TEFA Application Documents: Student UID, Tax Returns, and What You Need

The most common reason TEFA applications get rejected isn't ineligibility — it's missing or incorrect documents. During the inaugural February–March 2026 application cycle, approximately 25,500 applications were disqualified, many because of income documentation that didn't meet the Comptroller's strict AGI verification standard.

Here's every document you need, where to get it, and the mistakes that trigger rejection.

The Document Checklist

1. Texas Residency Proof

You need a valid Texas driver's license or state-issued ID, plus a secondary residency document dated within 60 days:

• Current utility bill (electric, water, gas)
• Lease agreement or mortgage statement
• Property tax statement

The secondary document must show your name and a Texas address matching your ID. Expired documents or documents from other states will not be accepted.

2. IRS Form 1040 (AGI Verification)

This is where the most applications fail. The Comptroller uses federal Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from your IRS Form 1040 as the sole income verification method. Your AGI determines which priority tier you land in:

• Tier 1: Household income ≤ 500% FPL (disability required)
• Tier 2: Household income ≤ 200% FPL
• Tier 3: Household income > 200% and ≤ 500% FPL
• Tier 4: Household income > 500% FPL (capped at 20% of total funds)

Alternative income documentation — W-2 forms, pay stubs, bank statements — is not accepted. If you didn't file a federal tax return, you must complete an official Comptroller Income Affidavit (available through the application portal).

Use your most recent filed return (tax year 2024 or 2025). Make sure the AGI line (line 11 on Form 1040) is clearly legible in your upload.

3. Texas Student Unique ID

Every student in the Texas education system has a Student Unique ID number assigned by the Texas Education Agency. If your child previously attended a Texas public school, the UID was assigned at enrollment. You can find it on:

• Report cards from the child's last public school
• The child's Texas Records Exchange (TREx) profile
• By contacting the last school district's registrar office

If your child has never attended a Texas public school (born into homeschooling or moved from another state), check the current TEFA application instructions for how to supply the Student UID. Do not assume a new number is generated automatically.

4. Educational Setting Declaration

You must designate whether your child will attend an accredited private school or be homeschooled. Homeschool applicants complete a digital declaration confirming home instruction in reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship using visual materials — the standard Leeper requirements.

This is a checkbox and brief statement in the portal, not a lengthy document.

5. Disability Documentation (Priority Tier 1 and Special Education Funding)

If your child has a disability and you're seeking Tier 1 priority placement or the $30,000 private school special education award, you need one of:

• An active Individualized Education Program (IEP) issued by a Texas public school district
• A Full and Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) from a Texas public school
• An approved state proof-of-disability form signed by a licensed physician

Important: the $30,000 special education cap is only available for students enrolled in accredited private schools. Homeschooled students with disabilities are capped at $2,000 regardless of IEP status.

Common Rejection Triggers

Wrong income document. Uploading a W-2 or pay stub instead of the complete IRS Form 1040.

Expired residency proof. Using a utility bill older than 60 days.

Illegible uploads. Phone photos of tax returns where the AGI line is unreadable.

Missing IEP for disability tier. Claiming Tier 1 without uploading qualifying disability documentation.

If your application is denied, you have 30 calendar days from the notification date to file an appeal through the portal with corrected documentation.

The Texas Education Freedom Accounts Parent Guide includes a pre-submission document verification checklist designed to catch these issues before you upload.

See more Texas guides →