On July 9, 2019, the University of Texas at Austin announced its expanded commitment to student aid through its Texas Advance initiative. Beginning in the fall of 2020, incoming freshman from families earning $65,000 or less will have their tuition fully covered. Families earning up to $125,000 adjusted gross income will receive some financial assistance.

Kudos to President Greg Fenves, Chancellor James Milliken, and Board of Regents Chair Kevin P. Eltife for their efforts in making this much-needed initiative a reality.  The regents’ vote represents one of the largest financial aid commitments to improve the affordability of higher education among the nation’s leading public research universities.

The students that DDCE works with every day in underserved high schools around the state are the students who will be helped the most by this initiative. Nearly 85% of these students qualify for free or reduced lunch. We believe this will make a difference in the number of low and middle-income students who apply to UT.

The good news doesn’t stop with newly admitted students. Those who are enrolled or are transfer students will also benefit beginning in the fall of 2020.

I am also pleased to announce that this fall, I will be partnering with the Office of Enrollment Management once again to visit about 30 Texas high schools to help recruit first-generation college students and students that have been historically underrepresented at UT Austin. With the Board of Regents and President Fenves’s dedication to ensuring a UT education is available to more Texans than ever, we truly can make an impact in all communities around the state.