The UNT Terry freshman application will open on October 1, 2026.

 

The Terry Scholarship for incoming freshmen is a four-year, "last-dollar" scholarship for Texas high school graduates. Accounting for other scholarships that students may receive and their financial information, the Terry Scholarship is individually adjusted for each academic year to cover the full cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, books, and on-campus living expenses.  Further information about the Terry Foundation may be found on their website. Please note that the Terry Foundation does not accept applications directly from students. The UNT Terry deadlines for freshmen applications are as follows:

Student deadline: December 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (CST) for students to submit their application and transcripts

Recommender deadline: 

January 4, 2027 at 11:59pm (CST) for recommenders to submit the letter of recommendation. Recommenders will receive the recommendation submission instructions upon the student's submission of the UNT Terry application.

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Eligibility

To be considered for the Terry Scholarship as an incoming freshman, you must:

  • be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • be a Texas resident.
  • be a graduate of a Texas high school or be homeschooled while residing in the state of Texas and receive a Texas high school diploma or equivalent.
  • have a high school graduation date in Spring 2027 and be an incoming freshman college student for the Fall of 2027.
  • be admitted to UNT as a full-time student for the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • have a record of leadership in school and community.
  • demonstrate strong academic abilities, as evidenced by grades.
  • demonstrate financial need AND complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 2027.

Selection Criteria

The University of North Texas will review all applications and nominate a select number of candidates to the Terry Foundation, which will review the nominations and interview candidates before making awards, with the number of awards likely not exceeding 22. The University of North Texas serves as a nominating body only; the Terry Foundation makes all final decisions regarding scholarship awards.

The selection criteria used by the Foundation include financial need, academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership potential. Although financial need is an important factor in the selection process, a student need not qualify for federal assistance in order to meet the Terry Scholar selection criteria. Nevertheless, all applicants must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Students who are selected for the UNT Terry Scholarship must live on-campus in a designated Terry Scholar living-learning community during their first year at UNT.

Application Summary and Deadlines

  • Before applying for the UNT Terry Scholarship, students must gain admission to UNT. To facilitate this sequence, applicants for the UNT Terry Scholarship are encouraged to apply for admission to UNT as soon as possible.
  • Applicants must submit a completed UNT Terry Scholarship application with their transcript(s) by 11:59 pm (CST) on December 31, 2026. There will be no exceptions to this precise deadline.
  • Recommenders must submit one letter of recommendation by 11:59 pm (CST) on January 4, 2027. Recommenders will receive the recommendation submission instructions upon the student's submission of the UNT Terry application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm the status of the letter with their recommender in advance of the deadline.
  • File a FAFSA online by March 2026

Selection Timeline and Applicant Notification

The UNT Terry selection process spans the academic year. A general timeline is outlined below:

  • UNT Terry application opens in October and closes in early January.
  • Applicants will receive notification of their application status in February.  A select number of applicants nominated by UNT will be contacted by the Terry Foundation to schedule an interview.  Applicants who will not be moving forward will receive an email notification from the UNT Terry Scholarship Program.
  • Terry Foundation interviews typically occur in late-March to early-April.
  • Students who interview with the Terry Foundation will receive final notification from the Terry Foundation before May 1st (date may be subject to change).

Terry Foundation Freshman Application Instructions

Students will access the UNT Terry application by logging in with their UNT student email address and associated UNT password. When students save the application, the link for continuing the submission will be sent to their UNT student email address.

The UNT student email address is formatted FirstnameLastname@my.unt.edu, with occasional variations. The password will be the password will be the password that students selected when activating their UNT student accounts. To confirm their UNT email address or password, students can check https://ams.untsystem.edu/.

Applications must be completed to merit review. Completed applications are composed of the following components: Application, transcript(s), and one letter of recommendation.

  • Application — Students must complete, digitally sign, and submit the UNT Terry application by the deadline (December 31, 2026, 11:59pm CST). Applications should be filled out completely. Applicants will be unable to edit or change their application after submission and are thus advised to review their application carefully before officially submitting.

    Applicants should be prepared to respond to both of the following essay questions:

    • Essay 1:  The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. In approximately 500 words, recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
    • Essay 2:  In approximately 500 words, describe an example of your leadership. Be sure to describe your actions and the actions of those around you and to explain what you accomplished

  • Transcripts — Students must upload, within their application, a copy of their transcript from every high school they have attended.  Applicants who have completed 15 or more dual credits by the end of the Fall 2026 semester must also upload transcript(s) for the college (dual credit institutions) that they have attended. These applicants should submit whatever dual credit transcript is available to them at the time of submission.  The transcript(s) should be the most recent version that is currently available to the student. Screenshots of grades should not be uploaded in the place of a transcript.  It is the applicant's responsibility to request a copy of their transcript(s) far enough in advance to have those before the upload deadline. Late or missing transcripts will disqualify applicants.

  • One Letter of Recommendation — One letter of recommendation should be submitted by one of the applicant's teachers and should speak to the applicant's academic and leadership abilities.  Applicants will be required to enter the email address of their recommender into the application.  At the time of the application submission, an automatic email from noreply@formresponse.com will be sent to the recommender's email address, as entered in the application, requesting a letter of recommendation for the applicant. The recommender will submit the letter by following the instructions in that email. Letters of recommendation must be received by the recommender deadline (January 4, 2027, 11:59 pm CST). It is the applicant's responsibility to check with the listed recommender, in advance of the deadline, to confirm the status of the letter. 

REMEMBER: The application must be filled out completely to be considered. A completed application with transcript(s) must be received by the 11:59pm CST December 31, 2026 student deadline. One letter of recommendation must be received by the 11:59pm CST January 4, 2027 recommender deadline. 

Apply Here

(Opens October 1, 2026)

Students will access the UNT Terry application by logging in with their UNT student email address and associated UNT password. To confirm their UNT email address or password, students can check at ams.untsystem.edu. When students save the application, the link for continuing the submission will be sent to their UNT email address.

Contact us: TerryScholars@unt.edu or 940-565-4914

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