Free Tuition for Texas Students at Texas Christian University
Texas students whose families make $70,000 or less annually will be able to get free tuition at Texas Christian University. TCU for Texans will provide tuition and assistance for food and housing to eligible incoming first-year students starting in fall 2026. Students must be Texas residents, be eligible for the Pell Grant and come from a family with an adjusted gross income of $70,000 or less.
“That number is important to me because that exceeds the average salary of the Texas public school teacher,” Chancellor Daniel Pullin told The Dallas Morning News on campus Tuesday. “So if you’re a child and say, your parent has made a professional decision to educate the next generation of leaders that we need … you can come and be a Horned Frog.”
Eligibility and Benefits
The initiative is designed to support students from low-income families in Texas. To be eligible, students must meet the income requirement, be eligible for the Pell Grant, and be a Texas resident. The program will cover tuition, as well as provide assistance for food and housing. This will help to reduce the financial burden on students and their families, making it easier for them to pursue higher education.
Tuition at the private school costs $63,500 for the upcoming school year, according to its website. Housing and food for an on-campus, full-time student is estimated to be $18,020 for the year. Nearly 80% of TCU’s students receive some form of financial aid. In 2022, 384 first-year TCU students received a Pell Grant, a federal scholarship for students who have exceptional financial need, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Impact on Enrollment and Growth
The initiative comes as colleges across the nation are bracing for a projected drop in applications, in part because a reduced birthrate is expected to drive a decline in the total number of college-bound students. Texas, however, is projected to see an increase in high school graduates in the next decade, according to research from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. “If we’re going to be as bold as a university to say we’re going to grow our student body by 5,000 students in a declining market, we really need to be excellent in recruiting and propelling students in Texas, where it is growing,” Pullin said.
In recent years, TCU has come to be defined by its growing out-of-state enrollment, with around half of the student body coming from other states in 2024, according to institutional data. California, Illinois and Colorado lead in the number of out-of-state students. Enrollment at the school has surged in the last decade, and is expected to continue to climb as the school undertakes a 10-year strategic plan for growth and impact. By 2035, TCU leaders aim to see a 3% increase in enrollment annually and grow the student body from around 13,000 to 18,000.
Connection to the Community
“Even though we’re a majority out of state at the university today, the majority of our students choose to stay in Texas. They fall in love with the communities. They build this network. They get to know our alumni. They see the career opportunities that Texas provides,” Pullin said. “And so if we can continue to connect what we do to our community … then we’ll be even more influential in how Texas evolves.”
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas. The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
Conclusion
The TCU for Texans initiative is a significant step towards making higher education more accessible and affordable for students from low-income families in Texas. By providing free tuition and assistance for food and housing, TCU is helping to level the playing field and create opportunities for students who may not have otherwise been able to attend the university. As the university continues to grow and evolve, it is clear that its commitment to supporting the local community and providing excellent education will remain a top priority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is eligible for the TCU for Texans initiative?
A: Students from Texas who have a family income of $70,000 or less, are eligible for the Pell Grant, and are incoming first-year students starting in fall 2026.
Q: What benefits does the initiative provide?
A: The initiative provides free tuition, as well as assistance for food and housing.
Q: How will the initiative impact enrollment at TCU?
A: The initiative is expected to help TCU grow its student body by 5,000 students in the next decade, with a focus on recruiting and propelling students from Texas.
Q: Why is TCU undertaking this initiative?
A: TCU is undertaking this initiative to support students from low-income families in Texas, and to help create a more diverse and inclusive student body.
