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TEFA Eligibility & Priority Tiers

Who qualifies, how the lottery works, and which families are prioritized when demand exceeds funding.

Updated October 2026 · Source: Texas Comptroller

Not first come, first served

Applying on the first or last day of the window does not affect your chances. If eligible applicants exceed available funding, awards are made by lottery within priority groups.

2026-27 priority tiers

  • Tier 1: Children with a disability in households at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • Tier 2: Children in households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • Tier 3: Children in households between 200% and 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • Tier 4: Children in households at or above 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Year-one demand

The first year drew more than 274,000 applications and more than 100,000 awards, including additional awards released to waitlisted Tier 3 students.