Texas Colleges That Offer Free Tuition For Low Income

How To Find Texas Colleges That Offer Free Tuition For Low Income – Attending college can be expensive. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NECES) the average cost of tuition, fees, room, and board for in-state students at a Texas public four-year  institution was $8016 in 2020-2021. For many poor students, paying for tuition can be challenging. Thankfully, there are plenty of Texas colleges that offer free tuition for low-income students.

Texas hosts a myriad of colleges, and universities that aim to make education accessible and affordable through their free tuition programs. These programs support students who belong to low-income families and help them attain their career goals without bearing the burden of debt. No matter whether you are a high school graduate or a returning student, this guide will provide a list of Texas colleges that offer free tuition for low-income students. You can read our next guide to know how to apply for government grants for college.

Can You Attend College For Free In Texas?

Yes, you can get free tuition from Texas colleges. The eligibility criteria will depend on your financial aid level, your school, and your location. For instance, programs like the Dallas County Promise and the Texas Advance Commitment cover tuition costs for eligible Texas students who have a strong financial need. There are many free college tuition for low-income families in Texas that will cover most, if not all, educational costs.

List Of Top Texas Colleges That Offer Free Tuition For Low-Income Students 

In the below section of the guide, we have mentioned a list of free tuition colleges in Texas that aim to make education affordable for eligible students.

1. Rice University

Rice University provides The Rise Investment Program to eligible students who have family income at or below $75,000 and helps them to cover fees, tuition, room and board, and other college expenses.

Eligibility:

• Students need to submit a completed FAFSA as well as a CSS profile.
• Must have a family income between $75,000 and $140,000.
• International students are not eligible for The Rise Investment Program but can be eligible to apply for other need-based financial assistance.

Contact: 713-348-0000.

2. Dallas College District, Dallas, TX

The Dallas County Promise, a free tuition program by Dallas College District covers the cost of tuition not covered by any federal or state financial aid. This free tuition college in Texas is available to eligible high school graduates from 65+ participating schools in Dallas County.

Eligibility:

• Students have to begin their undergraduate studies at one of the Dallas college campuses prior to transferring to a partner school.
• There is an exception for students who graduate from a collegiate high school as they can directly proceed to one of the 4-year partner colleges and apply for Dallas County Promise Scholarships.

Contact: 214-378-1500.

Note: The University of North Texas, Austin College and Southern Methodist University are a few 4-year partner colleges that provide limited Dallas County Promise Scholarships.

3. Texas A&M University College-Station, TX

Texas A&M University offers Aggie Assurance, a free tuition college program for low-income students. The program enables incoming freshmen as well as transfer students to cover the tuition cost for future Aggies.

Eligibility:

• The grant and scholarship can cover the tuition cost, provided the family income of the student is between $60,001 and $130,000.
• Must be eligible for the federal Pell Grant program and submit completing FAFSA/ TASFA by 15th April.

Contact: 979-845-3211.

4. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

One of the best 4-year colleges offering free tuition in Texas is Texas Tech University. The university offers a wide array of online courses and programs. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

They provide Red Raider Guarantee, a free tuition college program for low-income students in Texas. The program guarantees mandatory fees and tuition to both new and current freshmen as well as transfer students having an Associate’s degree.

Eligibility:

• Students need to be residents of Texas and submit FAFSA or TASFA.
• The family AGI should be $60,000 or low.
• The plan covers up to eight semesters of full-time enrollment for freshmen and up to four semesters for transfer students.
• Students should be enrolled full-time (12 hours or even more each semester in fall/spring).

Contact: 806-742-2011.

5. University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX

The University of Texas at Dallas offers the Tuition Promise Program that is open to freshmen and transfer students.

Eligibility:

• Must have a household income less than $65,000 to get free tuition.
• Must prove Texas residency.
• Must submit a completed FAFSA/ TASFA by 15th Jan.

Contact: 972-883-2111

6. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin offers the Texas Advance Commitment Program. This Texas college offers free tuition to low-income students, especially those with an annual household income less than $65,000. Moreover, families who are earning up to $125,000 get partial tuition support.

Eligibility:

• Students need to be residents of Texas and be Pell Grant eligible.
• Students belonging to families with income up to $65,000 can get 100% free tuition, and those with incomes up to $125,000 get partial tuition support.
• You also have to demonstrate a strong financial need.

Contact: 512-475-7399.

7. University of Houston, Houston, TX

The University of Houston offers the Cougar Promise Program that guarantees free tuition for new freshmen starting in fall 2019. They provide 24 online programs at the University of Houston.

