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Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid and Scholarship Awards Financial assistance in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and employment is available to a number of qualified students. Information about the types of scholarships available and eligibility requirements can be obtained from the Admission Advisors Office. Eligibility criteria and information regarding grants, loans and the college work-study program can be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Aid. Both offices are located on the third floor of the Student Center, 1600 Procter Street. Individual student financial aid information is available on-line at the college’s “Pipeline” website: My.LamarPA.edu.

When and How to Apply Lamar-Port Arthur requires that all students applying for grants, loans or college work-study employment file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the Lamar-Port Arthur Financial Aid Supplement to determine the degree of need. Both applications are available in the Office of Student Financial Aid. Processing requires between four to six weeks, so those students planning to meet the April 1 deadline should file their applications by mid-February. The Student Financial Aid Office will consider the applicant’s degree of need before awarding financial aid. Continuing students also must meet academic progress criteria according to standards established by federal regulations for continued eligibility. The amount and type of assistance will be determined by the staff of the Student Financial Aid Office. Notification of awards will be mailed during late spring and early summer. Lamar-Port Arthur will continue to award aid as long as funds are available. However, the most desirable types of aid are normally expended early. Therefore, students should make every effort to meet the April 1 deadline. Students applying for scholarships must complete the Application for Scholarship for Lamar State College-Port Arthur that is available in the Admission Office. Applicants who are high school seniors should meet the April 1 deadline to be given first priority. All other scholarship applicants should meet the June 15 deadline for the following academic year.

Minimum Qualifications Scholarship awards to entering freshmen are determined by the applicant’s high school class rank and/or financial need. Scholarship awards for upperclassmen are determined by their cumulative grade point average at the college level. Scholarship applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 to be eligible for a college administered scholarship. Those applying for need-based grants, loans or work-study employment must have their eligibility established by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Freshmen may be able to obtain required forms from their high school counselors or directly from the Student Financial Aid Office, 1600 Procter Street, Port Arthur. Students currently enrolled at Lamar-Port Arthur may obtain the forms from the Admission Advisors Office in the Student Center. Students must re-apply each year for consideration for continued assistance.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Awards

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Grants The Federal Pell Grant is the foundation source for all other aid programs. All applicants are required to submit the Student Aid Report for all grants. No other need-based assistance grants, loans, or work-study can be awarded until the student’s eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant is determined. When a student files a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the government should process the application and send a Student Aid Report to the student’s address. The student should then submit the Student Aid Report to the Student Financial Aid Office for an estimated grant amount to be determined. The final Pell Grant will be determined at the time of enrollment. Other available grants are the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) and Leveraging Educational Assistance Program (LEAP). Students with exceptional need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid may be awarded one of these grants. The Toward Excellence, Access & Success Grant Program provides a grants to help academically-prepared, eligible students attend higher education institutions in Texas. To compete for a grant, a student must be a Texas resident; be a graduate of a public or accredited private high school in Texas since fall 1998; enroll in college and receive his/her TEXAS Grant within 16 months of high school graduation; have completed the recommended or advanced high school curriculum or its equivalent; have financial need; have applied for any available financial aid or assistance; be enrolling in at least 3/4 time in an undergraduate degree or certificate program; and not have been convicted of a felony or a crime involving a controlled substance. Students may apply for the TEXAS Grant Program through the LSC-PA Office of Financial Aid. The award amount is based on a minimum of 12 semester hours taken by the student and the type of institution the student attends. In general, it is an amount equal to the student’s tuition and required fees. Students who continue in college and meet the program’s academic standards can receive awards for up to 150 semester credit hours or for six years, whichever occurs first. In the first year of college, the academic standards are set by the institution. In subsequent years, the requirements are completion of at least 75 percent of the hours taken in the prior semester plus an overall grade point average in college of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Texas Educational Opportunity Grant The Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program provides grant aid to financially needy students enrolled in Texas public two-year colleges. To compete for the grant, a student must be a Texas resident; show financial need; if applying for the first-time award, have a family contribution of no more that $2,000; register for the Selective Service or are exempt from this requirement; are enrolled at least 1/2 time (6 semester credit hours) in an associate degree or certificate program at a two-year college in Texas; have not been granted an associate's or a baccalaureate degree; and have not been convicted of a felony or a crime involving a controlled substance. Students who continue in college and who meet program academic standards can receive awards for up to 75 semester credit hours, for four years, or until they receive an associate’s degree, whichever comes first. In the first year of college, the academic standards are set by the institutiion. The academic requirements for continuing in the program are completion of at least 75 percent of the hours taken in the prior academic year, plus and overall college grade point average of at least 2.5 on 4.0 scale. A student does not have to be a recent graduate but must have less that 30 attempted hours.

