Almost 200 students at South Texas College are getting financial help thanks to a partnership between the college and the city of Mission.

The MEDA scholarship program was created 10 years ago by STC and the Mission Economic Development Corporation.

STC student Julio Garcia said because he already has a degree, it's hard to get any financial help, and the scholarship helped reduce his student loans.

Garcia is studying computer science, and he says this is a career switch for him because he already has a degree in business management.

He says he didn't feel fulfilled, so he decided to go back to school.

Garcia says the financial help is limited for people who already have degrees, and MEDA's scholarship is helping ease the financial burden.

"If I didn't get the scholarship money, because right now I'm getting another bachelor's degree while I already have a degree and not being able to get the FAFSA, I've had to take out student loans. But at the same time, MEDA has very much lowered the cost of my tuition," Garcia said.

The Mission Economic Development Corporation and STC have awarded over $129,000 in scholarships. The next scholarship application will be available in April.

For more information on the scholarship, click here.