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  • Texas First Early High School Completion Scholarship Program

    Notice of Texas First Early High School Completion Program and Texas First Scholarship Program

    • The Texas First Early High School Completion Diploma, which allows students to graduate high school early with a Distinguished Level of Achievement by demonstrating early readiness for college
    • The Texas First Scholarship Program, which awards scholarship credit equivalent to up to one year of the TEXAS Grant at eligible institutions

     

    Texas First Early High School Completion Diploma

    Eligibility:

    • Texas residency
    • FAFSA or TASFA completion
    • At least 22 high school credits by any permissible method, including credit by examination
      • Students are not required to meet Foundation High School program credit requirements in order to graduate from high school under this program; however, students should be aware that being accepted to the participating university or universities requires meeting the university’s admission requirements.
        • The Texas First Diploma does not guarantee automatic or guaranteed admission to any university or their academic programs.
        • Certain programs or majors within universities, such as admission to the School of Engineering or honors programs, for example, may have additional requirements.
        • Students should visit the university website and submit inquiries to the university early, well before the admissions application deadline, in order to prepare for and meet any admissions requirements beyond the courses taken for the Texas First Early High School Completion Diploma.
      • Final Grade Point Average (GPA) equivalent to 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
      • Overall score of at least the 80th percentile on one or more of the following assessments:
        • ACT
        • SAT
        • PSAT/NMSQT
        • TSIA/TSIA2
        • GED
        • Or, alternatively, a GPA in the top 10 percent of the student’s current class during the current or semester prior to the counselor's or administrator's verification under subsection (b) of this section of a student's eligibility for early graduation under the Program. 
      • Satisfactory level of performance as defined by the Commissioner of Education on STAAR EOC (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness End-Of-Course) for:
        • English I or II, and
        • Algebra I, and
        • Biology;
        • OR If the student has not taken the required STAAR EOC assessment for English I or II, Algebra I, or Biology, the student has satisfied the STAAR EOC requirement by achieving a passing score on a substitute assessment for that subject area authorized under Title 19 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 101, Subchapter DD, §101.4002(b). 
      • Demonstrated mastery of each subject area of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and a language other than English through assessments or other means eligible institutions commonly use to place students in courses that may be credited toward degree program requirements. Methods include:
        • Earning a score on a STAAR EOC assessment that meets college-ready exemption standards
        • Credit earned with a grade of a "C" or higher on a core curriculum course from an institution of higher education
        • Meeting standards on assessments included in Figure 1

    Interested students should reach out to their high school counselor to verify their eligibility for the Texas First Early High School Completion Diploma. Students are responsible for providing the official copy of the assessment results to their counselor or administrator to verify these requirements. 

    Additional information:

    Texas First Scholarship Program

    • Students who have graduated early under the Texas First Early High School Completion Program are eligible for the Texas First Scholarship at all Texas public institutions of higher education, including colleges, universities and technical colleges.
    • Students who graduate two or more semesters early are eligible to receive a two-semester scholarship, equivalent to the amount of the TEXAS grant, upon admission to any Texas public institution of higher education, including colleges, universities, and technical colleges. Additional financial aid may be available at most of these institutions.
    • Students who graduate from high school one semester early are eligible to receive a one semester scholarship through the TEXAS grant.
    • The Texas First Diploma does not guarantee automatic admission for students into Texas public institutions. Students should see their high school counselor to determine if they qualify for automatic admission under the state's top 10 percent law.
    • Students can apply to any college or university that they choose. However, the scholarship will apply only at the Texas public institution of higher education where they have been admitted. 
    • The scholarship offer will expire at the end of the first academic year following your graduation, so students are encouraged to attend college directly after high school. 

     Additional Information: