Step 1

The ACC Free Tuition program starts in fall 2024 as a five-year pilot program. It begins with the high school class of 2024 and also supports GED® students and homeschool grads who complete their programs on or after July 1, 2023. 

To be eligible, a student must have graduated during the posted timeframe for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program from one of ACC’s service area high schools. For GED® and home school students, eligibility is based on their place of residency. They must be a resident within the ACC service area. 

• Click here to view the ACC service area map. 
• Click here to view a list of the high schools within our service area.

Those who qualify for the pilot program can take ACC classes, enroll in university transfer programs, and earn their associate, bachelor’s degree, or workforce certificate with the ACC Free Tuition pilot program.

ACC Free Tuition covers tuition costs & general fees for 3 full years or up to 5 years if you want to pursue your bachelor’s at ACC.

A student’s eligibility for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program is based primarily on two key factors: when they graduated and where they live or where they graduated from. 

This means the following:

1) A high school graduate must have graduated high school as part of the class of 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028.

2) A GED® completer must have earned their GED® on or after July 1, 2023 through July 1, 2028.

3) A high school graduate must have graduated from a high school within the ACC service area.

4) A GED® completer or home school graduate must live in the ACC Service Area.

A student who meets the criteria above is likely eligible for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program. Students who live out-of-district will still be responsible for the out-of-district fee for each course ($201 per credit hour). 

Here’s some information to help you understand what it means to be in the service area and in the district.

Service Area | The ACC service area covers all or portions of six Central Texas counties: Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson. You can view the service area map at austincc.edu/servicearea.

In-District | If you live within the service area and pay ACC taxes, you’re considered in-district. These areas include the City of Austin, Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Elgin ISD, Hays CISD, Leander ISD, Manor ISD, and Round Rock ISD.

Out-of-District | If you live within the service area but you do not pay ACC taxes or live in any of the taxing regions listed above, you’re considered out-of-district. You will still get free tuition and general fees, but will be responsible for the out-of-district fee ($201 per credit hour).

Congratulations on earning your GED®!

Our goal is to expand the ACC Free Tuition program to all students, but at this time it remains a pilot program. The pilot is a five-year program that begins fall 2024. It is available to those who live in our service area and either graduate from high school starting in 2024 or earn their GED® on or after July 1, 2023. Since you earned your GED® prior to that date, you will not be eligible for the pilot program. However, there are many other financial support services available. We encourage you to review your options on our financial support website. The FAFSA and TASFA programs are a great place to begin. It is also scholarship season. Now is a great time to apply. If you can submit your applications for these programs by May 1, you’ll be eligible for priority consideration. If you have questions or need help completing the FAFSA, don’t hesitate tocontact our financial aid office for assistance.

Undocumented students are eligible if they resided here when they completed their GED®. 

To be eligible, students must demonstrate Texas residency. Residency can be shown through multiple factors including, but not limited to, employer-provided verification, supporting bank statements, pay stubs for 12 consecutive months, written statements from the office of one or more social service agencies located in Texas, utility bills, Texas high school transcript, and Texas driver’s license or Texas ID card. Once these needs are met, any student, including an undocumented student, is eligible. 

If you live in the ACC service area, you may be eligible. ACC Free Tuition starts with the high school class of 2024 and will continue for all future classes of high school graduates and GED® completers over the next five years as part of the pilot program.

All GED® completers who live in the ACC service area, who earned their GED® credential on or after July 1, 2023, are likely eligible for Free Tuition. Starting in fall 2024, tuition is on ACC for three years (or five years if you pursue an ACC bachelor degree).

Students who already have a high school diploma or who are college transfer students are ineligible for the free tuition program GED® option.

To be eligible, you must have graduated during the posted timeframe for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program from one of ACC’s service area high schools. For GED® and home school students, your eligibility is based on your place of residency at the time you graduate. You must be a resident within the ACC service area.

Service Area | The ACC service area covers all or portions of six Central Texas counties: Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson. You can view the service area map at austincc.edu/servicearea.

In-District | If you live within the service area and pay ACC taxes, you’re considered in-district. These areas include the City of Austin, Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Elgin ISD, Hays CISD, Leander ISD, Manor ISD, and Round Rock ISD.

