FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Our community needs ways of helping local regions work together to produce more equitable postsecondary and workforce outcomes. With the Promise, we can make college affordable, equitable and inclusive – building a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers for the future.

The Red River Promise scholarship pays any balance of tuition and mandatory general use fees not covered by federal or state financial aid at participating Promise partner colleges for eligible students. For more details on the direct and transfer scholarship offers at participating partner colleges, visit the student information page on our website.

RRP does NOT cover books, housing, supplies, or other costs associated with attending college.

Graduating seniors who have attended a participating high school for their full senior year can year can participate in the RRP, providing that they meet all  Promise deadlines for pledge, community service, admissions application, financial aid application, scholarship application and registration. Please refer to the participating college list for any partner college-specific requirements.

The Red River Promise scholarship can only be used at participating Promise partner colleges and universities. However, completing the Promise Pledge does NOT commit you to attending a Promise partner college or university.

Transfer scholarships are available to various partner colleges and universities, with more partners coming on board soon. Students who complete an associate degree in high school may be eligible to use their Red River Promise tuition scholarship at MSU, SOSU, TAMUC, TWU, TTU, UNTD, UTA, and WTAMU.

14 high schools from Cooke County, Montague County, and Graham ISD participate in the Red River Promise Program. For a complete list of participating ISDs, visit the Promise Partner page on our website.

Red River Promise Partner colleges and universities are listed on our website. Promise has partnered with local institutions as well as some regional and across the state. Promise students have many options for diverse programs and locations to suit a variety of interests and academic or career goals.

Students may take courses in a variety of formats. Red River Promise Scholars can enroll in either career and technical workforce programs or academic transfer courses, all must be accredited.

Promise Scholars may also use Promise program dollars towards the completion of developmental classes. Please refer any questions to your success coach to ensure courses selected are Promise eligible.

Students can also take courses in different formats including in-person, online, or hybrid.

We are actively engaging with other colleges and universities to form new scholarship opportunities for Promise Scholars. Any new college or university offers through the Red River Promise program will be shared on our website and through direct student and parent communication.

For more details on the current scholarship offers, visit our website.

We understand the college enrollment process can be confusing, particularly for first-generation students and their families, but you are not alone! The Red River Promise team is here to help guide you through the process and requirements.

Each high school has a dedicated Promise Success Coach and support staff, to assist their current students in exploring college, military, and workforce options after graduation. Each college also has dedicated staff in their admissions, financial aid, and other student services offices to support incoming students. Start exploring college and career options with your student, and reach out to us at promise@nctc.edu anytime you have questions!

Yes, all students eligible to complete a FAFSA or TASFA application can receive the Red River Promise.

An important note: Having a DACA number does not allow you to complete a FAFSA application. You will want to complete a TASFA application instead. Success Coaches and financial aid staff will assist in completing these applications. Financial aid nights and one on one meetings are available.

To be eligible for in-state tuition and the Promise funding, undocumented students must meet all of the following criteria:

• Graduated from a Texas HS;
• Resided in Texas 36 months leading up to high school graduation;
• Resided in Texas 12 months prior to college enrollment;
• Student provides a notarized affidavit stating she/he will apply to become a permanent resident at the earliest opportunity she/he is eligible to do so.

The Red River Promise does not have a GPA requirement for the initial semester at North Central Texas College. However, some Promise partner universities do have GPA admission criteria for eligibility.

Students entering NCTC on academic probation due to dual credit grades are eligible for Promise for the first fall semester. If students do not meet the 2.0 GPA renewal requirement at the end of the fall semester, they may not be able to continue on in the Promise program.

Graduating seniors who have attended a participating high school for their full senior year, regardless of GPA or family income, can receive the Red River Promise scholarship by meeting all Promise deadlines. Check out the Eligibility Requirements for specifics on how to become a Red River Promise Scholar.

Students who meet all eligibility requirements and maintain renewal criteria can receive the Promise scholarship for up to eight consecutive semesters or until you complete your bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first.

Red River Promise Scholars must graduate from one of the 14 partnering high schools to participate.

If graduating from an unlisted high school, you may still be eligible to access a tuition scholarship to NCTC through a NCTC Foundation Scholarship. Visit the  scholarship website for more information and application deadlines.

Red River Promise Scholars must graduate from one of the 14 partnering high schools to participate.

If graduating from a homeschool program, and a resident of Cooke, Montague, or Young County, you can submit an appeal for consideration into the program. If interested, please email promise@nctc.edu for more information and next steps.

Students graduating before the spring semester of their senior year are able to participate in the Red River Promise; however, Promise funding does not begin until the fall semester following high school graduation. Students must graduate between August 1^st and July 30^th to be eligible for Promise the fall semester following high school graduation.

Students who have not met Texas residency requirements, including students classified as international or out-of-country students, are not eligible for the Red River Promise scholarship.

Students who have questions regarding their eligibility for in-district or in-state residency status for tuition purposes should visit their college admissions office.

Promise Scholars with qualifying special circumstances (i.e. military, pregnancy, documented illness, etc.) affecting their eligibility may appeal to NCTC Promise with supporting documentation. For more information, contact promise@nctc.edu.

Completing a Promise Pledge provides the opportunity to attend a partner college with tuition gap funding, but the Pledge does not obligate a student to attend that college.

Completing the Promise Pledge also connects you and your parent/guardian/responsible adult with the Promise Team for support and assistance throughout your senior year, as you transition into college, and throughout the completion of your program.

