University of Texas to provide free tuition for students from families earning $100,000 or less
AUSTIN — The University of Texas System approved the plan Thursday to provide tuition-free education at all nine institutions for undergraduate students from families earning $100,000 or less a year, beginning next fall.
Announced Wednesday, the Board of Regents' plan includes an immediate infusion of $35 million directly to campuses from endowments and would direct more investments to support financial aid. The Board of Regents approved the tuition plan on Thursday.
"To be in a position to make sure our students can attend a UT institution without accruing more debt is very important to all of us, and 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. By making both immediate campus allocations, as well as continued long-term investments in our Promise Plus endowments, we want hard-working Texas families and students to know that we will do everything in our power to support their higher education aspirations today and always," Kevin P. Eltife, Chairman of the UT System Board of Regents said in a statement.
According to the UT System, 56% of all UT students receive some form of financial aid.
"The Regents are not only addressing immediate needs of our current students, but they are taking the long view, ensuring that future generations will continue to benefit from this remarkable program," UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said. "Across UT institutions, enrollment is growing, and student debt is declining, indicating success in both access and affordability. That's a rare trend in American higher education, and I'm proud the UT System is in a position to be a leader."
To qualify, students must first apply for federal and state financial aid, enroll as full-time undergraduates, and reside in Texas.
According to the UT System, the average UT "student debt has steadily declined over the past five years" and is, on average, 10% lower than other public 4-year institutions in the state.
Texas lawmakers blast UT's free tuition plan
A group of current and incoming Texas lawmakers sent a letter to the Board of Regents Thursday questioning the constitutionality of the free tuition plan for students whose families earn $100,000 or less annually.
The "Coalition Demanding Answers," led by Republican State Rep. Brian Harrison, District 10, called for UT's budget to be cut and "bureaucrats" to be fired.
"Nothing is free," a statement from Harrison reads. "This outrageous abuse of power by unelected, executive branch bureaucrats makes higher education in Texas more socialist than California. A decision this consequential should only be made by the legislature. If you liked Biden's unconstitutional loan forgiveness program, you'll love this. The legislature must stop this Nancy Pelosi-esque, regressive, welfare-for-the-rich program that abuses working class Texans by forcing them to fund 'free' college for 'LGBTQ Studies' students. There must be consequences. UT's budget must be cut, and bureaucrats should be fired."
In response to Harrison's letter, Democratic State Rep. Donna Howard, District 48, said tax dollars are not being used.
"There are no tax dollars involved," she said in a statement. "Higher Ed institutions are already helping families afford college. This expands philanthropic endowments and helps meet affordability goals of Gov. Abbott and the Texas Higher Education Board."
UT System's previous free tuition plans and funding
In 2019, the Regents established a $167 million endowment at UT Austin to fully cover tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students from families earning less than $65,000, and cover the majority of tuition fees for families earning up to $125,000.
In 2022, the Regents extended the program to all UT academic institutions with a second endowment of nearly $300 million, known as "Promise Plus."
Available University Funds come from the university's oil and gas rights royalties. UT also receives gifts and endowments dedicated towards scholarships as well as as federal and state tuition assistance programs already in place.
According to the UT System, state funding has become stagnant. In the 1990-91 fiscal year, the state provided 34% of the University's total budget, and "in the 2020-21 fiscal year, state General Revenue funding accounts for just over 10 percent of the total budget."