Out-of-District | If you live within the service area but you do not pay ACC taxes or live in any of the taxing regions listed above, you’re considered out-of-district. You will still get free tuition and general fees, but will be responsible for the out of district fee ($201 per credit hour).

The ACC Free Tuition program begins fall 2024.

You do not have to start in fall 2024 and can register for classes between fall 2024 and summer 2027. However, be aware that free tuition expires after three years – or five years for students who pursue a bachelor degree at ACC.

No. There are no age requirements to be eligible for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program. It is open to all high school graduates and GED® completers regardless of age. The college will pilot the program for 5 years, starting in fall 2024. It begins with members of the high school class of 2024 — this includes high school graduates and those who complete their GED® on or after July 1, 2023. It will continue for all future classes in subsequent years for the next 5 years. The pilot program offers free tuition and general fees for high school seniors, including public, private, charter, and homeschoolers and GED completers, in the ACC service area.

Our goal is to expand the ACC Free Tuition program to all students, but at this time it remains a pilot program. The pilot is a five-year program that begins fall 2024. It is available starting with those who graduate high school or earn their GED® after July 1, 2023. 

It’s just the first step in our bigger journey to make tuition free to every student. 

We know many of our current students face financial challenges, and we’re thinking of you, too. Up next, the college is going to explore opportunities to extend tuition relief to our current students. We don’t have details at this time, but we’re looking at options and will keep students updated.

In the meantime, we encourage you to take a look at the many other financial support services available. You can review your options on our financial support website. The FAFSA and TASFA programs are a great place to begin. It is also scholarship season. Now is a great time to apply. If you can submit your applications for these programs by May 1, you’ll be eligible for priority consideration. If you have questions or need help completing the FAFSA, don’t hesitate tocontact our financial aid office for assistance.

There are many other support services available to help our current students, too — from food pantries to child care scholarships and vouchers and emergency funds. Please reach out to your advisor to get connected.

Eligible high school graduates & GED® completers get three years of free tuition at ACC from the time they graduate to earn up to an associate degree or five years of free tuition if they want to pursue their bachelor’s degree at ACC.

Austin Community College offers bachelor’s degree programs in Nursing, Manufacturing, Software Development, and Cybersecurity.

The ACC Free Tuition pilot program is currently set to support GED® completers and graduating high school seniors who enroll at ACC over the next five years.

Yes! ACC Free Tuition pays your student’s tuition up front, and allows all eligible students to use financial aid, scholarships and emergency fund money to help pay for fees, textbooks, and other expenses like rent, food, and transportation. The college recommends all students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and apply for scholarships.

No. ACC Free Tuition eliminates tuition costs up-front for at least 3 years and does not require you to pay back any tuition. However, repayment of financial aid may be required in certain scenarios, such as dropping courses, withdrawing, or failing grades. For more information, visit the Financial Aid website.

No. ACC Free Tuition is awarded for three full years after high school graduation or GED® completion, regardless of college GPA.

A student does not have to enroll full-time to be eligible for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program, and there are no minimum course credits a student must register for to be eligible. However, we hope that with this financial support, more students can enroll full-time. Data show students who enroll full-time have higher persistence and completion rates.

Yes! ACC has year-round admissions and advisors who provide specialized guidance for each Area of Study, as well as 1-on-1 support for financial aid and career services. Go to Student Support to find ACC programs/resources or visit your local campus for help getting started.

Free College Prep courses build your learning skills while you earn your required college credit. Adult Education at ACC is a supportive on-ramp for every kind of student, including 1-on-1 help finishing your GED® with high school equivalency courses and continued support after you start your academic program. There are also multiple programs teaching basic and advanced English for free, and providing specific career training for in-demand local industries.

Tuition and fees make up a small part of our annual budget. Currently, the tuition revenue for all direct-to-college high school graduates represents about four percent of the college’s total budget. We estimated the cost for the pilot program in its first year to be approximately $7 million. So, we are able to pay for this program in our existing budget.

To grow this pilot and expand it to future student groups, we’re going to rely heavily upon our partnerships in the community. The college is aggressively expanding its development efforts to encourage more corporate, community, and philanthropic partners to invest in the college and the success of our students.