East Texas A&M University Partner Page · Fall 2027

DCP can close the tuition gap at East Texas A&M University, after your financial aid.

ETAMU, Dallas County Promise is funded through ETAMU's own institutional dollars, as an extension of the Presidents Promise program. It helps students who graduate from a participating Dallas County high school cover tuition left over after all other financial aid is applied. This is a "last-dollar" grant.

This guide covers Dallas County Promise requirements specifically for students attending East Texas A&M University. Planning to attend a different partner school? See other partner schools →

How do I apply? Check eligibility

Welcome to East Texas A&M University

Fall 2027

Quick Facts

Gap

ETAMU covers remaining tuition after your other aid is applied

Mar 1

General deadline: admission & FAFSA/TASFA for Fall 2027

≤ $85k

Family AGI limit (SAI below 14,790), plus Pell eligibility required

Award length:

8 semesters (Path 1) 4 semesters (transfer) 15 credits/semester

Contact ETAMU

What is the Dallas County Promise ETAMU Program?

DCP covers what's left after your other aid

At East Texas A&M University, the Dallas County Promise program is funded through ETAMU's own institutional dollars, as an extension of the Presidents Promise program. It helps students who graduate from a participating Dallas County high school pay for college at ETAMU by covering tuition that remains after your other financial aid is applied. This page details how it works specifically at ETAMU. Requirements, deadlines, and processes vary at other partner schools.

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This award covers tuition only. You will still need to budget for institutional fees, housing, food, transportation, academic and personal supplies, parking fees, and other living expenses.

Two Ways to Participate

There are two paths into the Dallas County Promise program at ETAMU. Find yours below.

Award duration: up to 8 consecutive semesters (4 years) at ETAMU
Only 4 semesters / 2 years if you also earned an Associate Degree in high school

Award duration: up to 4 consecutive semesters (2 years) at ETAMU
Requires remaining Dallas County Promise eligible and have at least a 2.00 GPA

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Full-time enrollment required: Both paths require enrollment in at least 15 credit hours each semester to receive the full award.

Eligibility

Am I eligible?

Eligibility differs depending on your path. Select your path below to see the requirements that apply to you.

For students graduating in the Class of 2027, enrolling Fall 2027-2028. You qualify if you meet ALL of the following:

Requirement	What It Means for You
High School Attendance	Attended a participating Dallas County high school for the full current school year and graduated from it this year
Promise Deadlines	Met all Dallas County Promise deadlines: Promise Path form, admission application, financial aid application, orientation, and enrollment
Financial Need	Qualify for a federal Pell Grant, or show equivalent demonstrated need as defined by TASFA
Family Income	Family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less, with an SAI below 14,790
Residency	Texas resident for tuition purposes
Start Term	Start classes the Fall semester right after high school graduation
Enrollment Load	Enroll in at least 15 credit hours each semester to receive the full award
Continuous Enrollment	Enroll in both Fall AND Spring during your first year, and every year after. You cannot skip a semester, and the award covers Fall/Spring only, not Summer or mini-terms

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Stop Out: If you sit out for one full Fall or Spring semester, you must complete an appeal form if you fail to enroll for that semester.

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International Students: Currently not eligible for the Dallas County Promise program at ETAMU.

For students graduating with an associate's degree in 2026-2027. You qualify as a Dallas County Promise transfer student if you meet ALL of the following:

Requirement	What It Means for You
Dallas College Eligibility	Remained eligible for Dallas County Promise at Dallas College
Enrollment Timing	Enroll at ETAMU in the Fall or Spring semester immediately after graduating from Dallas College with a transferable associate degree (AA, AS, or AAT), with no gap in enrollment allowed
Residency	Texas resident for tuition purposes
Financial Need	Qualify for a federal Pell Grant, or show equivalent demonstrated need as defined by TASFA
Family Income	Family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less
Admission Timing	Be accepted for transfer admission to ETAMU by March 1 (Fall enrollment) or December 1 (Spring enrollment)
FAFSA / TASFA	Submit each year by the priority deadline of January 15 (final deadline: March 1)
Continuous Enrollment	Enroll in both Fall AND Spring throughout your 4-semester (2-year) eligibility period. You cannot skip a semester, and the award covers Fall/Spring only, not Summer or mini-terms

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Stop Out: If you sit out for one full Fall or Spring semester, you must complete an appeal form if you fail to enroll for that semester.