Scholarships / Financial Aid

TEXAS Grant Program

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Awards

Scholarships Scholarships awards cover a portion of a student’s expenses. Scholarships are of two types: those administered solely by the college, including the selection of recipients, and those administered by the college at the request of donors who select the recipients themselves. The college’s scholarship program is financed solely by public donation. Half of the scholarship normally is disbursed for the Fall Semester and the remaining half for the Spring Semester, or unless otherwise stated.

Lamar State College-Port Arthur Scholarships Lamar-Port Arthur awards approximately 300 scholarships annually. Among these are scholarships made available by the following individuals and organizations: Endowed Scholarships: SSGT Lucian Adams Scholarship H.S. and Bernice B. Anderson Endowed Scholarship Ella Atwell Memorial Scholarship G.W. Bailey Scholarship Sue Bates Scholarship Gail Bienvenu Memorial Scholarship Miss Marie Bright Scholarship W.A. “Dub” Brown Scholarship Dr. Ronald Buchanan Scholarship John B. and Estelle M. Caldwell Endowed Scholarship Bobby Terrell Cowart Scholarship for Legal Assistants Manton L. Dunham & Delwin D. Dunham Memorial Scholarship Endowed Nursing Scholarship Jane Goins-Flanagan Scholarship Sydalise Fredeman Scholarship John W. Gates Scholarship Betty Guarnere Endowed Scholarship Joe and Lloyd Hayes Memorial Scholarship Norman Helms Endowed Scholarship LCDR. Peter D. Herlin Memorial Scholarship Dr. Mark Honea Endowed Scholarship Norma Provost Irwin Scholarship Fund Joe James Memorial Scholarship O’Dell James Memorial Scholarship Fund Kiwanis Club of Port Arthur – Leland Lacy Memorial Scholarship Kiwanis Club of Port Arthur – Pat Wood Memorial Scholarship Dr. Charles Lance Lyday Endowed Scholarship Logan Family Memorial Scholarship by John and Shirley Logan Riedmueller Herman and Carol Mazur Scholarship Fund Dr. Sam Monroe Scholarship Fund Dr. Madison Monroe Memorial Scholarship Everette Ford Montgomery Memorial Scholarship Charles E. Neumann Scholarship North Port Arthur Rotary Club Memorial Scholarship Parker Family Scholarship Fund Pilot Club of Port Arthur Mildred and William. J. Pitts Memorial Scholarship Mary Kay Place Scholarship Mack A. Pond Scholarship by Rotary Club of Port Arthur Port Arthur Founder’s Lions Club Thomas S. Balac/James A. DeLee Scholarship Port Arthur Improvement Association David A. Provost Memorial Scholarship

Bodie Pryor Scholarship Robert Rauschenberg Scholarship Fund Retail Merchants Association Scholarship Fund Professor W.E. Sampson Scholarship Captain Wm. Sanders Chapter of DAR Carl and Stella White/DAR Scholarship Elsie and William White Memorial Scholarship Wommack Family Scholarship General Scholarships: Alumni Association of Lamar State College-Port Arthur American Legion Auxiliary #7 American Legion #33 Asbestos Workers Local #22 Retirees Brookland Ex Students Scholarship Fund CavOilCade Chevron/Phillips Chemical Company City of Port Arthur Scholarship City of Port Arthur Housing Authority Conn’s Appliance Charitable Foundation Diocese of Beaumont Eber W. Ephlin Scholarship Fund First United Methodist Church, Port Neches Fraternal Order of Eagles Gabriel Funeral Home Juliette “Dodo” George Scholarship/Lamar State College-PA Alumni Association Groves Rotary Club H.E. Butt Grocery Co. Mary Evelyn Dunn Hayes Scholarship Effie and Wilton P. Hebert Scholarship Norman and Betty Helms Scholarship “I Have A Dream” Scholarship Program Jefferson County Extension Education Association Kountze Business & Professional Women’s Club Dennis Lanclos Scholarship Fund LASSO Leach, Sullivan, Sullivan & Watkins LSC-PA Historical Society Scholarship Charles Martin Scholarship/Lamar State College-PA Alumni Association Corey Marshall Musser Scholarship Masonic Order of Eastern Star Memorial Hermann Hospitals Mexican Heritage Society Nucor Bar Mill Park Place Medical Center Auxiliary Phi Theta Kappa Port Artur Industrial Group Port Arthur Respiratory Disease Trust Scholarship Port Arthur Teachers Federal Credit Union Port Neches Lodge #1163 Port Neches-Groves High School Presbyterian Church of the Covenant Ridgewood Christian School Rotary Club of Port Arthur

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Scholarships / Financial Aid

Financial Aid and Scholarship Awards

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Awards

Sabine Pilot Service Inc. Mary Schlesinger Scholarship Fund Sertoma Club of Port Arthur Gayle Sims Memorial Scholarship Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Taste of Gumbo (Port Arthur Rotary) O.C. “Mike” Taylor Scholarship/BISD Temple Inland Foundation Texas Alpha Omicron / Alpha Delta Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Sam Walton Community Scholarsip Wesley United Methodist Church Some scholarships are based on a student’s financial need, others are awarded on the basis of academic excellence. The scholarship application deadline for graduating high school seniors is April 1. For current Lamar-Port Arthur students and other prospective students the deadline is June 15. Students are encouraged to apply before the application deadline. For more information or to apply, contact the Admission Advisors Office in the Student Center.

