Terry Traditional Scholarship (Freshman Scholarship)

Program Type: Full ride, last dollar scholarship

Geographic Scope: Texas

Award Details:

• Covers up to eight semesters
• Full ride, last dollar scholarship
• 100% of donations go directly to scholarships

Eligibility:

• Texas high school seniors
• Must be accepted for admission to one of the Terry-affiliated public universities

Selection Criteria:

• Academic Achievement
• Demonstrated Leadership
• Financial Need
• Well-rounded personality grounded in desire to succeed
• Demonstrated history of community leadership

Affiliated Universities:

• University of Texas at Austin (1987 affiliation)
• Texas A&M University (1987 affiliation)
• University of Houston (2004 affiliation)
• Texas State University (2004 affiliation)
• The University of Texas at San Antonio (2006 affiliation)
• The University of Texas at Dallas (2006 affiliation)
• University of North Texas (2010 affiliation)
• Texas Tech University (2011 affiliation)
• Texas Woman's University (2013 affiliation)
• The University of Texas at Arlington (2015 affiliation)
• The University of Texas at El Paso (2015 affiliation)

Contact Information:

• General: terryfoundation.org
• Donations: donations@terryscholars.org or (713) 552-0814
• Hours: 9am-5pm CST; Mon.-Fri.

Background:
The Terry Foundation is the largest private scholarship provider in the state of Texas, based in Houston. Applications are submitted through individual university partners, not directly to the Foundation.

Application Process

Applications for the Terry Scholarship are available only from the universities affiliated with the Terry Scholarship Program and are NOT available from the Terry Foundation or high schools.

Application Timeline

August - October: Applications Open

• Campus partners open Terry Scholarship applications between early August and mid-October
• Some partners use ApplyTexas for applications, others provide standalone applications
• Refer to specific university website for details on submission process and deadlines
• Supplemental documents vary by university

Application Processes by University:

• Texas A&M: Candidates apply using Common App
• UT-Austin: Submit responses to Terry-specific questions on Scholarship Interest Form (available after admitting application in MyStatus portal)
• Other Universities: Provide downloadable PDF to complete and submit with supporting documentation

December - January: Applications Close

• Campus partners close applications beginning December 1st through mid-January
• Contact your campus partner directly with questions about application status or to submit additional documents

February - March: Nominations

• Campus partners send nominees to Terry Foundation mid-February
• Universities nominate 26-90 candidates annually
• Terry Foundation emails nominees in late February inviting them to schedule interviews
• Candidates contact Foundation to coordinate travel
• Foundation reimburses mileage for candidates living more than 1 hour from interview site
• Foundation covers hotel and flight costs if required

March - April: Terry Interviews

• Interviews held once yearly in late March and early April
• Three interview locations: El Paso, Dallas, or Houston (based on planned university attendance)
• Attendance is mandatory; candidates cannot reschedule
• Each 6-person panel includes Foundation Board member and 5+ current/former Terry Scholars
• Interview is required to receive scholarship

April: Notification

• All interviewed candidates notified within 3 days of final interview panel
• Every candidate receives notification of outcome regardless of scholarship award

Key Notes

• Candidates cannot receive Terry Scholarship without an interview
• Candidate can only participate in one Terry interview, even if nominated by multiple universities
• Terry Foundation staff coordinate all logistics for interviews