Homeschool benefits and savings in Hidalgo or Starr County
The Valley Promise pays the tuition and general use fees left after other aid at South Texas College for up to 30 credit hours a year for two years, worth up to $9,840 at the 2026-27 in-district rate of $164 per credit hour. Homeschool graduates from Hidalgo and Starr counties qualify in the Class of 2027 cohort if they show financial need on the FAFSA and finish every step by May 31, 2027.
Who qualifies
Lives in Hidalgo or Starr County
Your student must be a U.S. and Texas resident and an in-district resident of Hidalgo or Starr County. Valley Promise lists homeschool graduates from these counties as eligible.
Shows financial need
Your student files the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and must have financial need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education.
Graduates in 2027
Class of 2027 seniors could start the Valley Promise Pledge on September 1, 2026, and must finish all requirements by May 31, 2027.
Enrolls and keeps a 2.0
Your student registers for at least 12 credit hours from a degree plan and keeps a 2.0 grade point average.
What it is worth
South Texas College charges Hidalgo and Starr County residents a flat $164 per credit hour for 2026-27, and the Promise covers tuition and general use fees after other aid.
- One class (3 hours)
- $492
- Full-time semester (12 hours)
- $1,968
- 15-hour semester
- $2,460
- Yearly cap (30 hours)
- $4,920
- Two-year cap (60 hours)
- $9,840
Some programs add $75 per credit hour to tuition, and textbooks and learning materials are not covered.
From applying to keeping it
- From September 1, 2026
Take the pledge
Submit the online Valley Promise Pledge, which is open to Class of 2027 seniors.
- By May 31, 2027
Apply and file the FAFSA
Complete the ApplyTexas application and the FAFSA, and finish every program requirement.
- Before fall 2027
Register full time
Sign up for 12 credit hours of courses from your student's degree plan for Fall 2027.
- Each semester
Keep a 2.0 GPA
Stay enrolled in at least 12 hours and work with the assigned Success Coach.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- General use fees
- Your student can work toward an associate degree in one of 130 academic programs or a certificate or associate degree in a short-term workforce training program.
- A dedicated Success Coach
Not covered
- Textbooks
- Other learning materials
- More than 30 credit hours a year
Who pays first
- Grants
- Scholarships, exemptions, and other benefits
- Valley Promise
It is last-dollar aid: grants, scholarships, and exemptions apply first, and the Promise pays the tuition and general use fees that remain.
Private and public donors, including The Greater Texas Foundation and the STC Foundation, pay for the Valley Promise.
Who to contact
The Valley Promise team answers questions from prospective scholars about eligibility and next steps.
valleypromise@southtexascollege.edu 855-468-6782 Contact Valley 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
- Can a homeschool graduate become a Valley Promise Scholar?
- Yes. The program lists graduates of homeschool organizations in Hidalgo and Starr counties as eligible, as long as they meet the residency, financial need, and enrollment rules.
- Does our family's income matter for the Valley Promise?
- Yes. Your student needs financial need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education from the FAFSA, so you must file it.
- Does the Promise pay for books?
- No. Valley Promise funding does not include textbooks or other learning materials.
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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