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The Haynes Ring Plaza, featuring a Aggie ring replica, is seen on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.<\/p>\n
Jason Fochtman\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Texas A&M University<\/a> will offer free tuition to more in-state students, raising its income cap from $60,000 to $100,000 and making college more affordable for thousands more Texans.<\/p>\n A&M is one of many institutions to expand their so-called \u201cpromise programs\u201d in recent months, pledging that low- and middle-income students can attend school without taking out heavy student loan debt.\u00a0Sam Houston State University<\/a> also announced that it raised its qualifying family income to $100,000, up from $40,000. \u00a0<\/p>\n ADMISSIONS: Read more from our series on college application season<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Many \u201cpromise programs\u201d have existed since the 2000s, but they\u2019ve grown to cover more undergraduates as the\u00a0sticker price on tuition also rises<\/a>.<\/p>\n Students usually need to fill out state and federal financial aid forms to show that state and federal grants are not enough to cover their college costs. Most public schools with promise programs use a \u201clast dollar\u201d model, meaning the institution will cover the difference remaining in tuition after a student receives grants and sometimes scholarships.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some Texas universities have various deadlines to submit financial aid applications, and they have different rules to obtain the award or renew it each semester, including credit hour and GPA requirements. For the most part, state schools also limit the benefit to Texas residents.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what’s required \u2014 including family income \u2014 to qualify for free tuition at public and private universities in Texas. Make sure to check with the institutions for exact eligibility.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n University of Texas\u00a0System institutions<\/p>\n The University of Texas at Austin tower on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 in Austin<\/p>\n Alyssa Gisselle Olvera\/Staff photographer<\/p>\n As of fall 2025, all UT System schools promise free tuition and waive mandatory fees to students whose families earn under $100,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most UT System schools have a $100,000 threshold: UT-Austin, UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio, UT-Tyler and Stephen F. Austin State University.\u00a0<\/p>\n HIGHER ED: UT System expands free tuition program<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n UT-Rio Grande Valley is the only system school with a higher threshold, at $125,000. UT-Austin’s program \u2014 called the Texas Advance Commitment \u00a0\u2014\u00a0gives partial tuition support for students whose family incomes are between $100,000 and $125,000.<\/p>\n To qualify, students have to be pursuing a bachelor’s degree as a first-time student or a transfer. The UT-System lists all of the\u00a0requirements for the “Promise-Plus” programs here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Texas A&M University System institutions<\/p>\n Merchandise for the Texas A&M University Victoria, formerly University of Houston – Victoria, is seen in Victoria, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.<\/p>\n Jason Fochtman\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n The A&M flagship in College Station and Galveston offers free tuition for up to four consecutive years to Texas undergraduates whose families earn less than $100,000. Last year, more than 8,400 students qualified for free tuition under a lower threshold of $60,000 under the\u00a0“Aggie Assurance”<\/a> program, according to Texas A&M.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Most of the 11 other A&M System universities have promise programs at different income thresholds and specific requirements to continue receiving the benefits beyond the first semester. Eligibility is also subject to deadlines, and for some programs, students must apply before a priority date in order to receive the maximum amount needed.<\/p>\n Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi<\/a> has a $125,000 threshold for students who meet eligibility standards as incoming freshmen. Transfers are not eligible.\u00a0Texas A&M International University<\/a> in Laredo has a $100,000 income threshold for Texas freshmen and transfers meeting certain academic requirements.\u00a0<\/p>\n East Texas A&M University<\/a> has\u00a0a $85,000 income cap for freshmen and transfers. Tarleton State University<\/a> also has an $85,000 threshold for first-time freshmen, also covering meal plans and a book allowance.<\/p>\n West Texas A&M University’s<\/a> “Buff Promise” has an $80,000 income cap for first-time or transfer students. Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s<\/a> program covers tuition, fees and books for students who are in the top 10% of their high school class or who earned at least 30 credits from a Texas Early College High School and to new students in the top 11-35% of their class as well as transfers, whose family incomes are $70,000 or less.\u00a0<\/p>\n Texas A&M University-Victoria<\/a> and Texas A&M University-Kingsville<\/a> cover tuition and fees for students under a $65,000 income threshold.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas A&M-University\u00a0Texarkana<\/a> extends free tuition and waived fees to Texas students and students from Miller County, Arkansas. The income cap is $50,000 for undergraduates.<\/p>\n Prairie View A&M University<\/a> has a “Panther Promise” grant of up to $2,000 for students with family incomes of $30,000 or less.<\/p>\n University of Houston institutions<\/p>\n The Ezekiel W. Cullen Building on the campus of University of Houston on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022 in Houston.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Conley\/Staff photographer<\/p>\n UH’s “Cougar Promise”<\/a>\u00a0is for students whose family incomes are at or below $65,000. Only new freshmen qualify for free tuition and waived mandatory fees, and it is renewable for four years in the fall and spring.<\/p>\n Students whose families earn between $65,000 and $125,000 can get tuition support grants of between $500 and $2,000. Students have to submit their college and financial aid applications by Jan. 15 to qualify. They also have to maintain a 2.5 GPA and complete 24 hours of coursework a year to continue receiving the benefit, according to the university.<\/p>\n Starting fall 2026, University of Houston-Clear Lake<\/a> also offers guaranteed tuition for new freshmen whose family incomes are below $65,000. They need to submit their federal financial aid form and be admitted by April 1.<\/p>\n Texas State University System institutions<\/p>\n The bell tower on Sam Houston State University’s campus in Huntsville, Texas on Saturday, July 18, 2020.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Conley\/Staff photographer<\/p>\n Sam Houston State University\u2019s \u201cBearkat Promise\u201d<\/a>\u00a0offers tuition and covers mandatory fees for students and transfers with family incomes of up to $100,000. They have to take between 12 and 15 credit hours a semester, and they can renew for three consecutive years.<\/p>\n Under a previous $40,000 threshold, some 3,175 freshmen and transfer students qualified in fall 2025. Next year, more than 5,500 students were expected to qualify, according to the university.<\/p>\n Texas State University’s<\/a> program covers tuition and fees for students with family incomes below $50,000, according to the institution. Lamar University<\/a> has a $40,000 threshold for undergraduates. Sul Ross State University’s<\/a> threshold is $80,000.<\/p>\n Texas Tech University System institutions\u00a0<\/p>\n Texas Tech’s\u00a0“Red Raider Guarantee”<\/a> is\u00a0for new and transfer\u00a0students with family incomes of $80,000 or less. Like most other programs, students can\u00a0 be eligible for eight semesters.<\/p>\n Angelo State University<\/a> promises tuition and covers fees for students whose family incomes are below $85,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n Midwestern State University<\/a> has programs for students in the North Texas region. The income cap is $65,000.<\/p>\n University of North Texas System institutions<\/p>\n Bachelor’s students at UNT<\/a> are eligible for free tuition and covered fees if their families earn less than $100,000 and if they either rank in the top 25% of their high school class or are eligible for a federal Pell grant. UNT-Dallas’<\/a> program is for bachelor’s students whose\u00a0families earn under $65,000.<\/p>\n Texas Woman’s University\u00a0<\/p>\n Bachelor’s students at TWU<\/a> qualify for free tuition if they are Pell eligible and from Dallas County, Tarrant County, Grayson County, Cooke County or Montague County.<\/p>\n Texas Southern University<\/p>\n Texas Southern University President James Crawford greets students during on-campus move-in on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 in Houston.<\/p>\n Raquel Natalicchio\/Staff photographer<\/p>\n TSU’s Tiger Promise<\/a> offers up to 8 semesters, or four years, of tuition and fees for first-time bachelor’s students or transfers\u00a0whose\u00a0families earn $125,000 or less<\/a>. Students need to apply for university admission by March 1 and submit their state and federal financial aid forms by April 1.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rice University\u00a0<\/p>\n Rice University students recede from the Academic Quadrangle at the conclusion of the investiture ceremony of the university\u2019s eighth president, Reginald DesRoches, on Saturday, October 22, 2022 in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n Leanora Benkato\/Contributor<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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