Understanding Undergraduate College Financial Aid: Scholarships, Grants, Loans, and Work-Study
Navigating college financial aid can often feel like an overwhelming task. Don’t worry. We've got your back. Concordia University Texas is committed to ensuring that every student receives the support they need to pursue higher education, regardless of their financial situation. We believe that no one should be denied access to education due to financial constraints.
As an undergraduate student, you might be offered four distinct types of financial aid to help you embark on your college experience with confidence and peace of mind.
Merit Scholarships
The Concordia Admissions team determines These scholarships based on academic performance. Merit scholarships are available only to traditional undergraduate students (freshman and transfers).
Grants
Considered gift aid, the amount of grants depends on financial need, enrollment status, and other factors. Eligible students receive grants as part of their financial aid award package.
Loans
Loans are a form of self-help aid. Students must agree to the specified repayment and enrollment terms to accept them.
Federal Work-Study
This need-based, self-help aid involves on-campus jobs. Students earn the award based on the hours they work for their Federal Work-Study Employer, and it is not credited to their student account.
Concordia students are automatically considered for all types of financial aid.
Our Student Central Team will determine what aid students are eligible for and award accordingly. Regardless of the type of financial aid included in the award package, the total amount of financial aid cannot exceed the student’s Cost of Attendance. Any outside resources, such as scholarships, employer tuition reimbursement, and private/alternative education loans that a student receives must be included in the financial aid calculation.
PELL GRANT
Eligible Programs: First-Time Freshmen, Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), Online Undergraduate
Award Amount: up to $7,395 per year (based on enrollment & estimated family contribution)
Award Requirements:
- The student should not hold a previous college degree
- The student must be enrolled in at least 3 hours of course credit
- The student must fall below a specified estimated family contribution (SAI) from the FAFSA form
CONCORDIA PARTNERSHIP GRANT
Eligible Programs: First-Time Freshmen, Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), Online undergraduate
Award Amount: $50 per credit hour
Award Requirements:
- The student must work as a full-time, paid employee of a Concordia University Texas Employer Partner program
- The student must complete the Employer Partnership Program (EPP) Certification of Employment each year
TEXAS TUITION EQUALIZATION GRANT (TEG)
Eligible Programs: First-Time Freshmen, Online Undergraduate
Award Amount: up to $5,246 per year (based on estimated family contribution, enrollment & fund
availability)
Award Requirements:
- The student should not hold a previous college degree and is not currently pursuing a degree or career in church work
- The student must be enrolled in at least 9 hours of course credit
- The student should be a Texas resident & have lived in Texas the past twelve months
- The student must fall below a specific estimated family contribution threshold
Renewal Requirements:
- complete 24 hours at CTX during the previous aid year
- The student must hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
- The student must hold a minimum completion rate of 75%
TEACH GRANT
Eligible Programs: First-Time Freshmen
Award Amount: Up to $4,000 per year (based on enrollment & sequestration)
Aggregate Limit: $16,000
Award Requirements - students must meet all of the following award requirements:
- The student must be a junior or senior accepted into the College of Education
- have a minimum 3.25 undergraduate GPA
- agree to teach in a low-income school in a high-need field for four years after the student completes her/his program
- complete the TEACH counseling and Agreement to Serve (ATS)
Special note: If a student fails to meet or maintain all eligibility requirements for the TEACH Grant, the Department of Education will convert the TEACH Grant to a direct unsubsidized loan and will calculate the interest based on the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed to the student.
Federal Direct Student Loans
The Federal Direct Subsidized Loan is a need-based loan. Interest does not accrue while the student is enrolled at least half-time. However, it does accrue during their six-month grace period and once the student enters repayment. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not a need-based loan. Interest does accrue while students are enrolled, during the six-month grace period, and during repayment. The interested rate for both loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2024 and before July 1, 2025, is 6.53% and the lender is the Department of Education.
Eligible Programs: Traditional undergraduate, online undergraduate, Accelerated Bachelor of Science in
Nursing(ABSN)
Award Amount:
| Credit Hours to Date | Dependent StudentYearly Loan Limit | Independent StudentYearly Loan Limit |
| 0 - 29 hours | $5,500 | $9,500 |
| 30 - 59 hours | $6,500 | $10,500 |
| 60 + hours | $7,500 | $12,500 |
Aggregate Limit:
| Dependent Students | Independent Students |
| $31,000 Total, no more than $23,000 of this may be Subsidized | $57,500 Total, no more than $23,000 of this may be Subsidized |
Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (Federal Direct PLUS Loan)
If a dependent student's financial aid award does not cover all of their educational expenses, the parent may apply for a PLUS loan. Eligibility for a PLUS Loan is based on the parent's credit score and along with several other factors.
Upon approval, parents may borrow enough to compensate for cost of attendance expenses not covered by other financial aid awards.
If the PLUS Loan is denied due to adverse credit, the parent may be able to receive alternative loans through an endorser. Otherwise, the student may be eligible for additional direct unsubsidized loans.
Students may not receive financial aid amounts exceeding COA, no matter what type of award is accepted.
Alternative (Private) Loans
Alternative loans are administered and processed by private lending institutions (such as banks, credit unions, and state-based or state-affiliated organizations, etc.) to be used for educational costs. These loans help bridge the gap between the financial aid available from federal, state and/or institutional resources and the total cost of your education. Alternative loans should be used for circumstances where you have exhausted all other options in regards to financing your education.
Because these are non-federal loans, each lender sets its own eligibility criteria, interest rates, processing fees, and repayment terms. Generally, students must meet fairly high credit standards to qualify on their own, so many students will need a credit-worthy cosigner in order to qualify.
Selecting a lender is the most important choice you will make before you begin applying for an alternative loan. The choice of lender is entirely yours so your selection should be made after careful research of which lender suits your needs and offers the lowest rates possible. Carefully compare all loan terms and conditions and read all of the eligibility requirements for a loan before you apply in order to ensure you meet the criteria. Call the lender if you have questions about which program might be the best for you before you begin the application process.
Concordia University Texas does not maintain a preferred lender list. As such, we cannot recommend specific lenders to students. We do, however, recognize that you have many choices when considering a private loan, so we have provided a historical listing of private lenders used by CTX students during the last three years at ELMSelect. Students may select any lender and are NOT restricted to the lenders shown on the historical listing. Please note that a lender's inclusion in this list is not meant as an endorsement by the university, nor is it meant to limit your selection of a private educational loan.
For additional information regarding Alternative Loans, please review our Alternative Loans publication.