Eligibility:

• Students need to submit a completed FAFSA or TASFA by January 15.
• They must be an entering freshman, and qualify as a resident of Texas.
• Students whose family AGI is below $65,000 can get 100% free tuition, whereas those having AGI in the range of $65,000 to $125,000 will get tuition support.

Contact: 1-713-743-2255.

8. Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

Lamar University offers the Lamar Promise Program, through which eligible residents of Texas get grants or scholarships to cover the full tuition and fees for the fall and spring semesters. The university however does not cover room and board expenses.

Eligibility:

• Students belonging to families with an income of $40,000 are only eligible, and they must be Pell Grant.
• They must submit a complete FAFSA or TASFA.
• The program is available for up to 4 years.
• Dependent students who are residents of Texas and eligible for in-state tuition can apply.

Contact: (409) 880-7011.

9. Stephen F. Austin University

Looking for a tuition-free college online in Texas? Stephen F. Austin University will be your right choice. It provides online classes, 32 online degree programs and certificate programs. The Purple Promise Guarantee Program enables students to cover tuition expenses that are not covered by any other scholarships or grants.

Eligibility:

• Students need to be residents of Texas
• They must be eligible for the federal Pell Grant.
• They must belong to a family with an Adjusted Gross Income of $30,000 or less based on reports provided in FAFSA.

Contact: 936-468-3401.

10. Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX

Sam Houston State University offers Bearkat Promise that covers mandatory tuition and fees that are not covered by any other scholarships and grants. The free tuition from Texas College program is available to freshmen as well as transfer students.

Eligibility:

• Texas students need to have adjusted gross income of $40,000 or less.
• They must be eligible for the federal Pell Grant.
• Students must be entering as a freshman or transfer student to qualify.

Contact: 936.294.1111.

11. Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX

Angelo State University is one of the free online colleges in Texas that offers a last-dollar scholarship, the Blue & Gold Guarantee, to help low-income families afford college. The scholarship covers full tuition for eligible Pell Grant recipients after federal and state grants and scholarships.

Eligibility:

• Students must belong to a household having an income of $70,000 or less.
• They must be a resident of Texas
• They must submit FAFSA, and be Pell Grant eligible.

Contact: 800-946-8627.

12. Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls TX

Midwestern State University offers a large-dollar scholarship program called the Mustang’s Guarantee Program that helps them to meet tuition costs not covered by any other grants or scholarships.

Eligibility:

• Students need to be residents of Texas and be Pell Grant eligible.
• Students from families with an AGI of 65,000 or less can qualify.
• They also need to earn at least 12 hours at the end of the fall and spring semesters.

Contact: 940-397-4000.

13. Austin Community College

Austin Community College in Texas is a public community college system in the Austin Texas region and surrounding Central Texas. The ACC Free Tuition Pilot Program eliminates the cost of tuition and general fees for qualified students.

This free tuition from Texas College program started with the high school class of 2024 and will be continuing for five years. The program is designed for high school graduates and Texas GED completers who are living in the ACC service area.

Eligibility:

• There are no GPA or income criteria to qualify for this free Community College in Texas. 
• You can get three full years of free college tuition at Austin.
• You need to be high school graduates or TX GED completers and live in an ACC service area.

Contact: 512-223-7300

There are several Texas community colleges that provide free tuition for low income Texas students such as Dallas college, Houston Community College etc. These Texas colleges offer free tuition to low-income students or recent high school graduates only.

14. The University of Texas at San Antonio

The University of Texas at San Antonio offers The Bold Promise Program to provide affordable, high-quality education to incoming freshmen who belong to low- or middle-income families. The program covers 100% of tuition and entry fees for eight fall or spring semesters. These are covered by grants, scholarships, and tuition exemptions from state, federal, and institutional funds.

Eligibility:

• Must be a resident of Texas.
• Must have a family income of or less than $70,000.
• Must submit FAFSA or TAPSA by January 15.
• Must be admitted to the university by January 15.
• Must enroll full-time or complete 24 hours in the fall or spring semester.
• Must rank in the top 25% of high school classes.

Contact: (210)458-8000.

15. University of St. Thomas Houston

The University of St. Thomas offers The St. Thomas Promise Program that allows deserving college students to afford college and cover their tuition. The program is renewable for up to four years, provided the family income remains the same. It also encompasses a free tutorial service and a mentor for the first year.

Eligibility:

• Must be an incoming, first-time college student with a GPA 3.4 or higher and family income less than $50,000.
• Incoming transfer students having a college GPA of 3.5 or more and belonging to families with income less than $50,000.
• Qualified students need to be president of Texas, file FAFSA, and be eligible for state and federal aid.

