(Laredo)—The spring semester at Texas A&M International University began on Jan. 16, but 3,684 students who registered early had already tapped into some $4.8 million in federal, state and donor-provided financial aid disbursed before then.
Of the amount disbursed by Jan. 11, some $3 million is federal assistance while the balance is provided by university scholarship donors or by the State of Texas.
“Students who register early really do have an advantage in being able to access and receive financial aid and assistance well in advance of the start of the semester,” said director of Financial Aid Laura Elizondo.
There’s more where that comes from, she noted.
“We are expecting to disburse an additional $2 million in aid by mid-January and have a variety of resources available to students planning on attending the university this spring,” Elizondo said.
Last year, TAMIU awarded over $22.1 million in student assistance. These awards were federal or state assistance, and private scholarships provided by university donors.
Candy Hein, TAMIU vice president for institutional advancement, said donor support for students remains crucial.
“About 80 percent of our students receive some form of financial assistance to pursue their degrees and our donor partners’ gifts are crucial to helping our students to do that. In speaking with our donors, I know they are delighted that a growing number of our students are benefiting from their generosity,” Hein said.
Students can now select from 78 undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees
at TAMIU. 