DMC’s new TAG Program Covering Fall and Spring Semester Tuition and Mandatory Fees for Eligible Students
Tuition Advantage Grant application availability kicks off today, May 23
Article by Melinda Eddleman
Finding funds for college can be a challenge. For moms and dads or individuals on their own who currently worry about covering costs this next academic year, the Del Mar College (DMC) Tuition Advantage Grant (TAG) Program may be the solution.
The new program is designed to cover tuition and mandatory fees for four consecutive long semesters (fall and spring) and is available starting with the fall 2022 semester. And, recipients don’t have to pay back the funds.
“Del Mar College’s Tuition Advantage Grant is an opportunity for qualifying students to focus on their program of study, avoid student loans and not worry about the cost of their tuition and fees,” says Joseph Ruiz, Director of DMC Financial Aid Services. “With this new program, the College is leveraging all federal, state and institutional funds and investing in our greatest asset … our students.”
Funds for the TAG Program come from federal and state aid––such as Pell Grants and Texas Education Opportunity Grants––scholarships and other gift aid. After federal and state financial aid are applied, students’ remaining balances will be covered by the TAG Program.
The College is launching the TAG Program today, May 23, and individuals who meet the eligibility criteria can now apply. Criteria include that applicants:
· must be a Texas resident.
· their family adjusted gross income is $125,000 or less.
· must be enrolled or admitted to a degree-seeking program for the upcoming fall or spring semesters for 9 credit hours minimum and 12 credit hours maximum OR in a selected Continuing Education program.
· must have a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA if not eligible to complete a FASFA) on file and Pell/state grant eligible. Continuing Education students must complete the Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) application and a DMC Continuing Education registration packet.
· maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
· are not in default on an educational loan.
· do not currently hold a bachelor’s degree.
Both current credit and Continuing Education students and those new to Del Mar College may apply for the TAG Program, including incoming transfer students. The grant is renewable up to four consecutive long-term semesters (fall and spring only), allowing applicants to start taking courses either in the fall or spring.
New credit students need to submit their Apply Texas admissions application (www.goapplytexas.org), along with the FAFSA. The TAG Program does not cover dual credit high school students or dual enrollment high school Continuing Education students.
Additional information is available online on the College’s TAG Program Q&A page at www.delmar.edu/becoming-a-viking/afford/tag-program.html.
Still have questions? Contact the DMC Financial Aid Services Office at 361-698-1293 or financialaid@delmar.edu or visit their web page at www.delmar.edu/becoming-a-viking/afford/index.html.
Fall 2022 credit courses begin Aug. 29 with registration currently underway. For details, visit www.delmar.edu/current-students/registration/.
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.