Message to Parents

Dear Prospective Emerald Eagle Scholar Parents,

We are very excited that you are considering the University of North Texas for your son or daughter, and that you may join our Emerald Eagle Scholars family here at UNT, Home of the MEAN GREEN!

Since our program began in 2007, we have served more than 1900 students and families!  Although the Emerald Eagle Scholars program has grown tremendously in numbers throughout the years, we are still very focused on providing individual attention and care for our students.  Students who are Emerald Eagle Scholars not only enjoy guidance from the Emerald Eagle Suite (located in the ESSC 136), but the entire university campus is here to ensure that your students are successful and happy.

We look forward to serving you and answering any questions you may have regarding eligibility requirements, program benefits, timelines, and/or helping you find the answers to questions you may have regarding the university as a whole.  

Congratulations on this new chapter in your and your student’s life!

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it’s a matter of choice.  It is not a thing to be waited for; it’s a thing to be achieved.”  William Jennings Bryan

Warm Regards,

Lilyan Prado Carrillo

How the Funding Works

The University of North Texas makes a commitment to your student to ensure that their tuition costs and fees are paid by a combination of federal, state and institutional funds.

The university will offer your student an aid package, which consists of federal and state funds, the Emerald Eagle Award money, and in some cases, scholarships. A sufficient amount of funding will be offered to cover the average cost of tuition and fees for 15 semester credit hours. The amount varies for each person due to the following factors:

• Some students will be eligible for the various grantA grant is a type of financial aid based on financial need that the student does not have to repay. programs that UNT has to offer
• Some students may have a higher Expected Family ContributionThe Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount of money that the family is expected to be able to contribute toward the student's education as determined by the Federal Methodology need analysis formula. The EFC includes the parent contribution and the student contribution, and depends on the student's dependency status, family size, number of family members in school, taxable and nontaxable income, and assets. The difference between the COA and the EFC is the student's financial need, and is used in determining the student's eligibility for need-based financial aid. If there are unusual financial circumstances, such as high medical expenses, loss of employment, or death of a parent, that may affect your ability to pay for your education, the student needs to tell their financial aid administrator (FAA). He or she can adjust the COA or EFC to compensate. than others
• Some students may be awarded UNT or external scholarships.

Students are awarded by aid year. Half of the financial aidMoney provided to the student and the family to help them pay for the student's education. Major forms of financial aid include gift aid (grants and scholarships) and self help aid (loans and work). disburses in the fall, and the other half disburses in the spring.  The Student Accounting and University Cashiering Services (SAUCS) office disburses the aid to your student's account.

SAUCS will then deduct what the student owes for tuition and fees along with other charges such as parking. Then, SAUCS gives a refund check to the student. Students and parents decide what form of reimbursement to receive. All students have a Higher One account.

Paying for Additional Expenses

The Emerald Eagle Scholars program doesn't cover other expenses such as housing, books and supplies. Therefore, the refund check your student receives should be used to pay housing and books, which are considered priority expenses.

Program Expectations

The program has a number of requirements and expectations.  We believe that our Emerald Eagle Scholars can rise to the expectation level, which will ultimately lead them to a four-year degree.  UNT is committed to covering your student's average tuition and fees, and providing faculty and staff who can guide your student to success.

Supporting the Emerald Eagle Scholar in Your Life

Your support and encouragement is important as your student starts college. You can help by staying involved in your student's college decisions even if you didn’t go to college, or if you’re concerned about not having enough money to pay for tuition. Here are some tips:

• Call or e-mail your student to offer encouragement.
• Send care packages.
• Remind your student to check MyUNT for important updates.
• Introduce yourself and get to know the Emerald Eagle Scholars staff.
• Visit The Emerald Eagle Suite.
• Review any information that your student receives about UNT, and the Emerald Eagle Scholars program.
• Ask questions. Try to educate yourself about the process.
• Help with paperwork.
• Encourage students to use the resources on campus.
• Encourage campus involvement.