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Displacement Advisory

Contact Us About Gift Aid at Odessa College

Office of Financial Aid

Saulsbury Campus Center, 1st Floor Monday
Mon - Thurs: 8am - 5:30pm | Fri: 8am - 1pm 

How to Apply for Gift Aid at Odessa College 

"Gift aid" means a grant, scholarship, exemption, waiver, or other financial aid awarded to a student without a requirement to repay the aid or earn the aid through work. The Office of Financial Aid at Odessa College administers four broad program areas: grants, loans, employment, and scholarships. Students seeking financial assistance should complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at www.fafsa.gov each October.

All students are invited to submit a General Scholarship Application for Fall and Spring each academic year through AwardSpring: https://odessa.awardspring.com/.  Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and depend on the availability of funds. Only completed and submitted applications will be considered.

Texas offers various programs that exempt or waive tuition, fees, and other expenses related to attending public institutions of higher education. Examples include (but not limited to):

  • Hazelwood Act – a benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children in the State of Texas with an education benefit of 150 hours of tuition exemption. Must complete Hazelwood Application and supporting documentation. 
  • Police and Fire Exemption 
  • Blind/Deaf Student Exemption 
  • Children of Disabled or Deceased Firefighters & Law Enforcement Officers
  • Foster Care Exemption
  • Third-Party Payments - Payments made on behalf of the student by a company or government entity must provide proper documentation from such entity.
    • Workforce Solutions
    • Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services

A complete list can be found at: https://www.highered.texas.gov/student-financial-aid-programs/exemptions-waivers/. Questions about exemptions or third-party payments should be directed to the Office of Student Accounts at studentaccounts@odessa.edu.

  1. FAFSA opens – October 1st
    1. FAFSAs are accepted year-round but late applicants may not have funds awarded before classes start.
    2. Funds are disbursed in the week before classes start. If a student is only enrolled in the second 8-week term, funds will be held until a week before those courses begin.
    3. Awarded grant funds are applied to unpaid charges and any unspent funds are refunded to students’ designated personal accounts or available as a check in the Student Accounts Office two weeks after classes begin or if awarded after classes have begun, approximately two weeks after being awarded.
  2. Scholarship Application opens – April 1st
    1. To make the application process easier, Odessa College uses the AwardSpring platform to match students with scholarships that best fit their qualifications, restrictions, and unique demographics.
  3. Scholarship Application Deadline for Fall semesters – July 15th
    1. Scholarships will be awarded from June through August for students who apply before the deadlines. Applications submitted after the deadlines will be reviewed only if funding is still available. 
  4. Scholarship Application Deadline for Spring semesters – December 1st
    1. Foundation Scholarships are not offered during the summer semesters. However, students may request to be placed on a waiting list after summer registration, and scholarships will be granted only if funds become available.

Note: Most scholarships are last-dollar in and have no cash value. Refunds will be disbursed as appropriate and in compliance with gift aid requirements/standards. 

Payment deadlines for all terms/semesters can be found HERE.

  1. Generally, students must maintain at least a 2.0 overall grade point average and meet satisfactory academic progress standards relating to the completion of hours.
  2. Except for Pell, grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted. Early application is strongly recommended.
  3. Create an AwardSpring account and complete the application to discover and apply for scholarships that align with educational goals and personal experiences.

  1. Maintain at least 2.0 GPA and meet satisfactory academic progress standards.
  2. Ensure consistent enrollment to avoid reduction of gift aid.
  3. Meet FAFSA and Scholarship application deadlines.
  4. Submit all required documentation for FAFSA, scholarships, exceptions/waivers, and/or third-party payments.