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International Students: Currently not eligible for the Dallas County Promise program at ETAMU.

How to Apply

Application steps by path

Select your path below to see the application steps and deadlines that apply to you.

To maximize your chances at other ETAMU competitive scholarships, apply and file for aid by the priority deadlines below. After the priority deadline, scholarships are awarded only as funds remain available.

Apply for Admission by March 1, 2027

Apply for admission to ETAMU for Fall 2027 by the general deadline.

Submit FAFSA or TASFA by March 1, 2027

Submit a complete FAFSA and/or TASFA, including all required documents, by the general deadline.

Complete All Dallas County Promise Steps

Promise Path form, admission application, financial aid application, scholarships, orientation, and enrollment.

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Questions? Contact the ETAMU Team.

Applies to Fall 2026 through Spring 2027 transfers. First, declare your intent to transfer to ETAMU with your Dallas College Success Coach by March 1 during your first year at Dallas College. Then complete the following:

Be Admitted to ETAMU

By March 1 for Fall, or by December 1 for Spring, including official transcripts from all colleges previously or currently attended.

Submit FAFSA or TASFA

By the general deadline of March 1, including all required documents if selected for verification.

To maximize your chances at other ETAMU competitive scholarships, apply and file for aid by the published priority deadlines.

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Questions? Contact the ETAMU Team.

Mar 1General Deadline

March 1, 2027: admission & FAFSA/TASFA general deadline

Whether you're a first-time student or a Dallas College transfer heading to ETAMU for Fall 2027, both your ETAMU admission application and your FAFSA or TASFA are due by this date. Spring transfers have separate deadlines. See Path 2 above.

Renewal Requirements

Keeping the award for 2028-2029 and beyond

Once you are at ETAMU, you must meet all of the following each year to keep your award:

Be registered for at least 15 credit hours through the 12th class day each Fall and Spring semester (only ETAMU credits count)
Earn at least 15 credit hours by the end of each Fall and Spring semester
Maintain a cumulative institutional GPA of 2.00 or higher, checked at the end of each Fall and Spring semester
Meet and maintain ETAMU's Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, as described in the ETAMU Undergraduate Catalog
Maintain a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less (as reported on the FAFSA/TASFA) and stay eligible for federal, state, and/or institutional financial aid
Complete your bachelor's degree within 8 consecutive semesters (4 years) of enrollment at ETAMU if you entered with just a high school diploma
Complete your bachelor's degree within 4 consecutive semesters (2 years) of enrollment at ETAMU if you entered with a high school diploma and an associate degree

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GPA warning grace period: If your GPA falls below 2.00 in the Fall semester, you'll receive a warning but will still be eligible for the award in the Spring.

Once enrolled at ETAMU as a transfer student, you must meet all of the following each year:

Be registered for at least 15 credit hours through the 12th class day each Fall and Spring semester (only ETAMU credits count)
Earn at least 15 credit hours by the end of each Fall and Spring semester
Maintain a cumulative institutional GPA of 2.00 or higher, checked at the end of each Fall and Spring semester
Meet and maintain ETAMU's Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, as described in the ETAMU Undergraduate Catalog
Maintain a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less and stay eligible for federal, state, and/or institutional financial aid
Complete your bachelor's degree within 4 consecutive semesters (2 years) of enrollment at ETAMU

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GPA warning grace period: If your GPA falls below 2.00 in the Fall semester, you'll receive a warning but will still be eligible for the award in the Spring.

Program Rules

What you can, must, and may not do

These rules apply to students on both Path 1 and Path 2.

✔ What You CAN Do

Receive other outside private, endowed, and departmental scholarships

• What You MUST Do

Accept all gift aid you are eligible for, including Pell and state grants
Review and accept the terms and conditions of the Dallas County Promise award
Submit the FAFSA (with all verification steps) and/or TASFA by the general deadline of March 1

✖ What You May NOT Do

Transfer the award to another college or university outside ETAMU
Return to ETAMU and receive funds after or while attending another institution
Transfer the award to another person
Receive a refund for any unused Dallas County Promise dollars
Have a gap in enrollment between completing your associate degree and enrolling at ETAMU (Path 2 only)

Quick Reference

Key numbers & terms

Plain-language definitions for the terms and numbers you'll see throughout this program.

