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Tuition Rebate Program

The purpose of this program is to provide a financial incentive for students to complete a bachelor’s degree efficiently, taking as few courses outside their degree plan as possible. The program’s goal is minimizing the number of courses students take -- saving money for the student, parent and the State of Texas.

To be eligible for a rebate under this program, a student must meet the following:

  1. Enrolled for the first time in a Texas public institution of higher education in the Fall 1997 semester or later;
  2. Student must have been a Texas resident at all times while pursing the degree;
  3. Student must have been entitled to pay in-state tuition at all times while pursing the degree; and
  4. Student must not have graduated yet.

A student may qualify for the tuition rebate (up to $1,000) based upon the following.

  • Student enrolled after high school graduation at a college or university for the first time after fall 1997 or later and attempted no more than three semester credit hours in excess of the minimum number of hours for the degree.
  • If student enrolled after high school graduation at a college or university for the first time in Fall 2005 or later, student must also graduate in a timely manner to earn the tuition rebate. According to the most recent revision of the rebate program, a student must also graduate within four calendar years for a four-year degree or within five calendar years for a five-year degree if the degree is in architecture, engineering, or any other program determined by the Coordinating Board to require more than four years to complete.

“Hours attempted” include:

  • every course for which student has registered as of the course’s official census date, including repeated courses and courses from which the student withdrew or withdrew from the college or university;
  • transfer credits;
  • course credit earned exclusively by examination (except for purposes of this program, only the number of semester credit hours earned exclusively by examination in excess of nine semester credit hours is treated as hours attempted);
  • courses dropped after census date;
  • optional internship and cooperative education courses; and
  • repeated courses.

“Hours attempted” do not include:

  • for students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in December 2007 or later, course credit earned to satisfy a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program but that is not required to complete the degree program;
  • for students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in August 2011 or later, course credit other than course credit earned exclusively by examination, that is earned before graduating from high school; and
  • courses dropped for reasons that are determined by the institution to be totally out of control of the student.
  • For students concurrently earning a bachelor’s degree and completing Texas teacher education courses, required teacher education courses will not be counted to the extent that they are over and above the free electives allowed in a bachelor’s degree program.
  • Developmental or remedial education—pre-college, remedial courses, non-degree credit courses, and interventions.

If a student has dropped more than one course after the course official census date, student will probably not qualify for the rebate.

Learn more about the program at the College for All Texans website.