Terry Foundation Scholarship 2026

The Terry Foundation was founded in 1987 by Howard and Nancy Terry. They created the Terry Foundation Scholarship to fund freshman and transfer scholarships at 13 Texas public universities. The Terry Traditional Scholarship, or Freshman Scholarship, covers up to eight semesters. It is awarded to Texas high school seniors who have been accepted for admission to one of the Terry-affiliated public universities in Texas.

Terry Foundation Scholarship 2026 – Overview

Application Open Date	October 1, 2025
Application Deadline	January 2, 2026
Eligible Grades	High School Graduate – College Freshman
Amount	$5,000–$60,000
Award Winners	225
Areas of Study	Any
Country	United States

Eligibility:

Scholarship applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen or a Permanent Resident and meet Texas residency requirements.
• Must have graduated from an accredited Texas high school or homeschool.
• Must be nominated by one of the eleven Terry-affiliated Texas public universities.
• Must be admitted to a Terry-affiliated college or university as a full-time entering Freshman student for the upcoming Fall Semester.
• Demonstrate financial need, as evidenced by the completion of the FAFSA.
• Demonstrate strong academic abilities, as evidenced by grades and class rank.
• Be nominated by one of the eleven Terry-affiliated Texas public universities.

Specific Schools

• Texas A&M University
• The University of Texas at Austin
• University of Houston
• Texas State University
• The University of Texas at Dallas
• University of Texas, San Antonio
• Texas Tech University
• University of North Texas
• Texas Woman’s University
• University of Texas, Arlington
• University of Texas at El Paso

Application Requirements:

Here’s what you must submit besides your application.

• Recommendation letters
• Financial Details

How to apply:

• Visit the official website – https://terryfoundation.org/future-scholars/freshman-scholarship/
• The ‘Terry Foundation Scholarship 2026’ application form page will open.
• Click on the ‘Start Application’ button.
• Fill out the online scholarship application form with the required details.
• Upload the required documents.
• Click on the ‘Submit’ button
• Your application is submitted.

Selection Criteria:

Terry Scholars will be selected based on their leadership potential and character, scholastic record and ability, and level of financial need. These criteria are weighted equally and independently.

FAQs