A Texas Senate committee has advanced a bill that would end in-state tuition eligibility for undocumented students at public colleges and universities.
Senate Bill 1798, approved by the Senate’s K-16 Education Subcommittee, proposes requiring undocumented students to pay out-of-state tuition rates.
The bill, if enacted, would reverse a law in place for more than 20 years that allows certain undocumented students to qualify for in-state rates if they meet specific criteria, such as graduating from a Texas high school and residing in the state for a set period.
A related proposal, House Bill 232, is also under consideration in the Texas House of Representatives.
It would require students to provide evidence of applying for permanent residency in order to qualify for in-state tuition. Both bills include provisions to penalize misclassification of immigration status and restrict financial aid access for undocumented students.
Texas is one of the states that currently allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition under certain conditions. If enacted, the proposed legislation would represent a policy shift affecting students across the state’s public higher education institutions.