Tarleton State Partner Page · Fall 2027

As a Dallas County Promise Scholar, if eligible, your tuition is covered at Tarleton State.

Dallas County Promise at Tarleton State University is funded through Tarleton State's own institutional dollars, as part of the Tarleton State Promise Program. It helps students who graduate from a participating Dallas County high school cover tuition and required fees once all other financial aid is applied. This is a "last-dollar" grant.

This guide covers Dallas County Promise requirements specifically for students attending Tarleton State University. Planning to attend a different partner school? See other partner schools →

How do I apply? Check eligibility

Welcome to Tarleton State University

Fall 2027

Quick Facts

Gap

Covers remaining tuition & required fees after your other aid is applied

Jan 15

Priority deadline: admission, FAFSA/TASFA & Tarleton State Scholarship App

Top 50%

Class rank required, plus family AGI of $85,000 or less

Award length:

8 semesters (diploma only) 4 semesters (+ assoc. degree) No transfer pathway

Contact Tarleton State

What is the Dallas County Promise Tarleton State Program?

DCP covers what's left after your other aid

At Tarleton State, the Dallas County Promise program is funded through Tarleton State's own institutional dollars, as part of the Tarleton State Promise Program. It helps students who graduate from a participating Dallas County high school pay for college at Tarleton State. The program covers tuition and required fees left over after your other financial aid is applied. This is a "last-dollar" grant. This page details how it works specifically at Tarleton State. Requirements, deadlines, and processes vary at other partner schools.

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

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No transfer pathway: This program is only for students enrolling at Tarleton State directly after high school, including students who also complete an associate degree while still in high school. There is no transfer pathway into the Tarleton State Dallas County Promise program.

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If you miss a deadline or don't meet the criteria: You'll be responsible for all tuition and fees not covered by other scholarships or financial aid. Our deadline is only a priority deadline- so if students apply after that deadline and are eligible, as long as we still have funds available, they will still receive the promise.

How Long Does the Award Last?

Your award length depends on whether you enroll with just a high school diploma or with an associate degree too.

Award duration: up to 8 consecutive semesters / 4 years, at 12+ credit hours per semester, Fall and Spring only

Award duration: up to 4 consecutive semesters / 2 years, at 12+ credit hours per semester, Fall and Spring only

Eligibility

Am I eligible?

Tarleton State offers one path into the Dallas County Promise program. Select below to see the requirements.

For students graduating in 2027, and enrolling Fall 2027-2028. To participate as a 2027-2028 high school graduate, you must 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
Class Rank	Be in the top 50% of your graduating high school class. If your school doesn't rank students, Tarleton State will use other factors (mainly your GPA) to determine equivalent standing
Promise Deadlines	Met all Dallas County Promise deadlines: Promise Path form, admission application, financial aid application, orientation, and enrollment
Scholarship Application	Successfully complete and submit the Tarleton State Scholarship Application
Family Income	Family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less
Grant Eligibility	Be a Pell Grant and Texas Grant recipient
Citizenship & Residency	Be a U.S. citizen and a Texas resident for tuition purposes
Start Term	Start classes the Fall semester right after high school graduation
Enrollment Load	Enroll full-time (12+ credit hours) each semester
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. Students must also file the FAFSA every year.

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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: International students are not eligible for the Dallas County Promise program at Tarleton State. You must be a U.S. citizen and a Texas resident for tuition purposes.

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Transfer Pathway: While there is not a transfer pathway covered by Dallas County Promise, Tarleton State offers Guaranteed Scholarships to transfer students from Dallas College. Visit our website for more information

How to Apply

Application steps by path

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

Submit the Tarleton State Scholarship Application by January 15, 2027

Successfully complete and submit the Tarleton State Scholarship Application by the priority deadline.

Apply for Admission by January 15, 2027

Apply for admission to Tarleton State for Fall 2027 by the priority deadline.

Submit FAFSA or TASFA by January 15, 2027

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

Complete All Dallas County Promise Steps

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

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Questions about admission, scholarships, or financial aid? Contact Hannah Smith.

Jan 15Priority Deadline

January 15, 2027: priority deadline for everything

Your Tarleton State Scholarship Application, admission application, and FAFSA or TASFA are all due by this date for priority processing. After this date, scholarships are awarded only as funds remain available.

