The big picture
On Nov. 20, the UT System Board Of Regents approved a motion to infuse $35 million in immediate funds to help cover tuition costs for students with an annual gross household income of less than $100,000, expanding on the previous threshold of $65,000. The funds will be used to supplement existing state and federal aid, and in some instances may cover tuition entirely for qualifying students.
This vote marks an expansion of the Promise Plus Program, a $300 million endowment initiated in 2022 to help lower income students pay for their college careers and keep tuition prices in check. The initiative will apply to all nine universities within the UT system, making the program one of the largest no-cost tuition efforts in the country.
Applicable colleges include:
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- The University of Texas at Austin
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- The University of Texas at El Paso
- The University of Texas Permian Basin
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- The University of Texas at Tyler
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
In a Nov. 20 press release, UT Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife celebrated the program as one of the most significant measures the board has taken in recent years.
“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,” Eltife said.
According to UT System, the program has already yielded a decline in student debt rates, from 54% in 2019 to 48% in 2023.
How it works
Students can begin applying for the new Promise Plus benefits in the fall 2025 semester. To qualify, students must be Texas residents and have a cumulative yearly household income of less than $125,000, depending on which institution the student is attending. Participants must be full-time undergraduate students, and will be required to maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 and attend 67% of their classes to maintain the endowment. Qualifying students could potentially have 100% of their tuition and fees covered.
