FORTY ACRES SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Apply

The preferred deadline to apply for the 2021-22 academic year is November 1 at 11:59 p.m.

The final deadline to apply is December 1 at 11:59 p.m.

 

Start Your Application

 

Below you’ll find everything you need to know about eligibility and timing of the application process. Please read carefully, refer to the FAQs, and then click Start Your Application when you’re ready to apply.

 

Learn more about the Program from the Scholars themselves!

RSVP to join a virtual info session on October 2, October 16, or November 6 from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

Apply

First, do the following:

  • You must first submit the Texas Exes General Application and Entering Freshman Scholarship Application before you can access the Forty Acres Scholars Program supplemental short answers.
  • Applicants will need to create an account by clicking “Sign Up” and then will be able to begin the application.
  • Applicants must also complete the application to The University of Texas at Austin via ApplyTexas or Coalition by November 1 to meet the preferred deadline and by December 1 to meet the final deadline.
  • All applications submitted prior to the final December 1 deadline will be reviewed with equal merit regardless of the date they are submitted. Applying by the November 1 preferred deadline allows staff to begin the review process earlier, but there is no advantage to meeting the preferred deadline.

Eligibility

Eligibility  

  • High school seniors applying to UT Austin
  • In-state and out-of-state students 
  • Must be U.S citizen or permanent U.S. resident at the time of application
  • Applicants applying to the McCombs School of Business should also apply to the Canfield Business Honors Program
  • Transfer and international students are not eligible to apply to the Forty Acres Scholars Program, but are eligible for other Texas Exes scholarships 

Criteria 

The Forty Acres Scholars Program inspires and nurtures visionary leaders and helps them use their talents to benefit society. Our Scholars demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a track record of outstanding success. Most importantly, they have passion and a desire to live out the core values of The University of Texas at Austin.   

Students who have the best chance of being invited to the Forty Acres Scholars Program Finalist Weekend: 

  • Are well-rounded individuals who distinguish themselves through a variety of leadership roles, extracurricular activities, and community service 
  • Display intellectual curiosity and excel academically
  • Possess extraordinary intellectual ability and desire to use their ability to be catalysts for change in the world
  • Exemplify good citizenship and servant leadership
  • Possess distinguished social skills and interact easily with adults as well as peers

 

“Being surrounded by leaders from all areas of campus has exposed me to diverse perspectives and generated invaluable collaborations to make the university a better place. When I was just a freshman, I drew on my connections to other Forty Acres Scholars to become engaged on campus. This program has catalyzed my personal and professional development while creating long-lasting relationships with future innovators, leaders, and visionaries.” 

Jeff Auster, Class of 2019 

Timeline

FAQ

General FAQ 

Application FAQ

 

General FAQ 

Where do I apply? 

https://texasexes.academicworks.com/ 

When is the application due? 

The priority deadline for the 2021-22 Academic Year is November 1 at 11:59 p.m. The final deadline is December 1 at 11:59 p.m.  

Who is eligible to apply for the Forty Acres Scholars program? 

  • High school seniors applying to UT Austin 
  • In-state and out-of-state students
  • Must be U.S citizen or permanent U.S. resident at the time of application 
  • Transfer and international students cannot apply to the Forty Acres Scholars Program, however, they are eligible for our other scholarships through Texas Exes.

What does “preferred deadline” mean? Is there any advantage to applying by the preferred deadline?

There is no advantage to applying by the preferred deadline. Applying by the preferred deadline will not affect your acceptance decision; however, it allows staff to being the review process earlier.

Do I have to enter anything in ApplyTexas to apply for the Forty Acres Scholars Program?  

No, our application is entirely separate from the ApplyTexas application and therefore you do not have to indicate on ApplyTexas that you will be applying for our scholarships. 

Is the Forty Acres Scholars Program need-based or merit-based?

The Forty Acres Scholars Program is a merit-based, full-ride scholarship. Our 300+ other scholarships range from need-based to merit-based and offer a wide range of supplemental funding from $500–$20,000. 

