Austin Community College approves new Affordability Scholarships

AUSTIN  — Current students at Austin Community College District (ACC) could receive financial relief for their final credit hours with a new scholarship.

At its July 1 meeting, the ACC Board of Trustees unanimously approved additional Affordability Scholarships for current students; under the program, the college will cover the final 15 credit hours for any student registered in the spring of 2024.

The scholarships are one of several ways that ACC has been working to alleviate the financial burden on students.

In January, Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart presented a proposal to the ACC Board of Trustees that would cover the cost of tuition for all high school seniors who graduate in 2024. A formal proposal was presented to the board on Monday, March 4, however, after requesting more time to review, the board did not approve the ACC Free Tuition pilot program, also known as the College Affordability Plan, until its April 1 meeting.

The program will be piloted for a period of five years, starting in the fall, providing free tuition to the class of 2024 and it will continue for all future classes in subsequent years for the next five years. Free tuition and general fees are offered through the program for eligible high school seniors, including public, private, charter, homeschoolers and GED completers who graduated after July 1, 2023, and live in the ACC service area.

Eligible students will have three years, starting from the first fall semester after they graduate high school, to complete their associate degree and obtain any desired academic or workforce credentials and/or certification. Students who complete the initial ACC Free Tuition program are eligible for an additional two years to obtain a bachelor’s degree from the college, for a total of five years of free tuition at ACC.

Following the approval of the Free Tuition program, the ACC Board of Trustees asked administration to explore opportunities that would honor existing students.

“I want to thank the board for working through this plan to support the students already working toward their degree at ACC. This board is deeply committed to the work it takes to close equity gaps and improve the lives of our students. This shows the work we continue to do to meet the basic needs of our students while they are here,” said ACC Board chair Dr. Barbara Mink. “We want to find ways to thoughtfully improve higher education and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. Decisions like these demonstrate the commitment to every student, to this college and the entire Central Texas community.”

The two-year program is limited to students who were enrolled in a credit course at ACC during the spring 2024 semester. Students are eligible for the Affordability Scholarship once they have completed 45 credit hours toward an associate degree at ACC. More than 20,000 students who were enrolled in spring 2024 could be eligible.

Students who are awarded an Affordability Scholarship will receive tuition support for 15 credit hours that go toward a degree program at ACC. Recipients will have one academic year to apply the tuition support to their courses.

“Our student leaders had the courage to come to us and share what their lives are really like. They’re experiencing things like food and housing insecurity more than ever,” said Dr. Lowery-Hart. “I’m so proud of this board, our students and this college for listening and putting our students and their needs first. With this program, we’re one more step closer to making tuition free for everyone.”

The program is expected to cost $12.75 million and will be funded with existing dollars in the college’s reserves budget.

“Our goal is to help students finish what they started. We want to honor the students enrolled at ACC during the approval for the Free Tuition Pilot Program. It is our responsibility to make sure students have what they need to be successful,” said Dr. Lowery-Hart. “These students have shown dedication and resilience in their education. It is the start of what can truly transform the lives of our students and community.”

ACC will also work to expand the Student Emergency Fund, which provides immediate financial support for students during unforeseen circumstances. The changes include increasing the fund by $500,000, with the intention of adding more funding if money runs out, and updating the application to simplify the process.

More information can be found at the following links:

• Scholarships: www.students.austincc.edu/scholarships

• Free Tuition program: www.sites.austincc.edu/free-tuition

• Student Emergency Fund: www.students.austincc.edu/student-emergency-fund