Financial aid applications inform postsecondary institutions’ decisions about student eligibility for federal, state, and institutional funds. Financial aid awards can help students pay for their educational expenses after high school.
Each high school senior in a Texas public school district or open enrollment charter school must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) as a state requirement for graduation. Texas Education Code §28.0256 (https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.28.htm#28.0256) allows a student to opt out of the financial aid application graduation requirement by submitting a signed form that authorizes the student to decline.
To authorize a student to opt out of the financial aid application graduation requirement, the Financial Aid Application Opt-Out Form must be signed by one of the following:
- OPTION I: A student age 18 years or older or emancipated minor under Chapter 31, Texas Family Code
- OPTION II: The student’s parent or guardian and the student
- OPTION III: A school counselor, for good cause as determined by the school counselor, and the student
Students under 18 years of age may only be authorized to decline under OPTION II or OPTION III.
Submitting a Financial Aid Application Opt-Out Form does not prohibit a student from completing and submitting a financial aid application at any time in the future.