Unlocking Potential: A Guide to the Forty Acres Scholars Program at UT Austin

The Forty Acres Scholars Program (FASP) at The University of Texas at Austin stands as a beacon of opportunity for exceptional students. Established in 2012, it represents UT’s commitment to fostering future leaders by providing a fully funded educational experience. This article delves into the intricacies of the FASP, its selection process, and other scholarship opportunities available at UT Austin, offering insights for prospective students and their families.

Introduction to the Forty Acres Scholars Program

The Forty Acres Scholars Program is more than just a scholarship; it's a comprehensive program designed to cultivate positive change in the world. Funded by numerous donors and endowments, FASP seeks to unlock the potential of gifted young minds. The program emphasizes community, connection, and discovery, aiming to provide scholars with the resources and networks necessary to thrive during their time at UT and beyond.

Understanding the Forty Acres Scholars Program

The Forty Acres Scholars Program (FASP) at UT Austin is a prestigious merit-based scholarship program that provides a full ride plus a stipend to 20-25 incoming freshmen each year. This highly selective program seeks students who have demonstrated leadership, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to service.

Selectivity and Funding

The Forty Acres Scholars Program (FASP) stands as UT’s flagship merit-based scholarship, offering a full ride plus a stipend to approximately 20-25 incoming freshmen annually. The program's selectivity is striking. FASP invites 150-200 semifinalists for interviews early each spring from an applicant pool of 4,000 to 5,000, making it five to ten times more selective than highly sought-after programs like MIT, Stanford, or UT’s Dean’s Scholars. The offer rate is approximately .5% among invited applicants and .02% among all UT applicants.

FASP's funding model is unique. Rather than relying on a centralized fund, FASP operates through hundreds of smaller donors and a few prominent, permanently funded endowments. This decentralized structure means that FASP isn’t a single program but rather a collection of individual scholarships, some of which are earmarked for specific majors like McCombs. This decentralized approach adds an element of unpredictability to the selection process.

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The Application Process: A Deep Dive

The Forty Acres Scholars Program application process has evolved over the years, with the system shifting from a totally separate application to being part of the regular admission submissions on the Common App. In some years, anyone could apply for it. In others, everyone was considered, whereby presumably the top applicants were flagged by Office of Admissions reviewers to send them to FASP review staff. Sometimes, there are no additional essays; in others, the essay requirements are onerous.

The application process for the Forty Acres Scholars Program is known for its complexity and lack of transparency. The system changes yearly, and the FASP pages lack transparency. The system has shifted from being a totally separate application to being part of the regular admission submissions on the Common App.

Essay Tips for Fall 2026 Applicants

The Forty Acres program has changed its topic for Fall 2026 applicants. The new topic reads: “The Forty Acres Scholars Program is more than a prestigious scholarship - it’s a vibrant, purpose-driven community built on the pillars of Community, Connection and Discovery. What could applicants write about in 500 words?

The hint in the question is to research more about what FASP means by “community, connection, and discovery” and to frame your response as somehow improving upon or adding to one or more of these dimensions.

Semifinalist Interviews and Finalist Weekend

Since semifinalist designations are pretty random, you just have to hope you get invited for an interview based on the arbitrary judgments of individual donors or FASP bureaucracy. The half-hour phone interview with UT alumni is pretty basic and nothing different than how top 20 private universities might interview. Then, if you’re one of the 50-60 selected as a finalist, congratulations! Sort of! Who knows why it happened? Maybe you come from the “right” high school, desired major, or zip code? Be gracious in your achievement and consider not sharing it on social media. Don’t contribute to the FOMO.

The Finalist Weekend is like a hybrid recruiting event with panels and tours that also serve as a group interview where you’re constantly being watched and assessed. This “weekend interview” setup is common at other full-ride programs at prestigious universities.

Beyond Forty Acres: Other Scholarship Opportunities at UT Austin

While FASP is the most well-known merit-based scholarship at UT Austin, it is not the only avenue for financial assistance. The university offers a range of scholarships to support students from diverse backgrounds and with varying financial needs.

Texas Advance Commitment

The Texas Advance Commitment is UT Austin’s commitment to making a UT education even more affordable, transparent and understandable for Texas students and families from middle- and low-income backgrounds with financial need. Under this expansion, Texas residents entering UT Austin as freshman or transfer students, as well as continuing students with family-adjusted gross incomes (AGIs) of up to $100,000, will have tuition covered with gift monies up to tuition. Students who enter as freshmen can receive funding for up to four years or the length of their program.

For eligible students with AGIs of up to $100,000*, your financial assistance will be adjusted based on your enrollment (full-time or part-time) as of the 12th class day.

Texas Exes Scholarships

The Texas Exes, UT Austin's alumni association, offers over 300 scholarships ranging from $500 to $20,000. These scholarships are a mix of need-based and merit-based awards, providing a wide range of supplemental funding.

