ACC FREE TUITION

Parents & Family Members

ACC Free Tuition starts with the high school class of 2024 and will continue over the next five years. High school graduates and GED® completers who live in the ACC service area are eligible. No GPA requirements. No income restrictions.

ACC FREE TUITION

Parents & Family Members
ACC Free Tuition starts with the high school class of 2024 and will continue over the next five years. High school graduates and GED® completers who live in the ACC service area are eligible. No GPA requirements. No income restrictions.
ACC Parents and Families

Is Your Student Eligible for ACC Free Tuition?

  • If your student is a high school senior who graduates in 2024 from a high school in the ACC service area, they are eligible for ACC free tuition.
  •  If your student is a homeschool graduate who is part of the class of 2024 and they reside in the ACC service area, they are eligible for free tuition.
  • If your student is a GED® completer who lives in the ACC service area and earns their GED® on or after July 1, 2023, they are eligible for free tuition.

Is Your Student Eligible for ACC Free Tuition?

  • If your student is a high school senior who graduates in 2024 from a high school in the ACC service area, they are eligible for ACC free tuition.
  •  If your student is a homeschool graduate who is part of the class of 2024 and they reside in the ACC service area, they are eligible for free tuition.
  • If your student is a GED® completer who lives in the ACC service area and earns their GED® on or after July 1, 2023, they are eligible for free tuition.

What is the ACC Service Area & District?

The ACC Service Area is roughly the size of Connecticut and encompasses the entire region of the map.

Find Where You Live

Service Area

The ACC service area includes all or parts of six counties: Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson. It encompasses all green and purple shaded areas on the map.

Taxing District (In-District)

A subset of the service area is the taxing district, shown in the outline of the map. These residents pay property taxes to help support ACC and are in-district. Areas that are in-district are shaded in green on the map.

Out-of-District

Those who live within the ACC service area but outside the taxing district do not pay taxes to support ACC. They are out-of-district, and are required to pay a $201 per hour out-of-district fee. These are areas shaded in purple on the map.

ACC Service Area

What You Can Expect

You graduated from high school in the service area

Your student lives in-district

$0 Tuition

$0 General Fees

$0 Residency Fee

Your student lives out-of district

$0 Tuition

$0 General Fees

$201 per credit hour out-of-district fee

ACC Student Support for School and Life

ACC Student Support for School and Life

With ACC Free Tuition, your family can breathe a little easier, and your student can enjoy all that college has to offer, such as clubs, sports, and other activities.

Tutoring, free groceries & mental health support services help make sure that your student has the tools they need to learn with confidence.

ACC’s Green Pass lets students ride bus & rail for free with CapMetro, helping take the stress out of getting to class.

Know the Steps: Help Your Student Apply

Know the Steps: Help Your Student Apply

Getting started with ACC Free Tuition is simple: First, make sure your student lives in the ACC service area and graduated from high school or earned their GED® on or after July 1, 2023. Your student must submit their 2023-2024 high school transcripts, homeschooling memorandum of understanding, or GED® certificate to prove eligibility.

Did your student take Dual Credit or Early College High School classes?

Make sure they know their next steps to continue ACC enrollment!

Free College Prep Classes

If your student doesn’t feel college-ready, ACC’s college prep programs can help, from getting TSI complete to earning a GED®. These classes are always free, and students can earn valuable college credit while building the skills they need to earn their degree or certificate.

Free Colelge Prep Classes
Parent and Family Resources

Parent and Family Resources

Your student doesn’t have to go it alone. Our resources for parents and families are a great source of information on college life, financial aid, registration deadlines, university transfer, and more. You can help your student by learning more about the opportunities and challenges of their college experience.

Frequently Asked Questions from Parents & Family Members

What is ACC Free Tuition?

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. 

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.

What else should I know?

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).

Who gets ACC Free Tuition?

High school graduates & GED® completers in the ACC service area who graduated on or after July 1, 2023 would receive free tuition at ACC. 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. 

The ACC service area includes portions of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Blanco, and Caldwell counties.

Visit austincc.edu/servicearea to view the service area map.

 

How do I know if my student is eligible for free tuition?

If you live in the ACC service area, your student may be eligible.

ACC Free Tuition starts with the high school class of 2024 and will continue for high school graduates and GED® completers over the next five years as part of the pilot program. If your student graduated after July 1, 2023, and they live in the ACC service area, they are eligible for ACC Free Tuition.

To be eligible, your 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, their eligibility is based on their place of residency at the time they graduate. Your student must be a resident within the ACC service area. 

My student earned their GED® before July 1, 2023. Are they still eligible for free tuition?

Congratulations to your student earning their 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 your student earned their GED® prior to that date, they 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.

My student is undocumented, but we live in the service area and they are part of the class of 2024. Are they still eligible for the ACC Free Tuition pilot program?

Undocumented students are eligible if they graduated from a school in ACC’s service area. 

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. 

How do I know if I live in the ACC service area or if I’m “in-district” or "out-of-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).

When does the ACC Free Tuition program begin?

The ACC Free Tuition program begins fall 2024.

Do I have to start in 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. 

Are there age restrictions?

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.

What about current students?

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.

 

How long does free tuition last?

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.

Can my student also get financial aid & scholarships with ACC Free Tuition?

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

Will my student have to ‘pay back’ their ACC Free Tuition for any reason, even if my student does not complete a program?

No. ACC Free Tuition eliminates tuition costs up-front for at least 3 years and does not require students 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.

Does my student have to keep up a minimum GPA to continue receiving ACC Free Tuition?

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

Does my student have to enroll full-time to be eligible for free tuition?

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.

Does ACC offer help with college admissions, financial aid, and Area of Study advising?

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.

How is the program funded?

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.

Don’t see your question answered here? Send us a message.

Austin Community College District
6101 Highland Campus Drive
Austin, Texas 78752
512-223-7000