Homeschool benefits: Odessa College
The Wrangler Promise pays the tuition and fees left after other aid at Odessa College for up to 60 attempted credit hours or an associate degree, worth up to $6,720 at the 2026-27 in-district rate. Homeschool graduates ages 17-19 who finish their program in the 2026-27 school year and live in the Odessa College service area qualify for the Class of 2027 cohort.
Who qualifies
Graduates from homeschool in 2027
Homeschool graduates ages 17 to 19 who complete their program in the 2026-27 academic year count as Class of 2027 graduates.
Lives in the service area
The Odessa College service area covers Andrews, Brewster, Crane, Culberson, Ector, Gaines, Jeff Davis, Loving, Presidio, Reeves, Upton, Ward, and Winkler counties.
Files the FAFSA or TASFA
Your student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, with 2025 parent tax information.
Enrolls full time that fall
Your student starts in fall 2027 with at least 12 credit hours in an associate degree or workforce certificate pathway and attends Wrangler Orientation.
What it is worth
Odessa College charges in-district students $112 per credit hour for 2026-27, which includes the student service and activity fees, and the Promise pays at the in-district rate.
- One class (3 hours)
- $336
- Full-time semester (12 hours)
- $1,344
- 15-hour semester
- $1,680
- Yearly cap (33 hours, fall through summer)
- $3,696
- Program cap (60 hours)
- $6,720
Some programs add special program tuition of $5 to $30 per hour, and students living outside the district pay the difference above the in-district rate.
From applying to keeping it
- From September 2026
Sign the pledge
Complete the Wrangler Promise Pledge Form, which opened in September 2026, by May 17, 2027.
- By July 7, 2027
Apply, file, and register
Apply to Odessa College through ApplyTexas, file the FAFSA or TASFA, apply for Foundation scholarships, and register for fall classes.
- By August 16, 2027
Accept the award
Log in to the Wrangler Portal and accept the Wrangler Promise scholarship. The college lists this date as subject to change.
- By August 24, 2027
Finish orientation
Complete Wrangler Orientation, which is required for every Promise student.
- Each semester
Stay full time
Keep at least 12 credit hours, a 2.0 GPA, and the required coaching and tutoring check-ins. Falling below full time twice ends the award.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Student service and activity fees
- Summer, Midwinter, and Maymester courses after the first fall
Not covered
- Credit hours beyond 60
- Costs above the in-district rate
- Cash refunds of unused funds
- A gap year or a later start
Who pays first
- Federal Pell Grant
- Other financial aid and scholarships
- Wrangler Promise
It is last-dollar aid: a student with no Pell Grant gets full tuition and fees, a student with partial Pell gets the balance, and a student with full Pell stays in the program but receives no Promise dollars.
Good to know
Homeschool graduates ages 17 to 19 qualify
Odessa College says homeschool graduates ages 17 to 19 who completed their program in the 2026-27 academic year qualify, as long as they meet the service area, financial aid, and enrollment rules.
A gap year means losing the Promise
The Promise is only available the fall semester right after graduation. Your student may still qualify for Odessa College Foundation scholarships.
Who to contact
The Wrangler Promise office answers questions about eligibility, the pledge, and keeping the award.
promise@odessa.edu Wrangler Promise
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Texas
You do not have to file a homeschool notice to the state.
Texas sets these rules:
- Subjects: Instruction in Texas must include reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship.
- Testing: No routine annual homeschool standardized test is required. UIL participation and public-school transfer can have separate testing requirements.
- Records: Texas does not require homeschool records, but keeping them is recommended.
- Teachers: Texas does not require homeschool parents to hold a teaching certificate.
Texas also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) awards $2,000 a year to selected home-education students for approved expenses. Applications for 2026-27 closed March 31, 2026; families who missed that cycle can join the 2027-28 interest list.
Read the Texas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Texas
Questions parents ask
- Does dual credit use up the 60 hours?
- No. A student who took dual credit but has not earned an associate degree still qualifies, and the Promise pays up to 60 semester credit hours.
- Can my student take summer classes on the Promise?
- Yes, after the first fall semester. The Promise covers up to 33 hours per academic year, from fall through summer, and summer enrollment is optional.
- What happens if my student's GPA drops below 2.0?
- Your student loses the Promise but can apply for the college's Restart Scholarship.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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