Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar
In a bid to address rising education costs, the Texas legislature passed a tuition freeze that will suspend undergraduate price adjustments until 2025.
As a part of House Bill 1, or General Appropriations Act, state-funded universities in Texas will get additional financing in what was termed an “Affordability Plan.” Undergraduate tuition as well as mandatory fees will remain frozen for the next two academic years.
“As a result of actions taken by the Texas Legislature to address affordability in higher education, all resident undergraduate academic costs, including tuition, mandatory academic fees, all academic-related general fees and college course fees, have been frozen for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years,” the message read.
Prior to the 2023 Legislative session, in mid-December, Chancellor Renu Khator and five other chancellors sent a letter to legislators asking them to provide more funding for state universities in exchange for a tuition freeze.
“The proposal asked for approximately $1 billion in state dollars towards this investment. Unfortunately, the state only partially funded this proposal at approximately $700 million statewide but still requires all state-funded universities to freeze undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees,” Jason Smith, vice president of government and community relations, wrote in a legislative session update.
The freeze would set the amount of multiple fees on your tuition bill but there are a few that are exempt from this freeze.
“All academic-related general fees and college course fees will also remain the same during these academic years,” said Chris Stipes, senior director of media relations at UH. “Please note that the UC fee and Recreation and Wellness Center fee are exempt from this freeze.”
Former legislative aid and sociology senior, Esme Ledemaz, sees the freeze as a much needed buffer for students already experiencing financial strain.
“Students will see relief in having a fixed amount to pay rather than having their schooling increase as the cost of living increases while wages stay stagnant,” Ledemaz said.
University officials also hope the freeze will open the door for students who may have been considering attending but were put off by the price tag.
“The legislature’s decision to freeze tuition for the next two academic years…lessens one of the biggest financial barriers our students face and aligns with our mission to make college education affordable and accessible,” Stipes said. “We are hopeful that more students will now have the opportunity to pursue a college degree at UH.”
