For many students, the cost of college extends beyond tuition. Expenses such as childcare, transportation, food and housing can derail educational plans long before a degree is earned. Austin Community College is tackling those barriers through a tuition-free model paired with wraparound student supports.
The public two-year college in central Texas launched its Free Tuition Pilot Program in 2024 to reduce financial barriers and reverse declining enrollment. The program covers tuition for eligible students living within ACC’s tax-base district who enroll after graduating from high school or earning a Texas GED. Participants receive up to three years of free tuition for credit-bearing coursework and up to five years if they pursue a bachelor’s degree at the college.
Two years after its launch, the program has contributed to a 59 percent increase in enrollment among students eligible to participate in ACC's Free Tuition Pilot Program, which grew from 3,461 students in fall 2023 to 5,504 students in fall 2025. College leaders said the initiative reversed a decade-long enrollment decline and brought enrollment levels to their highest point since 2011.
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