The
Higher Education Act of 1965 (
HEA) was legislation signed into
United States law on November 8, 1965, as part of President
Lyndon Johnson's
Great Society domestic agenda. Johnson chose
Texas State University—then called "Southwest Texas State College"—his
alma mater—as the signing site. The law was intended “to strengthen the educational resources of our colleges and universities and to provide financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education”. It increased federal money given to universities, created scholarships, gave low-interest loans for students, and established a National Teachers Corps. The "financial assistance for students" is covered in
Title IV of the HEA.