This website, part of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, is a good place to start. There, you will find information for prospective Freshman and Transfer students including how to apply, a list of frequently asked questions, Admission Forms, Application Status Check, Orientation information, and contact information.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Vice President for Student Affairs Office if we can help you get started. Our phone number is (512) 245-2152 and our email address is vpsa@txstate.edu.

You must apply for an Education Training Voucher (ETV) from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The ETV provides grants for postsecondary education and training to eligible youth who are in or age out of foster care, or who are adopted from foster care after turning 16 years old. The ETV helps pay for residential housing, room and board costs/food, tuition and fees, personal items, books and school supplies, child care, some transportation needs, computer or other required equipment, and medical insurance through school. Go to this website for information about eligibility requirements, application to apply for ETV, frequently asked questions about ETV, and contact information.

Every year, you must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. Through the FAFSA you can apply for grants and work-study.

Another option is to apply for scholarships. There are many scholarships offered through Texas State, and there are scholarships that are available to foster youth.

Please read this document for more information about paying for college.

Go to this website: ApplyTexas. You will need to create an account to fill out the application. Click on the "Create your account now" link under the "Get Started" section. After creating an account, you can fill out the application. Be sure to keep track of your login information so that you can access your application later.

You DO NOT have to pay the application fee. However, you MUST fax a letter from your CPS agent stating that you were in foster care in order to have the application fee waived. Once you have obtained a letter from CPS, fax it to the Admissions Office at (512) 245-9020.

Students who are eligible get certain fees waived, such as tuition and some required fees, and you are eligible to apply for competitive scholarships to help with other costs.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is what you fill out to receive money to go to school. You submit one every year. The priority deadline is April 1st. That means that you need to submit the FAFSA on or before April 1st so that you can get the most money possible. To fill out a FAFSA online, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov.

First, check the Financial Aid Answer Bank. This website contains 140 answers to common questions. If you do not see a question that matches yours, you can submit a question and recieve an answer. You can also call the Financial Aid office at (512) 245-2315 or visit their website.

The best place to start is Career Services. You will want to make a profile on Jobs4Cats. Once you have made a profile, you can search for on-campus and off-campus jobs. Also, employers can see your profile and possibly contact you for an interview.

Career Services can also help you create and edit a resume, help you improve your interviewing skills through mock interviews, help you find an internship, help you choose a major, and provide you with job shadowing opportunities.

The Mentoring Program is a very good place to start. This program pairs incoming freshmen and transfer students with staff, faculty, and peer/student mentors. A mentor is someone who is familiar with Texas State and can help acclimate you to the campus. He or she will periodically meet with you to answer any questions you may have and help you find necessary resources. Go to the website to apply to be a mentee.

Another option is to join a student organization. Once on the Student Organizations website, click on the "Search registered orgs" link to browse over 200 student organizations. If you don't find one that suits you, click on the "Start an organization" link to find out how to start a student organization.

An excellent place to find information is Cash Course. This website will give you information about financial basics, paying for college, college life, the world of work, and calculators and worksheets. Also, check out Money Savvy Cats, another great place to find information about finances.

If you have a question not listed on this page, chances are high that others also have that question and would benefit from having it listed on this page. Please email your question to Sheila Bustillos Reynolds in the Vice President for Student Affairs Office at sr35@txstate.edu, and she will respond as soon as possible.