Loans Lamar-Port Arthur provides only short-term loans. Short-term loans are awarded only during registration periods for the exact amount of tuition and fees based on the ability to repay the loan during the semester the loan was issued. Lamar-Port Arthur no longer participates in the long-term loan programs administered by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. The college does not award the following loans: Federal Perkins Loan or Federal District Loan.

Federal Plus Loan (Parent Loan Undergraduate Student) The PLUS loan is for parents who are credit-worthy to help pay the cost of post-secondary education for their children. The loan is between the parent and the lending institution. Eligible parents may borrow amounts not to exceed the difference between a student’s cost of attendance (COA) and all other financial aid he or she will receive. The student must meet eligibility requirements. The student must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen; at least a half-time student; enrolled in an approved degree program; making satisfactory academic progress; registered with the selective service or are exempt from this requirement; have no unresolved defaults or owed federal monies; not be incarcerated, have no convictions of drug related offenses and no property subject to a lien for debt owed to the U.S. Government. The parent also must meet the following eligibility requirements. The parent must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen; have no unresolved defaults on federal education loans and no refunds owed on federal education grants; certify his or her intent to use the loan proceeds for the educational purposes of the dependent student; and have no property subject to a judgement lien for a debt owed to the U.S. government. The student is required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). PLUS applications and more detailed information are available from the Office of Financial Aid.

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The Texas “B-On-Time” Loan Program provides no-interest loans to eligible Texas residents attending colleges and universities in Texas. If a student meets specified goals, the loan can be forgiven upon graduation. Otherwise, repayment is required. In 2003, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board set these guidelines: Eligibility: • must be a Texas resident; • Any 2003 or later Texas high school graduate or a student who earned an associate degree from an eligible institution no earlier than May 1, 2005; • has not earned a bachelor’s degree; • must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree or certificate at an eligible institution; • must have completed the FASFA and be eligible to receive federal financial aid. (NOTE: A three (3) percent origination fee will be charged.) Renewal Eligibility: • First academic year: 1. Student must show satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate as determined by the institution; • Second and subsequent academic years: 1. Student must complete 75 percent of the semester. 2. Student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale on all coursework previously attempted at institutions of higher education. 3. A student may not receive a “B-On-Time” loan for more than 150 hours of college credit hours. Forgiveness Requirements: 1. Student must graduate with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale within four calendar years after enrollment in a four-year institution, within five calendar years if the board decides that completion of a degree in architecture, engineering or any other program required more than four years; or within two calendar years after the date of a student’s initial enrollment in a public or private two-year institution. 2. Student must graduate with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. 3. Student’s total credit hours (including transfer hours and hours earned exclusively by examination) contain no more than six (6) credit hours beyond what is required to complete the degree or certificate. For more information, contact the LSC-PA Financial Aid Office at 984-6203, or go to the office on the third floor of the Student Center.

Employment Employment opportunities under the Federal College Work-Study Program and other employment programs of the college are available to Lamar-Port Arthur students as part of the financial assistance program. (See Financial Aid Office) The college, local businesses and industries provide a number of part-time jobs which enable students to earn part or all of these expenses while attending the college. (See Career/Placement Counselor)

Valedictorians Valedictorians from accredited Texas high schools are entitled to an exemption from payment of tuition for the two regular semesters immediately following graduation. Fees are not exempt. During registration, valedictorians should report to Admission for fee adjustments. The names of valedictorians of all Texas high schools are certified by principals to the Texas Education Agency. The college receives the list for reference.

Scholarships / Financial Aid

Texas “B-On-Time” Loan Program

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Awards

Students with Disabilities (Vocational Rehabilitation) The Texas Rehabilitation Commission offers assistance with tuition and non-refundable fees to students who have certain disabling conditions, provided their vocational objectives have been approved by a TRC Counselor. Examples of such conditions are orthopedic deformities, emotional disorders, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, etc. Other services are available to assist the handicapped student to become employable. Application for such service should be made at the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, 5860 Ninth Avenue, Port Arthur, Texas 77642.

The campus of Lamar State College-Port Arthur overlooks Sabine Lake and Pleasure Island (above) and the Sabine-Neches Waterway (below), which serves one of the busiest port areas in the United States.