Tuition Rebate Policy and Procedure

Students must complete the Request for Tuition Rebate form. This form must be completed after the start of the semester of anticipated graduation but prior to the graduation date. For example, if you anticipate graduating in May, you must complete the form during the spring semester.

The completed forms will be reviewed by the Registrar’s Office after graduation. After the Registrar’s verification the Request for Tuition Rebate form will be forwarded to the Financial Aid office for verification and then forwarded to the Business Office for approval.

Students will be notified by the Business Office if not approved for the tuition rebate or for any other amount than the full amount.

Section 54.0065 of the Texas Education Code

(a)  A qualified student is eligible for a rebate of a portion of the undergraduate tuition the student has paid if the student:

(1)  is awarded a baccalaureate degree from a general academic teaching institution within:

(A)  four calendar years after the date the student initially enrolled in the institution or another postsecondary educational institution if:

(i)  the institution awarding the degree is a four-year institution; and
(ii)  the student is awarded a degree other than a degree in engineering, architecture, or any other program determined by the coordinating board to require more than four years to complete; or

(B)  five calendar years after the date the student initially enrolled in the institution or another postsecondary educational institution if:

(i)  the institution awarding the degree is a four-year institution; and
(ii)  the student is awarded a degree in engineering, architecture, or any other program determined by the coordinating board to require more than four years to complete; and

(2)  has attempted no more than three hours in excess of the minimum number of semester credit hours required to complete the degree program:

(A)  including:

(i)  transfer credits; and
(ii)  course credit earned exclusively by examination, except that, for purposes of this subsection, only the number of semester credit hours earned exclusively by examination in excess of nine semester credit hours is treated as hours attempted; and

(B)  excluding:

(i)  course credit that is earned to satisfy requirements for a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program but that is not required to complete the degree program; and
(ii)  course credit, other than course credit earned exclusively by examination, that is earned before graduating from high school.

(b)  The amount of tuition to be rebated to a student under this section is $1,000, unless the total amount of undergraduate tuition paid by the student to the institution of higher education awarding the degree was less than $1,000, in which event the amount of tuition to be rebated is an amount equal to the amount of undergraduate tuition paid by the student to the institution.  However, a student who paid the institution awarding the degree an amount of undergraduate tuition less than $1,000 may qualify for an increase in the amount of the rebate, not to exceed a total rebate of $1,000, for any amount of undergraduate tuition the student paid to other institutions of higher education by providing the institution with proof of the total amount of that tuition paid to other institutions of higher education.
(c)  A student who has transferred from another institution of higher education shall provide the institution awarding the degree an official transcript from each institution attended by the student in order that the period during which the student has been enrolled in a general academic teaching institution and the total number of hours attempted by the student can be verified.
(d)  To qualify for a rebate under this section, the student must have been a resident of this state and entitled to pay tuition at the rate provided by this chapter for a resident student at all times while pursuing the degree.
(e)  All institutions of higher education shall notify each first-time freshman student of the tuition rebate program.
(f)  The institution awarding the degree shall pay the rebate under this section from local funds.
(g)  If a student entitled to a rebate under this section has an outstanding student loan, including an emergency loan, owed or guaranteed by this state, including the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, the institution shall apply the amount of the rebate to the student’s loan.  If a student has more than one outstanding loan, the institution shall apply the amount of the rebate to the loans as directed by the student or, if the student fails to provide timely instructions on the application of the amount, the institution shall apply the amount of the rebate to the loans according to priorities established by the coordinating board.  If the amount of the rebate exceeds the amount of the loan indebtedness, the institution shall pay the student the excess amount.
(h)  The legislature shall account in the General Appropriations Act for the rebates authorized by this section in a way that provides a corresponding increase in the general revenue funds appropriated to the institution.  It is the intent of the legislature that rebates authorized by this section shall be financed by savings to the state resulting from reductions in the number of courses taken by undergraduate students.
(i)  The coordinating board, in consultation with the institutions of higher education, shall adopt rules for the administration of this section, including a rule to allow an otherwise eligible student to receive a rebate under this section if the student is not awarded a baccalaureate degree within the period required by Subsection (a)(1) solely as a result of a hardship or other good cause.  The performance of active duty military service by a student shall be recognized as “good cause” for purposes of this section.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1073, Sec. 1.09, eff. Aug. 1, 1997.  Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 611, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003.

Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 292 (S.B. 34), Sec. 3, eff. June 17, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 270 (H.B. 86), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (S.B. 176), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1243 (H.B. 700), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2015.

Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 13 Subchapter E. Tuition Rebates for Certain Undergraduates

13.80. Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide tuition rebates that will provide a financial incentive for students to prepare for university studies while completing their high school work, avail themselves of academic counseling, make early career decisions, and complete their baccalaureate studies with as few courses outside the degree plan as possible. Minimizing the number of courses taken by students results in financial savings to students, parents, and the state.

13.81. Authority

The program is authorized by Texas Education Code, Section 54.0065.

13.82. Eligible Students

To be eligible for a rebate under this program, a student must:

(1) have enrolled for the first time in an institution of higher education in the fall 1997 semester or later;
(2) request a rebate for coursework related to a first baccalaureate degree received from a general academic teaching institution;
(3) have been a resident of Texas as set forth under Chapter 21, Subchapter B of this title (relating to Determining Residence Status) and have been entitled to pay resident tuition at all times while pursuing the degree;
(4) if enrolled for the first time in fall 2005 or later, graduate within four calendar years for a four-year degree or within five calendar years for a five-year degree if the degree is in architecture, engineering, or any other program determined by the Board to require more than four years to complete; and
(5) have attempted no more than three hours in excess of the minimum number of semester credit hours required to complete the degree under the catalog under which the student graduated.

