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Texas A&M-San Antonio Deploys Regent Education's e-TASFA Solution to Streamline and Automate Financial Aid Process for Undocumented Students

March 4, 2021 | By

FREDERICK, Md. — Texas A&M-San Antonio (A&M-SA) is accelerating financial aid processing for its undocumented students by partnering with Regent Education to deliver an electronic application for state aid.

A&M-SA is a contemporary university reflective of the diverse and heritage-rich community it serves – the student body is 60 percent female and 72 percent Hispanic, and approximately 77 percent of students are the first in their families to attend college.

In 2001, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1528, which codifies the eligibility of certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at  Texas public colleges and universities. So, each year, prospective A&M-SA students who are not eligible for federal financial aid apply for state and university assistance through the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA). However, unlike the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applying for TASFA requires the student to download, print, complete, and submit an eight-page paper application.

For both A&M-SA and its undocumented students, filing the TASFA has been a cumbersome and inefficient process. The Regent Access e-TASFA solution will help expedite financial aid awards for these students by providing an intuitive, web-based application like that of the FAFSA in both English and Spanish. The e-TASFA also will improve operational efficiency by minimizing the time and resources required to process state financial aid applications by enabling the seamless upload of these applications into the university’s ERP solution.

By providing the e-TASFA, A&M-SA will help put its undocumented students one step closer to attaining higher education degrees.

“The e-TASFA will enable us to better serve this vital community so that we can prepare them for rewarding careers, responsible global citizenship and lifelong learning,” said Phillip Rodgers, Director of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships at A&M-SA.

“Regent Education is proud to provide a financial aid automation solution that eases the application and awarding processes for both A&M-SA students and staff. We are excited about the alignment of our mission – to empower aspiring students and the institutions who serve them – with A&M-SA’s desire for process efficiencies and access for undocumented students,” said Jim Hermens, CEO of Regent Education.

About Texas A&M-San Antonio

Established as a standalone university in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a comprehensive four-year public university that reflects the culturally diverse, heritage-rich community it serves. Situated on nearly 700 acres in South San Antonio, A&M-SA is a Military Embracing™ institution offering more than 40 undergraduate programs and 14 graduate programs to 6,700 students. The university is home to the Henry G. Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders and Cyber Engineering Technology/Cyber Security Research Center. A&M-SA holds the HSI (Hispanic-Serving Institution) designation. Military Times ranks the university No. 35 in the nation for Best for Vets: Colleges. Visit https://www.tamusa.edu/ for more information.