I am a high school senior but have not been admitted to UT yet. Can I still apply? 

Yes! 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. 

Do I have to apply to an honors program to apply to the Forty Acres Scholars Program?

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. However, for applicants planning to major in the McCombs School of Business specifically, those with the best chance of being invited to Finalist Weekend have also been accepted to either the Canfield Business Honors Program or the Texas Honors Computer Science and Business program.

Do my parents have to be alumni of UT for me to apply for the Forty Acres Scholars Program?  

No! We accept applications regardless of your connections to UT. All applications are reviewed with equal merit, regardless of an applicant’s connection to UT 

How much does your application cost?

Nothing. Our application is entirely free and available to anyone applying to UT! 

Will the Texas Exes have access to my admission application? 

No, the Texas Exes will not have access to your admission application and submitted documents. 

Can I use the same essay responses from my admission application? 

Yes, if you feel your responses adequately answer our prompts, you are welcome to use the same responses. 

What is the word count for your essays?  

  • For the entering freshman scholarship application short answers, there is a 300-word limit.  
  • For the Forty Acres Scholars Program short answers, there is a 300-word limit. 

 

Application FAQ

How do I know if my application was correctly submitted? 

After you log in to your application, you will see the word “Submitted” in the General Application and Entering Freshman Application status boxes. If you applied for the Forty Acres Scholars Program, you will see the word “Submitted” in the corner of the status box. Also, for every portion of the application that you successfully submit, you will receive a confirmation of the submission. 

Can I update my application once it is submitted? 

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. 

How do I access the Forty Acres Scholars Program supplemental short answers once I have completed the General Application and the Entering Freshman Application? 

Once you have completed the required portions for the General Application and Entering Freshman Application, you can then access the Forty Acres Scholars Program short answers one of two ways: 

You can access the essay directly at https://texasexes.academicworks.com/opportunities/2331. You will need to sign in to your account in order to apply. 

From the https://texasexes.academicworks.com/ homepage: 

  • Sign in to your account 
  • Click the green “Start Applying” arrow 
  • Type in the search bar “Forty Acres Scholars Program” and click “Search” 
  • Click the “Apply” button under the Actions column to the right of the Forty Acres Scholars Program 

Why does my MyStatus page still show “Apply for Texas Exes scholarships” if I already completed my application?  

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. Please see the question above to find out to confirm that your application was successfully submitted. 

What is a UT EID? How do I know mine? 

When you apply for admission to The University of Texas at Austin through ApplyTexas, you will receive an email with your UT EID 24-48 hours after. Please plan accordingly as you will need the EID in order to complete the scholarship application. 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. 

I am getting an error or invalid authentication when setting up my application account. What should I do? 

If you are in the process of confirming your account, instead of clicking on the link in the email, please copy and paste the URL into your browser. If you are still experiencing difficulties accessing the system, please email scholarships@texasexes.org. 

I am getting an error when logging into my account. What should I do? 

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. If you are still experiencing difficulties accessing the system, please email scholarships@texasexes.org. 

I am having difficulties uploading my resume. What can I do? 

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. 

I would like to upload a more updated resume, but the system will not let me delete my old resume, what should I do? 

You cannot delete a file once it has been uploaded to the system. However, the system will only recognize the most recent resume that you upload. Simply upload your updated resume and that will replace any previously uploaded documents.

Do you accept supplemental 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-report data. 

Do I need to send in recommendation letters? 

No, we do not consider recommendation letters in our selection process. 

Do I need to send in SAT/ACT scores or transcripts?

  • Note, UT is test-optional for Fall 2021.  
  • No, you do not need to send in your test scores or transcripts. 

Which SAT score should I enter into the application?  

  • If new SAT: Evidence based reading and writing and mathematics scores only 
  • If old SAT: Critical reading and mathematics scores only 

Do you prefer SAT or ACT score? 

We will accept either and there is no preference for one over the other.