Big Tex Scholarship Application Deadline February 1

DALLAS – January 26, 2023 – With over 3,000 scholars awarded more than $16.1 million since 1992, the State Fair of Texas continues to grow in its mission to support Texas education through initiatives like the Big Tex Scholarship Program. For the 31st year, we look forward to awarding new Big Tex Scholars this spring, with the application closing in just a few days on February 1. Eligible students can apply online today at BigTex.com/Scholarships to win a $6,000 scholarship and a State Fair season pass for life.

The Big Tex Scholarship Program helps support multiple pillars of the State Fair of Texas’ mission of promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement by offering three different scholarship opportunities: the Juanita Craft Scholarship, Youth Livestock Scholarship, and Seasonal Employee Scholarship. Each application is evaluated based on various criteria, such as financial need, academic achievement, character, and participation in the State Fair of Texas competitive events.

Eligible recipients include:

• They are graduating seniors from six Dallas Independent School District high schools in the South Dallas/Fair Park area.
• We are graduating high school seniors around Texas who have participated in competitive youth livestock events at the State Fair.
• Seasonal employees of the State Fair of Texas or their dependents

All scholarships are available to applicants attending an accredited Texas college, university, or vocational-technical school.

Juanita Craft Scholarship

Honoring the legacy of South Dallas resident and civil rights activist Juanita Craft, the State Fair of Texas awards multiple $6,000 scholarships to selected applicants from the following Fair Park-area high schools: Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Madison, Lincoln, North Dallas, and Woodrow Wilson High Schools, as well as Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School.

Youth Livestock Scholarship

The State Fair of Texas gives away $6,000 scholarships to selected applicants who have competed in specific competitive youth livestock events held at the State Fair. Scholarships are available to applicants from a Texas high school, with a preference for those enrolling in an agricultural-related or agricultural-benefiting natural science curriculum. For a complete list of qualifying events, please visit Big Tex Scholarship Program: Youth Livestock Scholarship.

Seasonal Employee Scholarship

The Seasonal Employee Scholarship awards $6,000 scholarships to seasonal staff members directly employed by the State Fair of Texas or to a dependent child, stepchild, grandchild, step-grandchild, foster, or adopted child of the qualified seasonal employee. Eligible seasonal staff is those who have completed at least three years of seasonal employment as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarship is to be awarded and have worked an average of 20 hours a week during the prior Fair.

Alongside these opportunities, the Big Tex Scholarship Program also awards additional scholarships to exemplary program recipients, with options available for newly awarded applicants and current sophomores, who can be selected to receive an additional $6,000 to be disbursed throughout their college career. Other scholarships include the Benny Clark Memorial Scholarship, Peggy Sloan Memorial Scholarship, Terry Griffin Memorial Scholarship, Clarice Tinsley Journalism Scholarship, and Youth Livestock Contest Scholarships. For more information, please visit Big Tex Scholarship Program Additional Scholarships. Apply by February 1, 2023, to be a Big Tex Scholar this year.