No, students must enroll the fall semester following their senior year, and continue each consecutive long semester, fall/spring, until the completion of their program.

Students who enter the Promise Program and sit out for one long semester (fall or spring), must complete an appeal form if they fail to enroll each fall and spring semesters. *Submitting an appeal does not guarantee eligibility for the program.

Limits on the number of hours a student can enroll in for the semester is determined by the institution. The Red River Promise last-dollar scholarship will not cover more than 30 credit hours per year (fall, spring and summer sessions) at NCTC.

Promise Scholars with qualifying special circumstances (i.e. military, pregnancy, documented illness, etc.) affecting their eligibility may appeal to NCTC Promise with supporting documentation. For more information, contact promise@nctc.edu.

Promise scholarship funding can only be applied towards your first degree. Students who graduate high school with an associate degree may not use Promise scholarship funding to attend NCTC to complete an additional associate degree or workforce training certificate. MSU, SOSU, TAMUC, TWU, TTU, UNT, UNTD, UTA, and WTAMU are Promise options for students completing associate degrees in high school.

Dual credit hours earned in high school (that do not complete a degree) do not count toward the 30 credit hours Promise Scholars will be eligible for following high school graduation.

You will need basic demographic and contact information as well as contact information for a parent/guardian/responsible adult.

In order to take advantage of the Red River Promise scholarship, Promise Scholars must start classes the immediate fall semester after graduation.

If you have a hardship please email promise@nctc.edu for information on how to be considered for an extension.

RRP Scholars must renew their eligibility each academic year, show academic persistence, and maintain a minimum GPA requirement.

RRP Scholars continued eligibility requirements:

• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Complete at least 12 credit hours each long semester—fall/spring
• Complete a financial aid application for each academic year: FAFSA or TASFA
  *Scholars attending NCTC should complete the NCTC Foundation Scholarship application in addition to the other requirements. 

RRP Scholars are encouraged to meet with their Promise Success Coach during the semester for support, assistance, questions, and guidance. Regular check-ins can help support continued success. 

NOTE: Promise Scholars must complete a financial aid application, accept any grants or scholarships awarded, register for classes, and complete a scholarship application (if applicable) by the deadlines posted on our website for each academic year.

NOTE: Promise Scholars are responsible for updating their contact information, staying up to date on deadlines and requirements, and checking their student email account for any correspondence from the college.

If your contact information changes, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing promise@nctc.edu and include your full name, date of birth, and HS student ID.

Only use a personal email address on the pledge or any college applications. Do NOT use a high school ISD email address as it will be invalid after graduation.

The Red River Promise scholarship can only be used at participating Promise partner colleges and universities.

Students are encouraged to complete the required steps for Red River Promise eligibility even if they plan to attend a non-partner college. Circumstances and plans often change, and you don’t want to miss out on eligibility for this program if they do change. If an RRP partner college isn’t your initial plan, completing eligibility requirements will enable you to have Promise as a strong backup plan.

NOTE: Completing the Promise Pledge or completing eligibility requirements does NOT obligate you to attend a Promise partner college or participate in the program.

Tuition and fees refer to the cost associated with enrolling in credit courses. The amount of the student’s tuition and fees will depend on the courses the student enrolls in. The Promise scholarship will cover the costs of tuition and general use fees.

A breakdown of all possible tuition and fee charges at NCTC may be found online at https://www.nctc.edu/catalog/tuition-fees/tuition-and-fees.html.

Red River Promise is a last-dollar scholarship, which means it will cover the gap between what classes cost and federal (Pell) and state grants and scholarships cover.

Therefore, students are required to submit their financial aid applications (FAFSA or TASFA) and their Promise Partner college general scholarship by the established deadline (check college website for dates).

All Red River Promise Scholars have at least one opportunity for a tuition covered education. NCTC does not have a family income cap, but partnering universities have qualifiers, such as family income level, for Promise eligibility at their institutions.

No. The Red River Promise scholarship pays any balance of tuition and mandatory general use fees not covered by federal or state financial aid, or scholarships at participating Promise partner colleges.

Promise does NOT cover the cost of books, supplies, transportation, housing, or any other costs associated with attending college.

Promise Scholars will never directly receive cash from Red River Promise. Once a Promise Scholar’s state and federal financial aid and other scholarships have been applied, the partner college will fund the gap with the dollars they’ve set aside for their Promise scholarships.

Red River Promise is a last-dollar scholarship, which means it will cover the gap between what classes cost and federal (Pell) and state grants and scholarships cover. Therefore, students are required to submit their financial aid applications (FAFSA or TASFA) and their Promise Partner college general scholarship by the established deadline (check college website for dates).

If the student and/or parents have not filed their taxes, they should consider filing the appropriate tax forms as soon as possible to ensure the student is able to complete a financial aid application. Visit with a tax service professional for further details on filing the appropriate tax forms.

Contact the college or university’s financial aid department for questions about special circumstances or for assistance with financial aid applications.

Some students may also be asked to verify their FAFSA/TASFA information. If you are asked for verification, you must provide the necessary documentation to ensure timely funding. Funds will not be paid until the college determines that the verification process is complete.

Make sure that your contact information is correct and up to so that you are receiving all information sent to you regarding your financial aid status and next steps in the financial aid process.

No. There is not a household limit on the number of students eligible for the Red River Promise scholarship program.