Chloe, SAEP Scholar
Stand with 3,000 students like Chloe
Nearly 3,000 current and incoming San Antonio college students are counting on their SAEP scholarship for this school year. It's renewable through their degree, and for many of them it's what makes graduating possible. That funding is at risk in the City budget, and no decision has been made yet.
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Most San Antonians don't know this is happening.
City Council votes September 17.
What this means for San Antonio
San Antonio has one of the lowest college attainment rates of any major U.S. city. 32% of adults here hold a bachelor's degree. In Austin it's 42%. Closing that gap is the stated goal of Bexar County's Future Ready plan and of the attainment pledge our local college presidents signed this spring.
- Nearly 10% — the increase in a student's likelihood of earning a bachelor's degree, in a study of this scholarship
- 70% by 2030 — Bexar County's goal for graduates continuing to college or training
- More than 20,000 — San Antonians who have received this scholarship since 1989
These scholarships go to students at high schools in six of the city's most under-resourced districts, and they follow those students all the way through graduation. San Antonio has spent years saying it wants more of its own kids to finish college. This is one of the few things the City funds that actually does it.
What we're asking the City
Keep scholarship funding intact for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 so students already enrolled aren't disrupted mid-degree.
Many of these students are the first in their families to go to college, balancing the cost of school with work and responsibilities at home. This scholarship isn't just what got them to enroll. It's what helps them stay enrolled and finish.
Does this affect Café College?
No. Café College is a walk-in college advising center open to the whole community, and the City is continuing to fund it. The SAEP scholarship is a separate program. It goes directly to students at local colleges, and it's the funding being decided.
Has the funding already been cut?
No. The City is working through its FY2027 budget process, and City Council votes on September 17. There is still time for the outcome to change.
What exactly is SAEP asking the City to do?
Keep scholarship funding intact for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 so students already counting on it aren't disrupted mid-degree. SAEP is also open to a longer conversation with the City about sustainable funding for future years.