Texas A&M Offers Free Tuition to Freshmen

The Texas A&M University System has approved a new program that guarantees it will pay tuition and mandatory fees at all its schools for incoming freshmen who maintain a 2.5 grade-point average and whose families make $30,000 or less.

The Board of Regents approved the System Promise Program during its meeting Friday, the Bryan-College Station Eagle reported Saturday.

"I want this to be a statement to kids in Texas," said Chancellor Mike McKinney. "You cannot not afford to go to a Texas A&M school."

Frank Ashley, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said funding for the program would come mostly from existing financial aid avenues.

While federal funding sources, such as the need-based Pell Grant, are more secure, there is concern about how the program would be affected by reduced state funding.

Bill Jones, the board chairman, questioned whether the system would be able to keep its promise if legislative funding were reduced. The Texas Legislature convenes in January.

"My only concern is, if we make that promise, we better keep it," he said.

All nine universities within the A&M System already offer some type of tuition assistance program.

Aggie Assurance at Texas A&M University pays the tuition of students whose families have a combined household income of less than $60,000, the highest ceiling within the system.

Incoming freshmen at Texas A&M University whose family incomes are between $30,000 and $60,000 still will be covered by Aggie Assurance. Incoming freshmen with family incomes of $30,000 or less will be covered under the new program.

The University of Texas System doesn't have a system-wide program but its nine schools do offer similar tuition assistance programs with ceilings varying from $25,000 to $40,000, said spokesman Matt Flores.