(A) Hours attempted shall include:

(i) transfer credits;
(ii) course credit earned exclusively by examination (except that, for the purposes of this program, only the number of semester credit hours earned exclusively by examination in excess of nine semester credit hours is treated as hours attempted);
(iii) courses dropped after the official census date;
(iv) optional internship and cooperative education courses; and
(v) repeated courses.

(B) Hours attempted shall not include:

(i) course credit that is earned to satisfy requirements for a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program but that is not required to complete the degree program;
(ii) course credit, other than course credit earned exclusively by examination, that is earned before graduating from high school; and
(iii) courses dropped for reasons that are determined by the institution to be totally beyond the control of the student.

(C) For students concurrently earning a baccalaureate degree and a Texas teaching certificate, required teacher education courses shall not be counted to the extent that they are over and above the free electives allowed in the baccalaureate degree program.

13.83. Hardship Provisions

Effective for students who enroll for the first time in fall 2005 or later, an otherwise eligible student may be eligible for a tuition rebate without satisfying the requirements of §13.82(4) of this title (relating to Eligible Students), if the student is awarded a baccalaureate degree and the institution determines that the student has demonstrated a hardship under the policy required by §13.85(g) of this title (relating to Responsibilities of Institutions).

13.84. Amount of Tuition Rebates

(a) The amount of tuition to be rebated to a student under this program is $1,000, unless the total amount of undergraduate tuition paid by the student to the institution awarding the degree was less than $1,000, in which event the amount of tuition to be rebated is an amount equal to the amount of undergraduate tuition paid by the student to the institution.
(b) A student who paid the institution awarding the degree an amount of undergraduate tuition less than $1,000 may qualify for an increase in the amount of the rebate, not to exceed a total rebate of $1,000, for any amount of undergraduate tuition the student paid to other Texas public institutions of higher education by providing the institution awarding the degree with proof of the total amount of that tuition paid to other institutions.
(c) Tuition rebates shall be reduced by the amount of any outstanding student loan, including an emergency loan, owed to or guaranteed by this state, including the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. If a student has more than one outstanding student loan, the institution shall apply the amount of the rebate to the loans as directed by the student. If the student fails to provide timely instructions on the application of the amount, the institution shall apply the amount of the rebate to retire the loans with the highest interest rates first.

13.85. Responsibilites of Institutions

(a) Institutions of higher education shall include information regarding this program in the institution’s catalog.
(b) If requested by potentially eligible students, institutions of higher education shall provide these students opportunities to enroll during each fall and spring semester in the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours that apply toward their degrees. Institutions are not required to provide students with the opportunity to enroll in specific courses or specific sections. Public two-year colleges will comply to the extent that courses for the current semester are being offered that apply to the student’s baccalaureate degree program. The requirement may be met by allowing substitutions for required courses or by allowing concurrent enrollment in courses from another institution, so long as the courses are taught on the students’ home campus and the students incur no financial penalty.
(c) General academic teaching institutions shall provide students with appropriate forms and instructions for requesting tuition reimbursement at the time that students apply for baccalaureate degrees.
(d) Institutions shall provide tuition rebates to students who apply within 60 days after graduation or provide the student with a statement explaining the reason the student is ineligible for the rebate.
(e) Institutions shall provide a dispute resolution process to resolve disputes related to local administration of the program.
(f) Disputes related to lower division credit transfer shall be resolved in accordance with Coordinating Board rules, §4.27 of this title (relating to Resolution of Transfer Disputes for Lower-Division Courses).
(g) Institutions shall establish policies and procedures for allowing otherwise eligible students to qualify for tuition rebates under this program, if the student receives a baccalaureate degree and demonstrates that the failure to comply with §13.82(4) of this title (relating to Eligible Students) was caused by a hardship condition. The policies and procedures shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following conditions:

(1) a severe illness or other debilitating condition that may affect the student’s academic performance;
(2) an indication that the student is responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that the student’s provision of care may affect his or her academic performance; or
(3) performance of active duty military service.

(h) Institutions may adopt policies and procedures for administering the program. For example, institutions may require students to declare their intent to qualify for a tuition rebate early in their careers or register prior to the beginning of the semester.

13.86. Responsibilities of Students

(a) Students desiring to qualify for tuition rebates are responsible for complying with all rules and regulations related to administration of the program.
(b) Students desiring to qualify for tuition rebates are solely responsible for enrolling only in courses that will qualify them for the rebates.
(c) A student who has transferred from another public or independent institution of higher education is responsible for providing to the institution awarding the degree official transcripts from all institutions attended by the student.
(d) Students must apply for rebates prior to receiving their baccalaureate degrees on forms provided by the institution and must keep the institution apprized of their addresses for at least 60 days after their graduation date.

13.87. Source of Funding

Tuition rebates shall be paid from institutional local funds. However, the enabling legislation provides that the Legislature shall account in the General Appropriations Act for the rebates in a way that provides a corresponding increase in the general revenue funds appropriated to the institution.