All applicants are required to meet the following criteria before applying for our scholarship:

• Be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident with a permanent resident card or passport stamped I-551.
• Be a permanent resident (5 or more consecutive years) of and have a permanent South or West Texas address in one of our 30 counties.
• Have earned/completed at least 12 undergraduate credit hours at a U.S. accredited college or university before applying for the scholarship (Dual and Advanced Placement credits accepted.).
• Have a minimum college cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale.
• Have completed a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to the Fall of the new academic year.
• Are enrolled in a U.S. accredited 2 yr. community college (enrolled part-time or full-time) in a degree-seeking program, or a 4yr. university undergraduate program (enrolled full-time) seeking a Bachelor’s Degree, or a university graduate program (enrolled full-time) seeking a Master’s, Law or Doctorate degree

Students who will be attending a Community College for the new academic year and will be enrolled PART-TIME (6+ hours)  during each semester or Students who will be attending a Community College for the new academic year and will be enrolled FULL-TIME (12+ hours)* during each semester. Part-time or full-time will be determined at time of verification of enrollment for recipients (full award for full-time, half award for part-time).

Students who will be attending a university for the new academic year in an undergraduate (Bachelor’s) program and will be enrolled FULL-TIME (12+ hours) during each semester.*

Students who will be attending a university for the new academic year in an graduate (Master’s, Law or Doctoral) program and will be enrolled FULL-TIME (9+ hours) during each semester.*

*Stars Scholarship Fund offers exceptions to full-time enrollment on a case by case basis.