Contact: 713-522-7911

16. University of Texas Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington provides The Blaze-Forward Program that makes it easy for qualified students to get top-notch education completely free. Using grants and financial aid, the program helps students to cover 100% of the course fees and tuition for the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters. The program participation can be renewed for up to four years for the incoming freshman or two years for incoming transfer students.

Eligibility:

• Be a resident of Texas.
• Must have a family income at or below $85,000
• Must enroll as a full-time student at the university
• Must complete filing for sought-after within priority deadline
• Must be new freshman students.
• Must be new transfer students having an associate degree from Texas College.
• Must be a current student receiving Texas grants during the 2023–2024 eight-year period and meet the renewal requirements.

Contact: +1-817-272-2011

17. Texas A&M Commerce University

A member of the Texas A&M University system known as Texas A&M University Commerce offers The President’s Promise Scholarship to eligible college students. The scholarship is awarded to freshmen and transfer students and helps them to cover the tuition costs not covered by other funding sources. It helps to meet 100% of the tuition costs for up to four years for new freshmen or up to two years for new transfer students.

Eligibility:

• Must apply for admission to Texas A&M Commerce University.
• Must complete filing FAFSA within the deadline.
• Must review and meet the criteria for the President’s Promise Scholarship.
• Must be incoming freshmen or transfer students.

Contact: 903.886.5096

18. Texas State University

Texas State University offers the Bobcat Promise, which allows students to access higher education regardless of their families income and financial resources.

The program offers free tuition and mandatory fees for 15 credit hours per semester for 2 incoming freshmen having a faster income of not more than $50,000. Under this program, mandatory fees and tuition will be paid for a combination of state confederal and tuition funds.

Eligibility:

• Must be entering first-time freshmen.
• Must be a resident of Texas.
• Must have income less than $50,000.
• Must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours every fall and spring semester.
• Must complete FAFSA within priority deadline and have financial need demonstrated by FAFSA.
• Must maintain a GPA of 2.0.

Contact: 512.245.TXST (8978)

19. University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, situated in Brownsville, TX, provides a program to help students cover tuition and fees if their family income is below a specific percentage. The university offers the Tuition Advantage Grant through which students belonging to families with incomes below $125,000 can cover their tuition and fees.

Eligibility:

• The family income should be less than $125,000 annually.
• Must have a strong financial need.
• Must have a minimum of 19 ACTs  or 919 SATs or be in the top 10% of the high school class.
• Must be admitted to the university by Apr 1.
• Must file FAFSA within 15th April.

Contact: (956) 882-4026

20. University of North Texas

The University of North Texas offers UNT Promise Programs and Partnerships through which eligible college students can get a combination of federal, state, and institutional funding to cover 100% of tuition and mandatory fees in the fall and spring semesters. The funding is renewable for up to four years towards their first bachelor’s degree.

Eligibility:

• Must have family income less than $65,000.
• Must file FAFSA or TASFA within the deadline.
• Must register in 12 or more hours in the fall and spring semester.
• Must have graduate from participating Texas public high school
• Must be admitted to the university as a first-time freshman by February 15, 2024 for the fall 2024 semester.

Contact: 940-565-2302

21. Tarleton State University

The Tarleton State Promise program by the university offers a last-dollar tuition grant to eligible students who meet the eligibility criteria and enroll at the university as first-time freshmen. This grant covers 100% tuition and required fees for up to four years.

Eligibility:

• Must be a resident of Texas.
• Must be Pell Grant eligible.
• The family adjusted gross income should be $85,000 or less.
• Must be enrolled full time or 12 credits.
• Must be admitted to the university and be in the top 50% of the high school graduating class.
• Must file FAFSA within the deadline.

Contact: 1254-968-9000.

22. West TX A&M University

West TX A&M University offers the Buff Promise Program, through which students can cover 100% of their tuition and other costs. The program is designed to help academically talented students belonging to low- or middle-class families in Texas who are unable to pursue university education. The tuition is covered up to 8 semesters by a combination of state, federal, and institutional grants.

Eligibility:

• Must be a resident of Texas.
• Must submit all the financial aid scholarships and admission by 15th April.
• Must meet all the admission requirements set by the university.
• Must have family income at or below $80,000.
• Must be an undergraduate student with strong financial need.

Contact: 806-651-0000

Curious to know how to obtain government grants for schools? We have everything covered for you in our next guide.

How To Apply For Texas Colleges That Offer Free Tuition For Low Income Students?

