Equal Treatment
A student should not be charged a different amount of tuition and fees simply because they receive a TEFA award.
If a family qualifies for a generally applicable discount—including a discount for siblings, employees, or parishioners—TEFA participation should not affect their discount.
Schools do have discretion to tailor financial aid based on students' individual circumstances and may factor a student's TEFA award into an analysis of a family's ability to pay.
Schools should have a written policy that details how financial aid does not change the amount of tuition charged.
Eligible Fees
TEFA funds may cover fees that:
Apply to all students as a condition of enrollment; or
Cover products and services provided by the school that are directly related to educational instruction; or
Would be eligible program expenses if they were provided separately.
Examples of Eligible Fees
Eligible Fee Type |
Enrollment Fees |
Registration Fee |
Lunch/Meals |
Educational Services/Classes/Tutoring Fee |
Academic Assessment Fee |
Transportation Fee |
Important: Schools may sign up as a vendor in our marketplace to offer other goods and services to students.
Ineligible Fees
In general, fees that are not directly related to educational instruction, or not for products or services that would be eligible program expenses if provided on their own, are not eligible.
Examples of Ineligible Fees
Ineligible Fee Type |
Fees that cover before- or after-school care or other non-educational supervision |
Fees or charges that support capital campaigns or other fundraising |
Parent organization membership fees |
Late payment fees |
Late pickup fees |
Refunds and Reimbursements
Reimbursements and refunds must be paid to the original source of payment.
Important Information
Participating in the TEFA Program does not place any additional restrictions on transactions between parents, schools, and participating vendors involving non-TEFA funds, including payments parents make using personal funds.
However, Texas law strictly prohibits schools and vendors from refunding, rebating, or crediting any transaction paid for with TEFA Program funds back to the personal account of a participating parent or student.
Schools and vendors may consider adjusting payment schedules to accommodate families who rely on TEFA funds to cover expenses while still managing cash flow and securing enrollment.
For example: Schools may allow participating families to initiate advance tuition and fee payments after funds appear in student accounts on July 1. This would ensure participating families have the option to cover these expenses with TEFA funds before the school year begins.
Advance Payments
There is no time-based restriction on when families can pay for eligible expenses. Program funds may be used to pay tuition or fees in advance.
For example: Families may use 2026-27 program funds to pay tuition and fees for the 2027-28 school year.
If a Student Leaves the Program
If a student stops participating in the program, the school will be expected to return any tuition and fees paid in advance to the state.