tuition Advantage calculation and may impact the award amount. A student's SAI has the ability to reduce Financial Need. For an explanation of Financial Need please refer to our FAQ’s under the question, ‘What is Financial Need?’.
Students interested in being considered for the Tuition Advantage grant must file a FAFSA/TASFA every year, have a family income of $125,000 or less, and meet all eligibility requirements. Students currently attending UTRGV or returning to UTRGV as a Readmit student must meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for the award.
Yes, transfer students new to UTRGV are eligible as long as the overall GPA is greater than 2.5 and all transfer eligibility requirements are met.
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage grant is for students seeking an undergraduate degree. Undergraduate students must be working toward the completion of their first undergraduate degree and meet the eligibility criteria.
Currently enrolled undergraduates working on their first bachelor’s degree are eligible for the UTRGV Tuition Advantage grant. Students currently enrolled at UTRGV must meet the Continuing Student eligibility criteria.
A Readmit Student is an undergraduate degree-seeking student who previously attended UTRGV but has not enrolled at UTRGV for one year or three consecutive semesters (fall, summer, spring). An application for (re)admission is required and students must be readmitted by April 1 to be considered for the Tuition Advantage Grant.
Note: Tuition Advantage is only available to students seeking first bachelor's degree. Second degree-seeking, Graduate, and Professional students do not qualify.
Financial Need is the difference between the Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Student Aid Index (SAI). (Financial Need = COA – SAI).
Unmet Financial Need, sometimes referred to as a gap, is the difference between Financial Need and the student’s need-based financial aid awards. (Unmet Financial Need = Financial Need – Financial Aid).
Late payment fees, late registration fees, excess credit hour fees, class repeat fees, drop fees, and any fees for auxiliary services, such as parking or citation fees, are not covered by the UTRGV Tuition Advantage Grant.
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage program is designed to cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees not covered by other federal or state aid and scholarships. Meal plans and residence hall charges are not considered tuition and mandatory fees; therefore, they will not be covered by UTRGV Tuition Advantage.
Continuing and Readmitted Students must be enrolled in 15 hours for the Fall term and based on fund availability*. All other eligibility criteria must have been met by the deadlines outlined in the table above to qualify for UTRGV Tuition Advantage. *Please Note: Tuition Advantage is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and fund availability.
First-Time Freshmen and New Transfer students must be enrolled in 15 hours for the Fall term and based on fund availability*. All other eligibility criteria must have been met by the deadlines outlined in the table above to qualify for UTRGV Tuition Advantage. *Please Note: Tuition Advantage is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and fund availability.
The UTRGV Tuition Advantage grant is awarded to students that attend the entire academic year (Fall and Spring) and funds are typically not available for students that attend only in Spring.
UTRGV Tuition Advantage is awarded to undergraduate students seeking their first bachelor’s degree.
The Fall 2022-Spring 2023 scenarios below will help illustrate how the program supports UTRGV students.
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UTRGV Vaquero #1 - Natalie Garcia - Awarded Full Tuition Advantage:
View the table below to see how Natalie is eligible for FULL Tuition Advantage to pay for her tuition and mandatory fees: |
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|---|---|---|
| Financial Need Calculation | UTRGV Tuition Advantage Calculation | |
| Cost of Attendance (COA) | $15,896 | |
| Less Student Aid Index (SAI) from FAFSA | -$7,500 | |
| Available Unmet *Financial Need | $8,396 | |
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees (T&F) | $8,132 | |
| Less Total Financial Aid Received (Pell, TEXAS Grant, TPEG, SEOG) | $0 | |
| Remaining T&F Balance | $8,132 | |
| **Tuition Advantage Award Amount: | $8,132 | |
| *(Financial Need is based on COA less SAI) **(In this scenario student is eligible for the lesser amount between Financial Need or T&F Balance which means Tuition Advantage would cover her full T&F balance of $8,132). |
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If you are interested in receiving more information or to find out if you are eligible, please contact us by email at ucentral@utrgv.edu or by phone at (956) 882-4026.