Term / Number	Plain-Language Meaning
Last-dollar grant	Covers tuition remaining after all other grants/scholarships are applied.
Presidents Promise	ETAMU's institutional program that the Dallas County Promise is an extension of, funded through ETAMU's own dollars.
Pell-eligible	You qualify for a federal Pell Grant, or your Student Aid Index (SAI) is low enough that you would qualify, or you show equivalent demonstrated need as defined by TASFA.
Family AGI ≤ $85,000	Your household Adjusted Gross Income (from FAFSA/TASFA) must be $85,000 or less.
SAI below 14,790	Your Student Aid Index (from FAFSA) must be below 14,790 to qualify (Path 1 only).
15 credit hours	ETAMU requires 15 credit hours per semester to receive the full award.
GPA 2.00	You must maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA at ETAMU (with a one-semester warning grace period).
FTIC: 8 semesters	First-time college students (straight from high school) get up to 8 consecutive semesters (4 years).
FTIC + Associate Degree: 4 semesters	If you also earned an Associate Degree in high school, your award covers 4 semesters (2 years).
Transfer: 4 semesters	Transfer students from Dallas College get up to 4 semesters (2 years) at ETAMU.
FAFSA / TASFA	Financial aid applications you must file every year by the deadline.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)	ETAMU's minimum academic standards, described in the Undergraduate Catalog, that you must maintain.
No enrollment gap (transfer students)	You must start at ETAMU the very next semester after completing your associate degree, with no time off in between.

Common Questions

Straight answers

Does Dallas County Promise cover all of my costs at ETAMU?

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No. This is a last-dollar grant that covers tuition left over after all your other financial aid is applied. You'll still need to budget for institutional fees, housing, food, transportation, academic and personal supplies, parking fees, and other living expenses.

What's the difference between Path 1 and Path 2?

Path 1 is for students who go straight to ETAMU after high school. The award lasts up to 8 consecutive semesters (4 years), or 4 semesters (2 years) if you also earned an associate degree in high school. Path 2 is for students who first complete an associate degree at Dallas College and then transfer to ETAMU. The award lasts up to 4 consecutive semesters (2 years). Both paths require enrollment in at least 15 credit hours each semester for the full award.

What does it mean to be "Pell-eligible" at ETAMU?

You qualify for a federal Pell Grant, or show equivalent demonstrated need as defined by TASFA. For Path 1, you'll also need a family AGI of $85,000 or less with a Student Aid Index (SAI) below 14,790. For Path 2, the family AGI limit is $85,000 or less.

What happens if I skip a Fall or Spring semester?

On either path, if you sit out for one full Fall or Spring semester, you must complete an appeal form if you fail to enroll for that semester. The award only covers Fall and Spring; it does not cover Summer or mini-terms.

How many credit hours do I need to enroll in?

Both paths require enrollment in at least 15 credit hours each semester to receive the full award. To keep the award year over year, you'll also need to earn at least 15 credit hours by the end of each Fall and Spring semester.

What if my GPA dips below 2.00?

You must maintain a cumulative institutional GPA of 2.00 or higher, checked at the end of each Fall and Spring semester. If your GPA falls below 2.00 in the Fall semester specifically, you'll receive a warning but will still be eligible for the award in the Spring.

Can I get outside scholarships too?

Yes, you can receive other outside private, endowed, and departmental scholarships. You must still accept all gift aid you're eligible for, including Pell and state grants.

Can I transfer my award to another school, or give it to someone else?

No. You may not transfer the award to another college or university outside ETAMU, return to ETAMU and receive funds while attending another institution, transfer the award to another person, or receive a refund for unused Dallas County Promise dollars. Transfer students also may not have a gap in enrollment between completing their associate degree and enrolling at ETAMU.

Are international students eligible?

International students are currently not eligible for the Dallas County Promise program at ETAMU.

Do I need to file FAFSA or TASFA every year?

Yes. To keep your award, you must submit your FAFSA and/or TASFA every year by the deadline, and continue to meet the family income and financial need requirements.

Ready to start at ETAMU?

Submit your ETAMU admission application and FAFSA/TASFA by March 1, 2027 for priority processing.

Email ETAMU Promise