University of Texas expands tuition-free program for families earning under $100,000

The University of Texas System is expanding its tuition-free program to include undergraduates from families earning up to $100,000 annually. This change builds on previous initiatives that targeted families with incomes of $65,000 or less. The expansion is funded by increased endowment contributions and will allow more students to attend any of the nine UT campuses without paying tuition or mandatory fees. In 2019, the program began with a $167 million endowment, which grew to nearly $300 million in 2022. Some Texas lawmakers have criticized the expansion, claiming it makes Texas's higher education system more socialist than California's. They have raised concerns about the program's funding and its inclusivity of certain academic fields.