University of Texas System to Waive Tuition for Low-Income Families

The University of Texas System Board of Regents has announced a significant expansion of its financial aid program, set to eliminate tuition and fees for students whose families earn less than $100,000 annually. This initiative, which was unveiled on Wednesday, will apply to all academic universities within the UT System, including prominent institutions such as UT Dallas and UT Arlington, beginning in the fall of 2025.

The expansion is part of the Promise Plus Program, a needs-based financial aid initiative first approved by the board in 2022. According to officials from the UT System, this program is expected to benefit over 7 million Texas families by dismantling financial barriers to higher education for eligible students. «This program is a ‘game changer’ that will make an ‘enormous, real difference’ to improve college access for all Texans,» stated UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken.

Eligible participants must be Texas residents enrolled as full-time undergraduate students. The UT System comprises approximately 256,000 students across 14 universities and health centers. In a statement, chairman Kevin P. Eltife expressed the significance of this initiative: «There are so many people out there that don’t think they have the opportunity to go on to higher education. They think it’s out of their reach.»

Financial figures from the 2022-23 academic year show that the average net price for in-state students at UT Arlington was $14,956, while students received an average of $11,015 in grant and scholarship aid. At UT Dallas, the average net price was $13,464, with students receiving $14,643 in aid.

To fund the expansion, the regents have allocated $35 million from various sources, including endowment distributions and the Available University Fund. However, not all reactions have been positive. Texas state Representative Brian Harrison criticized the decision, denouncing it on social media as an «outrageous abuse of power» and arguing that it might constitute an unfair financial burden on taxpayers.

Such programs are not unique to Texas. In the University of California System, for example, free tuition is available for families earning up to $80,000 annually, while the University of Michigan offers similar benefits for families with an income of up to $75,000.

The board’s plan, while currently targeting families earning less than $100,000, aims to eventually include families with incomes as high as $150,000. Although financial constraints prevent this broader inclusion for now, the board’s long-term investment strategy reflects its commitment to reducing the financial pressures that contribute to student dropout rates.

The initiative coincides with statements from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has urged universities not to raise tuition in light of the rising cost of living. The UT System’s commitment to affordability and accessibility is seen as a pivotal step towards enhancing educational opportunities for all Texans, a sentiment echoed by Eltife’s remarks: «As long as we are here, we will continue our work to provide an affordable, accessible education to all who choose to attend a UT institution.»