1. To apply for colleges in Texas with free tuition for low-income students, you need to start submitting a Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Texas Application For State Financial Aid (TASFA). These forms will determine your eligibility for financial aid and free tuition programs by Texas colleges.
2. The next step is to search for free tuition colleges in Texas that help needy students. For instance the University of Texas at Austin and many other community colleges offer free tuition for low-income students through state grants or scholarships.
3. You need to fulfill certain eligibility criteria set by the Texas colleges that offer free tuition for low-income students. This might include financial aid based on your FAFSA reports, residency status, academic performance, and other criteria.
4. A few colleges that offer free tuition for low-income students in Texas require to prove that their family household income is less than $30,000 a year. Most of them provide free tuition for households who are earning AGI less than $65,000.
5. You must stay in touch and follow up with the admission office to confirm your eligibility status for the Texas free tuition college programs. You can contact the financial aid office of the college you are planning to attend.

How To Get Free Money For College In Texas?

Besides enrolling with Texas colleges that offer free tuition for low-income students, you can also pay for college through government grants for education, scholarships, and state sponsored programs to make college affordable in Texas. Following is the list of state sponsored programs that will help to make your education affordable in Texas.

Bordering States Waiver

The program offers waivers of nonresident tuition for eligible students from neighboring states enrolled in public institutions in Texas.

College Access Loans (CAL)

The College Access Loan Program offers alternative education loans to eligible Texas students who are not able to cover the cost of attendance.The amount of federal assistance for which you are eligible should be deducted from the cost of attendance in deciding the loan amount, and the fixed rate of interest currently is 3.75%.

Good Neighbor Scholarship Program (GNSP):

The Good Neighbors Scholarship Program offers tuition assistance to students from other nations of the Western Hemisphere. The award is limited to a few Texas public colleges and universities and exempt eligible students from paying tuition.

License Plate Insignia Scholarship (LPI)

License plate Insignia Scholarship offers financial assistance to needy students who are residents of Texas and enrolled at eligible private, public, or nonprofit senior colleges and universities in Texas.

Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program:

The Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program encourages students to become members of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the Air National Guard, the United States Merchant Marine, or the United States Coast Guard, or to be commissioned officers in any branch of the Armed Services of the United States.

• Texas College Work-Study Program (TCWSP): The Texas College Work Study Program offers part-time jobs to qualified Texas students with the utmost financial need and helps them attend private and public nonprofit colleges or universities in Texas.
• Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program (TEOG): The Texas Public Educational Grant offers assistance to students with the utmost financial need. To get assistance complete FAFSA and register for the Select Service unless exempted.
• Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG): Texas Tuition and/or Fee Exemptions are a type of financial support given to Texas residents who are attending a public college university in Texas without paying tuition and fees.

Texas Tuition and/or Fee Exemptions

• Top 10% Rule: The Top 10% Rule is an Automatic Admission rule for a lot of but not all public universities in Texas. Students must graduate in the top 10% of the class at a recognized public or private high school in Texas or a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense.
• Toward Excellence, Access & Success (TEXAS) Grant Program: The Texas Legislature established this Texas grant to offer assistance to students with the greatest financial need provided they are attending a Texas public university or health-associated institution.
• Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG): Available to eligible students with the greatest financial need who are enrolled at a private non-profit Texas college or university and have to pay more tuition than they would pay to attend a public institution. An eligible undergraduate student can receive assistance up to $5810 per year.

Conclusion

To sum up, the cost of tuition can be a major barrier for many low-income students in the state of Texas. Thankfully there are numerous Texas colleges that offer free tuition for low-income students to reduce their financial burden. By becoming eligible for free tuition colleges in Texas, you can take you a step closer to your academic and career goals without bearing the expenses from your pocket. It is important to note that these Texas free tuition programs for low-income students require candidates to meet eligibility criteria and follow a specific application procedure.

Are you interested in learning more about assistance programs and grants that can help you improve your living situation? Then check out the rest of our blogs at GrantsBuddy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Texas Residents Get Free College?

Yes Texas residents get free college through scholarships, grants, tuition reimbursement and state assistance programs on fulfillment of specific eligibility criteria.

Do Texas Adopted Children Get Free College?

Yes college tuition is completely free in Texas for adopted students through Tuition and Fee Waiver and Foster Care Exemption.

Are There Free College In Texas For The Military?

The Hazelwood Act gives eligible veterans, spouses and dependent children up to 150 hours of free tuition at many public universities and colleges in Texas.

Are There Tuition Free Universities In Texas For International Students?

There are many affordable universities in Texas for international students like University of Houston, Texas A&M University, South Texas college, Midland College, Huston Tillotson University to name a few.

What Colleges Have Free Tuition For Senior Citizens In Texas?

There are many colleges in Texas that provide tuition assistance for senior citizens like Texas State University, Lone Star college, Texas public colleges and university, the University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Woman’s University and Texas State University.