What is the FORWARD Loan and who’s eligible 

The Future Occupations & Reskilling Workforce Advancement to Reach Demand (FORWARD) Program is a low-interest loan designed for students enrolled in programs aligned with high-value credentials and high-demand occupations. The program provides alternative educational loans to Texas students who are unable to meet the cost of attendance.  

Students must: 

• Be classified by the institution as a Texas resident 
• Be registered with Selective Service, or be exempt 
• Meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements set by the institution 
• Receive a favorable credit evaluation or provide a cosigner who has favorable credit and meets other credit requirements 
• Be enrolled in a High-Demand Credential program that the student can complete in two years or less; eligibility for the program ends two years from the start of the semester in which the student received the first loan through the Program.  

Examples of eligible programs are energy, nursing/patient care, teaching, technology, and transportation/logistics. To see if a program is eligible, refer to the full list here. 

Other enrollment requirements: 

• If enrolled in a degree program, must have completed at least 50% of the required coursework prior to receiving a loan through the Program   
• If enrolled in a non-degree program, the program’s duration must be less than two years  
• If enrolled in master's degree coursework, the master’s degree must be part of a combined baccalaureate-master's program approved by the institution of higher education 

• Annual: Cost of attendance less other financial aid and financial resources  
• Aggregate: Cannot exceed manageable student loan debt as decided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board  

Cosigners must: 

• Be at least 21 years of age 
• Have a regular source of income 
• Not be the borrower or the spouse of the borrower 
• Receive a *favorable credit evaluation 
• Be a U.S. citizen, or a permanent U.S. resident and live in the U.S. or in a U.S. territory 

*To receive a favorable credit evaluation, students or cosigners must:  

• Have an Experian VantageScore of 650 or higher  
• Not have public records such as tax liens or bankruptcy proceedings 
• Have a minimum of four credit trade lines (excluding student loans or authorized user accounts) 
• Not have defaulted on any federal or private education loans.

• Interest is currently a fixed annual rate of 3.85% 
• Interest begins to accrue on the outstanding principal from the date of disbursement using simple interest 
• Loans are not eligible for interest subsidy, but the interest is not capitalized 

• Loans have a six-month grace period from the date a borrower ceases to be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible institution 
• Up to a ten-year repayment period 
• Monthly payment amount is calculated annually based on income, the monthly accrued interest on FORWARD loans, and cumulative outstanding student loan principal balance 
• The loan will not be sold to another lender 
• Postponement of loan repayment is available 

You can apply at Apply Online.