Texas Higher Education: Universities, colleges & policy

Jorge's parents brought him to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 1 year old. Now 21, he had planned on transferring from Austin Community College to Texas State University to study mechanical engineering, but he may not be able to afford it after Texas agreed last week to stop offering in-state college tuition rates to undocumented students living in the state. The end of the policy has thrown the education plans of thousands of students like him into disarray.

Undocumented students rethink their college dreams after Texas cuts their access to cheaper tuition

By Jessica PriestJune 14, 2025

Thousands of undocumented students who grew up in Texas now face college tuition costs that are more than twice what other state residents pay.

Gov. Rick Perry delivers his State of the State speech to a joint session of the Texas Legislature on Feb. 12, 2003.

Economy

Texas Republicans pioneered in-state tuition for undocumented students. Now they’re celebrating its end.

By Kate McGeeJune 6, 2025

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.

Students walk through campus at the University of Texas at Austin on Aug. 25, 2021.

Higher Education

Texas’ undocumented college students no longer qualify for in-state tuition

By Eleanor Klibanoff and Jessica PriestJune 4, 2025June 4, 2025

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.

State Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, looks out the window from the Texas House of Representatives chamber as the lawmakers debate bills on May 26, 2025.

2025 Legislative Recap

School vouchers, THC ban, property tax cuts: Here’s what Texas lawmakers did in the 2025 regular session

By Texas Tribune StaffJune 2, 2025June 2, 2025

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.

Protestors chant as Texas Department of Public Safety troopers begin to push students towards Guadalupe Street from the South Lawn during a demonstration in support of Palestine on April 24, 2024, at the University of Texas in Austin.

Texas Legislature 2025

Lawmakers approve bill limiting protests at public universities

By Jessica PriestMay 27, 2025June 1, 2025

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.

Texas State University campus in San Marcos.

Texas Legislature 2025

Bill to give political appointees more oversight over Texas universities wins final passage

By Jessica Priest and Sneha DeyMay 24, 2025May 31, 2025

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.”

The University of Texas System Board of Regents on Wednesday named Prabhas Moghe as the sole finalist in the running to become the next president of the University of Texas at Dallas.

Higher Education

UT-Dallas’ new president will be Prabhas Moghe, regents say

By Sofia SorochinskaiaMay 7, 2025May 30, 2025

Moghe, Rutgers University’s chief academic officer, is a biochemical and biomedical engineer and a former international student. He is expected to start in his new role later this year.