AUSTIN, Texas — Nearly 1,000 Texas high school students will receive scholarships worth $20,000 over four years through Texas Advance, a year-old University of Texas at Austin initiative aimed at supporting economically disadvantaged students across the state who are at the top of their class.
Texas Advance was created in 2014 to provide additional financial support for high-performing students historically limited in their access to higher education.
Of the 945 students awarded scholarships during the past year, 82 percent reported an annual parental income of less than $59,999, and 23 percent reported an annual income of less than $20,000.
“Making our campus as accessible as possible to students of all backgrounds is extremely important, and Texas Advance is designed to ensure we are helping the students who need it most,” said David Laude, senior vice provost of enrollment and curriculum services.
In total, students can earn up to $15,000 per year when Texas Advance is combined with available Pell and TEXAS Grants, which is enough to cover the cost of tuition, books and fees at UT Austin. Additionally, Texas Advance students are admitted to their first-choice colleges within the university.
The final deadline to submit an application for admission to UT Austin for the entering class of 2016 and to be considered for a Texas Advance award is Dec. 1.
“We strive to connect the university’s intellectual resources to communities across Texas and offer educational opportunities to those who may face the greatest challenges accessing them,” said Gregory J. Vincent, vice president of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. “Texas Advance provides bright, qualified students the ability to attend a great university when it otherwise might have been out of their reach financially.”
Students admitted through Texas Advance may also be invited to join one of several successful, invitation-only, academic-enrichment communities including University Leadership Network and Presidential Scholars. In these small, community-focused environments, students receive the support and resources they need to help them successfully make the transition from high school to college.
