Wealthy families are buying homes to get in-state tuition at Texas universities
A niche but growing industry specializes in helping students buy Texas homes to save tens of thousands of dollars in tuition at public universities. Full Story
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![Texas allows out-of-state families to buy property to get in-state tuition.]()
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United Methodist Church can fight to prevent split with SMU, Texas Supreme Court rules
The school sought to leave the church because of differences over gay marriage and clergy. The court did not decide whether SMU could be prevented from separating. Full Story
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![A sign at one of the entrances to the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas on Dec. 20, 2022.]()
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Proposed Pell Grant cuts threaten aid for Texas students
Proposals in the federal budget bill would cut the maximum Pell Grant award amount by $1,500 and take away eligibility for students enrolled less than half-time. Full Story
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![Students walk across the Texas A&M campus in College Station on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.]()
Credit: Ishika Samant for The Texas Tribune -
Texas A&M, university systems in other red states will create their own agency to review schools’ quality standards
The creation of the new accrediting agency comes as Republicans have criticized existing ones for reinforcing a liberal bias in the country's higher ed institutions. Full Story
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![People take photos with the 3-ton bronze replica of the Haynes Aggie Ring at Texas A&M University on Monday, June 15, 2020 in College Station. The ring is located outside the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center near Kyle Field.]()
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What Texas lawmakers did this session to close the state’s workforce gaps
Legislation approved this year is partly aimed at helping Texas meet its goal of helping 60% of working-age Texans get a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. Full Story
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![Texas State Technical College Wind Energy Technology students Shayne Howard, left, and Steven Vasquez work together to troubleshoot a logic gate while assembling a circuit Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Sweetwater.]()
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Texas directs public universities to identify undocumented students
The directive comes after a court rescinded undocumented students’ eligibility for in-state tuition. It’s unclear what information schools might ask from students and how their immigration data will be protected. Full Story
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![A student studies in the Perry-Castañeda Library on the UT Austin campus during finals week on April 28, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Once again targeting higher ed, Texas lawmakers limited faculty influence, campus speech this session
Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce. Full Story
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![Students walk the University of North Texas campus in Denton, TX on Feb. 24, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Undocumented students rethink their college dreams after Texas cuts their access to cheaper tuition
Thousands of undocumented students who grew up in Texas now face college tuition costs that are more than twice what other state residents pay. Full Story
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![Jorge poses for a portrait on Sunday, June 8, 2025 in Lockhart, TX. Jorge had planned on transferring from Austin Community College to Texas State University but cannot afford the out of state tuition. He is planning to take classes through a Mexican university online. On June 4th a federal judge invalidated the law known as the "Texas Dream Act" which went into law in 2001. The law was largely uncontroversial when it passed with few votes against it but its end is being celebrated by Republican lawmakers in the Texas house and Governor Greg Abbott.]()
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What to know about Texas ending in-state tuition for undocumented students
Some implications of the ruling ordering the policy’s end are still unknown. College access experts urged affected students not to withdraw from school while they assess their options. Full Story
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![Students head to classes at the University of Texas at El Paso on May 9, 2019.]()
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Undocumented students ask judge to let them challenge sudden loss of in-state tuition
Their filing says the lawsuit that struck down in-state tuition for undocumented students was “contrived” to keep their voices out. Full Story
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![Students on the University of Texas at Arlington campus in Arlington on Sept. 10, 2024.]()
Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans pioneered in-state tuition for undocumented students. Now they’re celebrating its end.
In 2001, Texas Republicans saw expanding college access for certain undocumented students as a way to build an educated workforce. Now, some GOP lawmakers feel only U.S. citizens should receive those benefits. Full Story
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![Governor Rick Perry delivers his State of the State speech to a joint session of the Texas Legislature on Feb. 12, 2003.]()
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Texas’ undocumented college students no longer qualify for in-state tuition
Within hours of a federal lawsuit targeting Texas’ policy of letting undocumented students qualify for lower public tuition rates, the 24-year-old law was no more. Full Story
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![Students walk through campus at the University of Texas at Austin on Aug. 25, 2021.]()
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School vouchers, THC ban, property tax cuts: Here’s what Texas lawmakers did in the 2025 regular session
The Legislature wrapped up without the same drama that defined the end of the last two sessions, with state GOP leaders checking off nearly everything on their to-do lists. Full Story
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![State Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, looks out the window from the Texas House of Representatives chamber as the lawmakers debate on bills at the Texas Capitol, on Monday, May 26, 2025.]()
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Texas colleges will soon be able to pay their athletes
House Bill 126, which allows student athletes to receive a slice of the billions Texas colleges generate in revenue from their teams, now awaits the governor’s signature. Full Story
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![The University of Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin on August 31, 2019.]()
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Lawmakers approve bill limiting protests at public universities
The proposal is largely in response to massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year. Critics say it would walk back free speech protections that conservatives advocated for in previous legislative sessions. Full Story
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![Protestors chant at Texas Department of Public Safety troopers as they begin to push students towards Guadalupe Street from the South Lawn during a demonstration in support of Palestine Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at the University of Texas in Austin.]()
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Bill to give political appointees more oversight over Texas universities wins final passage
The latest version of the proposal eliminates language that would have required university curricula not to advocate that “any race, sex, ethnicity or religious belief is inherently superior to another.” Full Story
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![Texas State University campus in San Marcos, Texas.]()
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Meet the Tribune’s 2025 summer fellows
Fellows learn from experienced Tribune professionals, while bringing fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and valuable skills. Full Story
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![The Texas Tribune welcomes a new group of fellows this summer.]()
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TribCast: Higher education and the battle for Texas universities
The gang talks about the Texas Legislature’s efforts to rein in universities, and all the changes at the top. Full Story
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![A student walks across the campus at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville on Aug. 20, 2020.]()
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Faculty and students blast Texas House panel for limiting testimony on bill that targets state universities
The House's higher education committee closed registration to testify on Senate Bill 37 less than half an hour after the hearing started. About 20 people said they didn't get to address lawmakers. Full Story
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![University students and faculty gather at the Texas Capitol’s outdoor rotunda on May 15, 2025 to speak against Senate Bill 37, which would allow the government to reshape courses and governance in higher education.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
After college students protested Israel-Hamas war, Texas Senate votes to restrict time, place and manner of future events
Sen. Brandon Creighton says the bill will prevent disruption. Critics say it walks back conservative lawmakers' previous pledge to protect campus free speech. Full Story
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![Texas Department of Public Safety troopers surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Texas at Austin campus on April 29, 2024.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribune