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TAG Program to cover Del Mar College tuition costs for eligible students

The program will cover the cost of four consecutive fall and spring semesters, and it is money that does not have to be repaid, thus avoiding student loans.
Credit: Del Mar College

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For those who are looking for help in attending college, there may be no better place to be right now than the Coastal Bend.

In recent months, we’ve reported on Texas A&M Kingsville’s ‘Javelina Promise’ and A&M Corpus Christi’s ‘Islander Guarantee’ – both designed to pay for tuition and fees for eligible first-time students. And now, Del Mar College is following suit with the ‘Tuition Advantage Grant Program.’

RELATED: TAMUK announces new tuition assistance program

TAG is for Texas residents whose adjusted gross family income is no more than $125,000, which is a significant increase. The program will cover the cost of four consecutive fall and spring semesters, and it is money that does not have to be repaid, thus avoiding student loans.

According to Joseph Ruiz, Director of Del Mar’s Financial Aid Services, an effort is made to leverage all federal, state and institutional funds that are available, and then letting the TAG Program pick up the rest.

For prospective students, it puts the possibility of becoming a Viking in view.

“Things are constantly moving,” Ruiz said. “The campus is expanding, we’ve got a lot of new buildings, and there’s a great excitement here at Del Mar. We are happy to offer this program to help maybe alleviate some of that fear of being able to afford their education.”

Although this is not for those who already have a bachelor’s degree, it can be used for Continuing Education students. It also covers some students who have graduated from a Texas public High School but are still working on becoming U.S. Citizens.

Registration for the Fall semester is already underway.

Eligibility requirements for applicants include:

  • 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.

To learn more, 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.

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