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No transfer pathway currently exists at Tarleton State. There are no application steps to list here because this program does not accept students transferring in from another college. If you're planning to transfer from Dallas College, explore one of the other Dallas County Promise partner schools that do offer a transfer track.

Renewal Requirements

Keeping the award for 2027-2028

Once enrolled at Tarleton State, you must meet all of the following each year to continue receiving the Dallas County Promise award:

Be registered for at least 12 credit hours through the 12th class day each Fall and Spring semester (only Tarleton State credits count)
Earn at least 12 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 Tarleton State's Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, as described in the Tarleton State Undergraduate Catalog
Maintain a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $85,000 or less (as reported on the FAFSA/TASFA) and stay fully eligible for federal Pell and TEXAS Grant
Complete your bachelor's degree within 8 consecutive semesters (4 years) of enrollment if you entered with just a high school diploma
Complete your bachelor's degree within 4 consecutive semesters (2 years) of enrollment 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.

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No transfer pathway currently exists at Tarleton State. There are no renewal terms to list here because this program does not accept students transferring in from another college. If you're planning to transfer from Dallas College, explore one of the other Dallas County Promise partner schools that do offer a transfer track.

Program Rules

What you can, must, and may not do

These rules apply to all Tarleton State Dallas County Promise recipients.

✔ 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 and complete all required verification steps by the priority deadline of January 15

✖ What You May NOT Do

Transfer the award to another college or university outside of Tarleton State
Return to Tarleton State 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

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.
Top 50% of class	Your class rank must be in the top half of your graduating high school class (or equivalent GPA standing if your school doesn't rank).
Family AGI ≤ $85,000	Your household Adjusted Gross Income (from FAFSA or TASFA) must be $85,000 or less.
Texas Grant recipient	You must qualify for and receive the state's TEXAS Grant program.
12+ credit hours	You must be enrolled full-time (12+ credits) each Fall and Spring semester.
GPA 2.00	You must maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA at Tarleton State (with a one-semester warning grace period).
HS Diploma only: 8 semesters	Students with just a high school diploma get up to 8 consecutive semesters (4 years).
HS Diploma + Associate Degree: 4 semesters	Students who also earned an associate degree in high school get up to 4 semesters (2 years).
FAFSA / TASFA	Financial aid applications you must file every year by the priority deadline.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)	Tarleton State's minimum academic standards, described in the Undergraduate Catalog, that you must maintain.

Common Questions

Straight answers

Does Dallas County Promise cover all of my costs at Tarleton State?

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No. This is a last-dollar grant that covers tuition and required fees 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, and other living expenses.

Can I transfer in from Dallas College or another school?

Not currently. This program is only for students enrolling at Tarleton State directly after high school, including students who also complete an associate degree while still in high school. There is no transfer pathway into the Tarleton State Dallas County Promise program.

What's the class rank requirement?

You need to be in the top 50% of your graduating high school class. If your high school doesn't rank students, Tarleton State will use other factors, mainly your GPA, to determine equivalent standing.

How long does the award last?

If you enroll with just a high school diploma, up to 8 consecutive semesters (4 years) at 12+ credit hours per semester, Fall and Spring only. If you also earned an associate degree in high school, up to 4 consecutive semesters (2 years).

What happens if I skip a Fall or Spring semester?

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 covers Fall and Spring only; it does not cover Summer or mini-terms.

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 of Tarleton State, return to Tarleton State and receive funds while attending another institution, transfer the award to another person, or receive a refund for unused Dallas County Promise dollars.

Are international students eligible?

International students are currently not eligible for the Dallas County Promise program at Tarleton State. You must be a U.S. citizen and a Texas resident for tuition purposes.

Is this the same as the Dallas County Promise award at other schools?

Not exactly. At Tarleton State, the program is funded through Tarleton State's own institutional dollars as part of the Tarleton State Promise Program, and it comes with requirements, like the top-50% class rank and $85,000 family income cap, that are specific to Tarleton State. Requirements vary by partner school.

Ready to start at Tarleton State?

Submit your Tarleton State Scholarship Application, admission application, and FAFSA/TASFA by January 15, 2027 for priority processing.

Email Tarleton State Promise