Home » Exemptions and Waivers – Information for Institutions

Exemptions and Waivers
Information for Institutions


Texas offers various programs that exempt or waive tuition, fees, and other expenses related to attending public colleges and universities. All exemption and waiver programs are authorized by the Texas Legislature and target specific populations. While many programs are mandated for all public institutions to implement, some programs are optional, and implementation is left to the discretion of the governing board at the institution.

All exemption or waiver programs, whether mandatory or optional, apply only to courses for which an institution can receive formula funding.

Formula Funding: The method used to allocate appropriate sources of funds among institutions of higher education. Formula-funded courses are those that do not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover their costs.

Exemptions

Exemptions permit certain groups of Texas residents or nonresidents to enroll in Texas public institutions of higher education and pay a reduced amount (in some cases zero) of tuition or fees. 

Listed below are the exemption programs available through the state of Texas, along with references to the Texas Education Code (TEC): 

  • Bordering States (TEC 54.231(a))
  • Children of Disabled Firefighters and Law Enforcement Officers (TEC 54.351)
  • Children of Professional Nursing Program Faculty and Staff (TEC 54.355)
  • Clinical Preceptors and Their Children (TEC 54.356)
  • Combat Exemption for Children of Military Service Members (TEC 54.2031)
  • Concurrent Enrollment Waiver (TEC 54.011)
  • Education Benefits for Certain Survivors of Individuals in Specific Public Servant Positions (TEC 54.354)
  • Educational Aide Exemption (TEC 54.363)
  • Fee Proration for Students Enrolled in Shorter than Average Terms (TEC 54.5025)
  • Firefighters Enrolled in Fire Science Courses (TEC 54.353)
  • Good Neighbor Program (Students from Other Nations of the American/Western Hemisphere) (TEC 54.331)
  • Hazlewood Exemption (for Texas Veterans) (TEC 54.341)
  • Highest Ranking High School Graduate (TEC 54.301)
  • Irrelevant Fees (TEC 54.5035)
  • Military: Children of U.S. Military who are Missing in Action or Prisoners of War (MIA/POWs) (TEC 54.343)
  • Military: Orphans of Texas Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard (TEC 54.341)
  • Military: Texas National Guard Tuition Assistance Program (TEC 54.345)
  • Nonresidents Enrolled in Texas Public Universities Located within 100 Miles of the Texas Border (TEC 54.231(a))
  • Out-of-District Fees for Certain Students Living Outside a Public Community/Junior College’s Taxing District (TEC 130.0032)
  • Peace Officers and Firefighters Disabled in the Line of Duty (TEC 54.352)
  • Peace Officers Enrolled in Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice Courses (TEC 54.3531)
  • Senior Citizen, 55 or Older, Tuition Reduction Program (TEC 54.263)
  • Senior Citizen, 65 or Older, Free Tuition for 6 Credit Hours (TEC 54.365(c))
  • Senior Citizen, 65 or Older, Free Tuition for Auditing Classes (TEC 54.365(b))
  • Students Enrolled in Courses for Dual High School and College-Level Credit (TEC 54.216)
  • Tuition Exemption for Blind or Deaf Students (TEC 54.364)
  • Tuition Exemptions Related to Individuals Currently or Formerly in Foster Care in Texas (TEC 54.366 – 54.367)
  • Tuition for Students Residing Outside of District (Ad Valorem) (TEC 130.0032)
  • Tuition Reduction for Students Taking More than 15 Hours (TEC 54.010)

Waivers

Waivers permit special groups of nonresidents to enroll in Texas public institutions of higher education and pay the Texas resident tuition or fee rate.

Listed below are the waiver programs available through the state of Texas, along with references to the Texas Education Code (TEC):

  • 100-Mile Alternate Nonresident Tuition Program (TEC 54.0601)
  • Academic Common Market Waiver (TEC 54.233)
  • Border County Waiver (TEC 54.321(g))
  • Competitive Scholarship Waiver (TEC 54.213)
  • Dual Medical/Philosophy Degree Waiver (Biomedical Research Scholarship Student Waiver) (TEC 54.214)
  • Economic Development and Diversification Waiver (TEC 54.222)
  • Mexican Citizens with Financial Need-Border County Waiver (TEC 54.231(b))
  • Mexican Citizens with Financial Need-Border Nations Waiver (TEC 54.231(c))
  • Military: After Assignment in Texas (TEC 54.241(c))
  • Military: Assigned to Duty in Texas (TEC 54.241(b))
  • Military: Honorably Discharged, Separated or Retired Veterans who Move to Texas (TEC 54.241(i))
  • Military: Member, Spouse or Child who Remains Continuously Enrolled in Higher Education in Texas (TEC 54.241(j))
  • Military: NATO Forces (TEC 54.232)
  • Military: Persons Eligible for Veterans Educational Benefits, Their Spouses and Children who Move to Texas (TEC 54.241(k))
  • Military: Spouse and Dependents Who Previously Lived in Texas (TEC 54.241(d))
  • Military: Survivors (TEC 54.241(f))
  • Out-of-State Military: If Family Intent is to Make Texas Home (TEC 54.241(g))
  • Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants Waiver (TEC 54.212)
  • Texas A&M University System: National Laboratory or National Laboratory Operator Employee or Dependent (TEC 54.369)
  • Waiver for College Faculty and their Dependents (TEC 54.211)
  • Waiver for Students from Mexico Enrolled in Graduate Degree Programs in Public Health (TEC 54.231(b)(4))
  • Waiver of Nonresident Tuition for Foreign Service Officers Stationed in Mexico Attending Public Institutions of Higher Education in Texas (TEC 54.206)
  • Waiver Program for Registered Nurses Enrolled in Postgraduate Nursing Degree Programs (TEC 54.251)

Contact

For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid Programs at (844) 792-2640 or submit an online inquiry through the Contact Us form (select “Financial Aid Question” as the Contact Reason).