TG's Charley Wootan Grant Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2013-2014 grant available to students outside of Texas?

No. Only Texas residents are eligible for the 2013-14 Charley Wootan Grant Program.

What if I'm a Texas resident but attend, or plan to attend, school outside of Texas?

The location of the institution applicants attend, whether in or out of Texas, is not considered as part of the award process. However, institutions must be properly accredited.

How will I know if I've been selected as a finalist or as a recipient of the grant?

Only provisional recipients will be mailed a notification letter mid-July. When filling out your application, be sure to provide your correct address. If you do not receive notification by the end of July, you have not been selected as a recipient.

Why don't you notify non-recipients?

As our process is first-come, first-served, we do not open every application. Opening every application in order to contact every non-recipient would require a reduction of grant awards, as we would need to spend more resources on administration. We do notify provisional recipients by mail to ensure that students know before the fall semester if they are recipients. Usually, our notification arrives by August 1. If you have not received notification by that date, it is unlikely you will be receiving a Wootan grant.

What if my EFC has changed since I submitted my application?

We must use the information that was supplied at the time of application so you cannot submit a revised Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR).

What if I have not decided which school I plan to attend?

If you have not chosen the institution you plan to attend, you must indicate your first school choice and apply using the proper application form (i.e., Texas residents attending a 2-year school or Texas residents attending a 4-year school). If you are selected to receive an award and you change schools, you will be required to submit your new school's financial aid award letter at that time. Your award will be reevaluated and may be adjusted.

If I am an international student attending a U.S. institution under an F-1 or other student visa, am I eligible for the grant?

No. You are eligible for the grant only if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, residing in Texas, at the time of application. However, a resource that may be useful in seeking additional aid is available here: http://www.aie.org/scholarships/

If I am applying for permanent residency, am I eligible for the grant?

No. You are eligible for the grant only if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident at the time of application. However, a resource that may be useful in seeking additional aid is available here: http://www.aie.org/scholarships/

Will all applicants be considered?

Grant funds are limited and apportioned to qualifying applicants on a first-come, first-served basis according to the Education Service Center (in Texas) in which the applicant resides. In order to be considered, applicants should complete the application and mail all required documentation in one envelope as soon as possible.

I have already earned a bachelor's degree; am I eligible to apply?

Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree or graduate degree are generally not eligible to apply to the program. However, students enrolled in a non-degree program leading toward teacher certification (i.e., a program NOT intended to culminate in a master's or doctoral degree) are eligible to apply for the program.

I am home-schooled but planning to attend college this fall. Am I eligible?

Yes. Students who are home-schooled and who have graduated or plan to graduate in spring 2013 are eligible to apply for the Wootan Grant, as long as they can provide a copy of an acceptance letter to a Title IV institution (or a copy of the student's Apply Texas confirmation, for students attending open-enrollment schools) and a copy of their Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR).

Are there merit requirements?

You must be a student in good standing at your chosen institution, but there are no other merit requirements for receipt of a Wootan Grant.

Can I submit a copy of my online transcript?

A copy of your online transcript is acceptable. The online transcript must be a direct printout—do not copy and paste into another document—and the transcript must display your name, school name, grade and credit hours earned for each course, and the term in which each course was taken.

Can I send an unofficial transcript? Does it have to have a raised seal or be in a sealed school envelope?

As a rule, any current transcript that:

• is a direct printout from the institution or institution's website, and
• displays the student's name, institution's name, grade and credit hours earned for each course, and the term in which each course is taken, whether printed from the institution's website online, or printed by the institution, are acceptable.

Even transcripts clearly marked "unofficial" that meet all the requirements above are acceptable. No raised seal or sealed institutional envelope or stationery are necessary. Please note that if the transcript will be printed from an institution's website, students should not copy and paste the transcript into another document.

Is this grant similar to a federal Pell Grant?

The Wootan Grant is not a federal Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is a federally funded financial aid program. The Charley Wootan Grant Program is a program sponsored by TG, a nonprofit corporation, as part of its educational mission. However, there are similarities. Both the federal Pell Grant and the Wootan Grant are need-based aid and they both rely on the information obtained after completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ("FAFSA").

Are your grants renewable for additional years of study?

Unfortunately, TG cannot guarantee that Charley Wootan Grants awarded for the 2013-2014 academic year will be renewable for subsequent years of study. At present, we can only guarantee that these grants will be for the single award year. Recipients must reapply for subsequent years provided eligibility requirements are met.

Can you tell me when my application arrived?

We process applications and award on a first-come-first-served basis by ESC Region. If an application packet arrives but remains unprocessed because others arrived earlier, we will simply have no information at all regarding that application. Therefore, if an applicant needs to know the arrival date of an application, the applicant will need to send it in a way that allows the shipping carrier to track it. This does not mean that your application will be processed and considered, only that you will know it has arrived at Scholarship Management Services. A process where applications are opened in order to notify each applicant of their status would mean higher costs and thus fewer award dollars.

Who can I contact to speak with someone directly?

For more information, contact Scholarship Management Services at (800) 537-4180, or send an email message to Wootan@scholarshipamerica.org.