Homeschool benefits and savings in Cooke, Montague, and Young Counties
The Red River Promise pays whatever tuition and mandatory general use fees remain after grants at North Central Texas College (NCTC), $112 per credit hour in 2026-27, for up to 30 credit hours a year and eight consecutive semesters. Homeschool graduates who live in Cooke, Montague, or Young County can ask to join by appeal through promise@nctc.edu.
Who qualifies
Lives in a Promise county
Homeschool graduates who live in Cooke, Montague, or Young County can submit an appeal. The Promise is otherwise limited to graduates of 14 partner high schools.
Is approved on appeal
Approval is not automatic. Email promise@nctc.edu for the appeal steps; submitting an appeal does not guarantee a spot.
Files the FAFSA or TASFA
The Promise pays only after federal and state aid, so your student files the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid and the NCTC Foundation scholarship application.
Starts the fall after graduating
Your student enrolls in at least 12 credit hours the fall semester right after high school graduation and stays enrolled every fall and spring.
What it is worth
NCTC charges $57 tuition plus a $55 general use fee per semester hour for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, the two charges the Promise covers.
- One class (3 hours)
- $336
- Minimum full-time semester (12 hours)
- $1,344
- 15-hour semester
- $1,680
- Yearly cap (30 hours)
- $3,360
Students outside Cooke County also pay an out-of-district fee of $20 (Graham ISD) or $100 (other Texas residents) per hour. Ask promise@nctc.edu whether the Promise covers that fee.
From applying to keeping it
- Junior year
Ask about the appeal
Email promise@nctc.edu early. Partner school students pledge by February 1 of senior year and log 10 hours of community service as juniors.
- By April 1
Apply and file aid
Submit the NCTC admissions application, the FAFSA or TASFA, and the NCTC Foundation scholarship application.
- By July 31
Register for fall
Sign up for at least 12 credit hours for the fall semester right after graduation.
- Each semester
Keep a 2.0 GPA
Hold a cumulative 2.0 GPA and complete at least 12 credit hours each fall and spring.
- Each year
Renew aid
File the FAFSA or TASFA again, accept any grants offered, and register by the posted deadlines.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Mandatory general use fees
- Developmental classes
Not covered
- Books
- Housing
- Supplies
- Transportation
- A second associate degree or certificate
Who pays first
- Federal Pell and state grants
- Other scholarships
- Red River Promise
It is last-dollar aid: grants and scholarships are applied first, and the Promise pays the remaining tuition and general use fees, with no cash paid to the student.
Promise awards come from NCTC, partner school districts, businesses, and foundations.
Good to know
Homeschool graduates may qualify through an appeal
A homeschool graduate who lives in Cooke, Montague, or Young County can appeal for consideration, but approval is decided case by case.
No GPA or income requirement to start
NCTC has no GPA requirement for the first semester and no family income cap. Some partner universities do set GPA or income rules.
Who to contact
The Red River Promise team handles homeschool appeals and answers questions about eligibility and deadlines.
promise@nctc.edu 940-668-3371 Red River Promise FAQ
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
- Do dual credit hours count against the 30-hour limit?
- No. Dual credit hours earned in high school that do not complete a degree do not count toward the 30 hours.
- Can my student sit out a semester?
- Not without an appeal. Missing a fall or spring semester requires an appeal form, and approval is not guaranteed.
- Can the Promise be used at a university?
- Yes, at partner universities, for students who finish an associate degree. Students who earn one in high school can use it at schools such as Midwestern State, Texas Woman's, UNT Dallas, UT Arlington, and West Texas A&M.
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.
Find benefits for your ZIP code