The University of Texas System Board of Regents has announced a significant expansion in its tuition assistance program, allowing more students to attend the University of Texas at Austin with reduced or no tuition costs. The initiative will now offer free tuition to undergraduates whose families have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less. This new threshold increases from the previous limit of $65,000 and will apply across all UT System institutions as part of the Promise Plus initiative aimed at enhancing affordability.
UT President Jay Hartzell expressed gratitude for the Board's decision: "We do not want affordability to be a barrier to a first-class college education, and we are extremely thankful to the Board of Regents for making this incredible investment." He encouraged potential students to apply before December 1.
Currently, one-third of UT Austin's undergraduate population benefits from the Texas Advance Commitment (TAC), which is estimated to expand its reach by an additional 3,000 students due to this initiative. Before this new commitment by the Board, TAC and other financial aids had reduced average net tuition for in-state undergraduates significantly.
The university has also introduced several measures to further ease student expenses. These include a housing scholarship that offsets up to $2,300 annually for eligible students living in residence halls and initiatives like UT for Me — Powered by Dell Scholars offering laptops and textbook credits. The University Co-op Course Materials Scholarship also helps reduce course material costs.
Kevin P. Eltife, chairman of the Board of Regents, emphasized the importance of minimizing student debt: "To be in a position to make sure our students can attend a UT institution without accruing more debt is very important."
UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken noted that these efforts reflect long-term planning: "What is particularly gratifying...is that the regents are not only addressing immediate needs...but they are taking the long view."
The TAC was established in 2018 as part of efforts to make education more accessible for low- and middle-income families. In 2019, a $167 million endowment was created at UT Austin for covering tuition costs entirely for those meeting certain income criteria. In 2022, nearly $300 million was added under Promise Plus to broaden this support system across all UT academic institutions.