About EOC
The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) is a program funded by the U.S. Department of Education that provides counseling and application assistance to any qualified participants interested in pursuing higher education. Higher education can be college, university, a trade school program, or any other training after the completion of high school or the GED. The EOC advisors are here to be your higher education advocates.
Participants in the EOC Program receive more than just help completing forms. Our experienced advisors understand the obstacles students face when enrolling in college – financial, personal, and family – and we will help you create a personalized plan to work through those obstacles to attend school.
EOC is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide assistance at no cost to you, meaning all EOC services are 100% free. We currently service the Dallas, Johnson, and Tarrant County areas.
2022 Educational Opportunity Center Snapshot
EOC Clients Who Qualify for Pell Grant
Completed a Financial Aid Application
Completed a College Application
Post Secondary Enrollment
our services
Academic Counseling
Financial Aid Applications
College Applications
Scholarship Research
Career Exploration
GED Resources
Client Resources
EOC also offers a variety of free community presentations on higher education, career, and financial literacy topics. Our services are available to any school, business, group, or community organization at absolutely no cost to you. To request information for your business or organization please fill out the information form below.
Repaying Student Loans
There are many repayment choices now available, that are based on your current level of income. Discover your options.
Community College Infomation
Discover the costs and admissions requirements for local Community Colleges.
Free Tuition Colleges
Local Scholarships List
View a comprehensive list of scholarships for students in Johnson County, both high school seniors and adults.
Military Benefits Overview
College Budgeting Worksheet
FAFSA Checklist
Dependent Student Income Verification
Students who are considered dependent when filing their FAFSA must have their parent or legal guardian fill this out
Independent Student Income Verificaiton
Students who are considered independent when filing their FAFSA must fill this out
Educational Action Plan
Check out these steps for completing college registration.
Free Career Assessments
ORS would like to thank CareerFitter for their career assessment test generosity and support. Learn more about their career test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this cost?
What areas do you serve?
The Educational Opportunity Centers at ORS serve Dallas, Johnson, and Tarrant counties.
Do you offer virtual or in-person appointments?
Our EOC program that serves Johnson County offers in-person appointments at our Cleburne office location, as well as virtual and phone appointments.
Our Dallas & Tarrant County EOC programs only offer virtual and phone advising appointments at this time. Our virtual appointments are conducted through Google Meet. You can schedule your appiontment by going to eoc.setmore.com.
Do I need to bring anything with me?
If you would like to get free assistance with enrolling in school or applying for financial aid, all you need to get started is to schedule an appointment with an EOC advisor. No documents are required to be part of the EOC program. When you make an appointment, our advisors will help you through the rest of the process, and there is no obligation.
However, if you would like to apply for financial aid during your appointment, it is helpful to have your tax information. The FAFSA utilizes your income tax information from two years prior. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA, you will be using your income tax return for 2022.
Permanent residents should also bring their green card or alien identification number.
Dependent students will need to provide parent information to complete a FAFSA. For that reason, if you are a dependent student, bringing your parent or legal guardian is also beneficial in completing the process. If your parent is not able to accompany you, no problem. We will still walk you through the process.
If you do not need to complete a FAFSA, then you do not need to bring anything other than your questions!
Who is eligible for this program?
- Anyone who is a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, or a qualifying non-citizen (e.g. a resident of the Marshall Islands)
- Anyone who expresses a desire to enroll, or is already enrolled in college, and is seeking help with applying for financial aid, scholarships, or enrolling in a program.
The EOC advisors will help anyone needing assistance with the college or trade school entrance process, as well as navigating the FAFSA. We can demystify this process for you, helping you to enroll in the higher education program of your choice and then maximizing the amount of financial aid you qualify for.
Is this for a particular school?
How long will an appointment last?
Do you accept walk-ins?
Yes, we welcome walk-ins to our Cleburne office in Johnson County. However, because of the work we do in the community, advisors may not always be in the office. If you are able to make an appointment ahead of time or call in advance, then we can ensure that an advisor is available.
Clients of our Dallas & Tarrant County EOC programs should schedule a virtual or phone advising appointment, or call/text our office at (817) 241-4141 for assistance.
Do you offer money for school?
The only direct financial assistance that the EOC program offers is payment for college entrance exam fees for low income clients. If you are low income based on our program criteria, you may qualify for payment assistance for the following tests: GED, HiSET, and TSI. Contact us at eoc@orstx.org for more information.
The EOC programs at ORS are committed to providing opportunities to all qualified people, regardless of economic or social status, and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, political beliefs, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran’s status, or physical or mental disability. The Educational Opportunity Centers at ORS are 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education to serve Dallas, Johnson, & Tarrant counties respectively for up to $283,663 annually.