TAMIU Students Graduate with Less Loan Debt than Many in State, Nation
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students graduate with one of the lowest average student loan debt figures in the entire United States, according to a new study by online source, LendEDU.
Additionally, TAMIU has one of the lowest average student debt figures in the entire state of Texas, or $17,394 for the Class of 2017, and also one of the lowest average student debt figures for all public institutions in the United States, LendEDU shows.
TAMIU ranked #40 out of 1,080 institutions analyzed for having one of the lowest student debt figures in the U.S.
Within the state of Texas, TAMIU ranked No. 6. When it came to all public schools, TAMIU ranked No. 20 among similar schools in the nation.
The full report can be found here: https://lendedu.com/blog/average-student-loan-debt-statistics
Laura Elizondo, TAMIU director of Financial Aid, said that over 80 percent of TAMIU students currently qualify for need-based financial aid.
According to LendEdu, 74% of TAMIU students graduate with student loan debt.
Federal Pell Grants are the most significant source of financial aid, Elizondo said, adding that 67 percent of students in 2016-2017 received those grants.
Funding from the state is the second-largest financial aid program at TAMIU, Elizondo said.
Every year, TAMIU offers several financial aid presentations in an effort to inform as many students and families as possible about available financial aid opportunities, Elizondo explained.
“We visit local high schools and educate parents about the availability of federal and state money at our FAFSA workshops, we also help students fill out their financial aid applications,” she said.
During the 2016-2017 school year, TAMIU students received a total of $62 million in assistance in the form of grants, loans, scholarships and work study employment, Elizondo said.
Another reason student loan debt is low at TAMIU is because the University offers one of the lowest tuitions in the region and state while providing students with ample financial aid opportunities, Elizondo said.
“For example, during the 2016-2017 school year, tuition for a 15-hour semester was $4,223 and $8,446 for a complete year,” she said.
TAMIU is proud to receive the LendEdu rankings, Elizondo said.
“I think that this is a testament to the consistent effort that we are making as a University to inform parents and students about financial aid availability every year,” she said, “We also make presentations to students about the responsibilities involved when borrowing money for college and the fact that they are graduating with some of the lowest average student loan debt tells us that they are heeding our advice about the importance of borrowing conservatively.”
Elizondo stressed the importance of applying for financial aid early, adding that students may begin applying for the 2019-2020 financial aid starting in October this year, Elizondo said.
For more information on Financial Aid at TAMIU, please contact Elizondo at 326.2225, email laura@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Senator Judith Zaffirni Student Success Center, room 214.
University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.