The Terry Scholarship Application Process
The following information has been compiled for High School Counselors, College Access Advisors, and other professionals who help high school students with their college scholarship search and application process.
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What are the selection criteria?
The primary selection criteria for the Terry Scholarship are:
- Academic Achievement
- Demonstrated Leadership
- Financial Need
Unlike many scholarship programs, the selection as a Terry Scholar is not simply based on financial need, test scores, or grade point average. Instead, Terry Scholars are chosen because they exhibit a well-rounded personality, grounded in a desire to succeed, and a demonstrated history of community leadership. Please visit our FAQ Page for more information about our eligibility requirements.
How do students apply?
The Terry Foundation does not accept applications directly from candidates. Instead, that process is conducted at each Terry-affiliated university by our campus partners. Those partners compile applications and review them at the campus level and then nominate candidates for interview to the Terry Foundation.
Our campus partners open their Terry Scholarship applications between August 1st and early October. Each university follows its own process. Texas A&M candidates apply using the Common App. UT-Austin applicants must submit responses to Terry-specific questions on their Scholarship Interest Form (available after submitting the admissions application in the MyStatus portal). Other universities provide applicants a downloadable .pdf to complete and submit, along with supporting documentation. Each university has dedicated Terry pages on their university website, detailing their Terry application process. For links to all of our partner’s application websites, and to find the names and contact info for each of our partners, please visit our Affiliated Universities Page.
Application and Interview Timeline
Click on each item for a detailed description of each step
AUG – OCT : APPLICATIONS OPEN
Our campus partners open their Terry Scholarship applications between early August and mid-October. Some partners utilize ApplyTexas for their candidate applications, while other partners provide stand-alone applications. Please refer to the specific university website for details on how to apply, when to submit supplemental documents, and campus partner contact information.
DEC – JAN : APPLICATIONS CLOSE
Our campus partners close their applications beginning December 1st, while others will accept applications through the mid-January. Applicants who are unsure of their application status or need to submit additional documents should reach out directly to the campus partner at the Terry-affiliated university to which they are applying, not the Terry Foundation.
FEB – MAR : NOMINATIONS DUE
Nominations
Our campus partners send their list of nominees to the Terry Foundation mid-February. Partner universities nominate from 26 to 90 candidates annually. These allotments are determined by the Terry Foundation. Although a candidate can be nominated by multiple Terry-affiliated universities, each candidate can only participate in one Terry Scholarship interview. If this happens, the Terry Foundation will contact the candidate and ask them to choose the university for which they will interview.
Interview Invitations
The Terry Foundation emails the nominees and invites them to contact the Foundation to schedule their interview in late February. When the candidate calls the Foundation, our staff will coordinate candidate travel and provide additional instructions to prepare for the interview. The Foundation reimburses mileage costs to candidates who live more than an hour from their interview site. If a hotel or flight is required, the Foundation handles the cost directly.
MAR – APR : TERRY INTERVIEWS
Terry Scholarship Interviews take place once a year, in late March and early April. Candidates interview in either El Paso, Dallas, or Houston, depending on the university they plan to attend. A candidate cannot receive a Terry Scholarship without an interview. Interview dates are intentionally limited; a candidate who cannot interview on the required date, regardless of the reason, will forfeit their interview opportunity. Each 6-person interview panel is comprised of a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and at least five former or current Terry Scholars.
APRIL : NEW SCHOLARS NOTIFIED
Within 3 days of the conclusion of all interview panels, The Terry Foundation emails ALL interviewing candidates to inform them of the result of their interview. Every candidate who interviews receives a letter notifying them of the outcome of their interview, regardless of whether they receive the scholarship.