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To apply for Texas Exes scholarships, students must complete the General Application, the Entering Freshman or Current Undergraduate/Graduate/Transfer Application, and the Recommended Opportunities section. Chapter scholarships are automatically matched based on the applicant's high school zip code.

Demystifying the Application Process

Applying for scholarships can be a daunting task, but understanding the process and requirements can significantly increase your chances of success. Here are some common questions and answers to guide you through the application process:

General Application Questions

The application is entirely free and available to anyone applying to UT! If you feel your responses adequately answer our prompts, you are welcome to use the same responses. For the entering freshman scholarship application short answers, there is a 300-word count limit. Our application runs concurrently with UT's admission application and therefore most students will not know their admission status prior to applying. You should apply now and not wait to hear from UT, as the deadline may have passed by the time you find out your status. We will verify that a student has been admitted to UT before offering a scholarship.

Only students planning to be enrolled full time the following fall semester are eligible to apply for Texas Exes scholarships.

Technical Questions

A UT EID typically includes your initials with a series of 2-5 numbers following (i.e. js3456) If you forgot your UT EID, you can look it up on the UT EID Help site. You should NOT create a new UT EID as this will create a duplicate record and cause issues with your application. If you enter an EID that does not match what is on file at UT, your application will not be reviewed. Yes, you can log in to your application and make updates up until the deadline. Once the deadline passes, you cannot make changes. Please note that Texas Exes staff will not be able to update your application after the deadline, as applications immediately go into review.

Our scholarship application and UT’s MyStatus systems are separate. Therefore, your MyStatus page will continue to display this message even if you have completed our scholarship application.

Forty Acres Scholars Program Questions

By applying to The University of Texas at Austin via the Common App or ApplyTexas, you will automatically be considered for the Forty Acres Scholars Program. No, all students who apply via the Common App or ApplyTexas will automatically be considered for the Forty Acres Scholars Program. All applicants will be equally considered. Transfer and international students cannot apply to the Forty Acres Scholars Program; however, they are eligible for our other scholarships through Texas Exes. No, you do not have to indicate on ApplyTexas nor the Common App that you wish to be considered for the Forty Acres Scholars Program. By applying to UT, you will automatically be considered for the Forty Acres Scholars Program.

Per the University's admissions process, SAT and ACT official test scores must be submitted by the appropriate deadline to be considered.

The Forty Acres Scholars Program is a merit-based, full-ride scholarship.

Although most of our scholars are in honors programs in different colleges across campus, applicants are not required to apply or be accepted to an honors program.

Applicants will only be contacted by the Forty Acres Scholars Program if they have been selected for a semifinalist interview. If you are contacted for a semifinalist interview, you will be asked to complete supplemental application materials in a timely manner.

Application Troubleshooting

If you have already set up your account and it is no longer allowing you access to the system with your login, please reset your password to regain access to the system. After three failed login attempts, the system will lock you out for one hour. You must wait the hour before you can try again or reset your password.

Supplemental Materials

Be sure your resume does not have any special characters in the filename (ex: Joe’s resume). Also, be sure that your resume is saved in .doc, .docx. or .pdf format. Select the file you would like to upload and click “Save and Keep Editing” before submitting to allow the system to download your file.

You cannot delete a file once it has been uploaded to the system. However, the system will only recognize the most recent file. Simply upload your new resume and it will replace any previously uploaded documents. No, we will not accept recommendation letters, transcripts or SAT/ACT scores that are sent to our office. Our application is based on self-reported data. No, we do not consider recommendation letters in our selection process. No, you do not need to send in your test scores or transcripts. If new SAT: Evidence based reading and writing and mathematics scores only If old SAT: Critical reading and mathematics scores only We will accept either and there is no preference for one over the other.

Notification Timeline

Recipients are chosen by the Texas Exes scholarship selection committees each spring. Only students receiving scholarships will be notified via our scholarship application system.

Maximizing Your Chances: Tips for Success

Securing a scholarship, especially a prestigious one like the Forty Acres Scholars Program, requires careful planning and execution. Here are some tips to help you stand out from the competition:

Demonstrate Leadership and Service: Highlight your leadership roles in extracurricular activities and your commitment to serving your community.
Showcase Intellectual Curiosity: Express your passion for learning and your eagerness to explore new ideas and concepts.
Craft a Compelling Essay: Use your essay to reveal your personality, experiences, and aspirations. Make sure your essay is well-written, engaging, and reflects your unique perspective.
Seek Guidance: Don't hesitate to seek advice from teachers, counselors, and mentors who can provide valuable feedback on your application materials.
Be Authentic: Be true to yourself and let your genuine passion and personality shine through in your application.

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