With Cougar Promise, the University aims to make getting a college education accessible to students from low and middle-income families. | File photo
Eligible incoming freshmen with family incomes at $65,000 or below will have their tuition and mandatory fees covered through the Cougar Promise program starting in Fall 2020.
At Thursday’s UH System Board of Regents meeting, trustees approved an increase to the Cougar Promise eligibility from students with a family income of up to $65,000. Before, Cougar Promise covered students from families with an income up to $50,000.
Tuition support ranging from $500 to $2,000 will also be available for those with family incomes between $65,001 and $125,000.
With Cougar Promise, the University aims to make getting a college education accessible to students from low and middle-income families. The program is funded by a combination of grants such as Pell, TEXAS, institutional grants and more that are determined by the FAFSA or TASFA.
President Renu Khator at the meeting said there has been a lot of restructuring to make sure all students can have an accessible college education, but the University could still be doing more to meet the needs of students.
Though Cougar Promise covers tuition and fees, Khator said some students can still take out loans to cover personal expenses and more.
“We have to even do more to help the students besides covering tuition and fees,” Khator said.
The president said the University must seriously look into bringing mandatory financial literacy to students, and that there is a need to educate and raise awareness to students on how to make smart financial decisions.
“And now we are looking into ‘If we can do this much, what is the next thing we can do to help students,’” Khator said.
