UT Austin promises free tuition to students whose families earn less than $65K

The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted unanimously on Tuesday to establish a $160 million endowment to expand financial aid for middle- and low-income UT Austin students beginning the Fall 2020 semester, UT Austin President Gregory Fenves announced.

In-state students whose families earn up to $65,000 a year will be eligible for financial assistance to completely cover tuition.

In addition to the full tuition covered for middle- and low-income students, students with financial need from families with incomes up to $125,000 will also receive ‘some amount of assured financial aid,’ according to President Fenves.

This is an expansion of the Texas Advance Commitment, which currently covers tuition for students whose families earn up to $30,000 a year.

“Half of the families in Texas earned less than $60,000 in 2017,” President Fenves said in a letter. “So, today’s expansion of the Texas Advance Commitment program means that beginning in 2020, we will be able to cover the tuition for eligible undergraduate students from families earning at or slightly above the median household income level.”