Abbott unveils new higher education initiative to reduce tuition costs

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(The Center Square) – Gov. Greg Abbott has unveiled another education policy proposal on the campaign trail, this time a new higher education initiative that involves reducing tuition costs. 

Abbott made the announcement Tuesday after holding a roundtable discussion with lawmakers, Sam Houston State University faculty, and students in the Woodlands, a suburb north of Houston. 

The plan includes having the state legislature create a new statewide tuition savings program that will lower the cost of summer courses that count toward an undergraduate degree. The plan, he argues, will help students earn their college degree faster and save money on housing and other expenses. It applies to undergraduate students attending Texas public colleges and universities. 

It includes reducing tuition and fees by $500 for students taking 1–5 credit hours and by $1,000 when taking six or more credit hours during the summer. 

“Every Texas student should be empowered to pursue their academic goals,” Abbott said. “We can accomplish that by making Texas higher education more affordable and accessible for students. Working with top-ranked universities, we will best position our students for future success.”  

The proposal comes after Abbott already instructed state higher education institutions to freeze undergraduate tuition and fees for the academic year already underway.

In May, he sent a letter to all Texas public institutions of higher education stating that a November 2024 directive he issued was still in effect. At the time, he directed all public institutions of higher education in Texas to freeze undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 academic school years. That freeze is ongoing. The directive “remains fully in effect: No undergraduate tuition or fees should be increased in the forthcoming academic school year,” he said.

"Higher education must be attainable for Texas students and families," Abbott added. "Access to affordable, high-quality education is essential to ensure Texans learn the skills needed to secure family-sustaining jobs and meet the demands of a growing workforce." 

Since his first directive, tuition and fees for state higher education institutions have been frozen. 

The directive was issued after Abbott and the state legislature have made historic investments in higher education, including allocating hundreds of millions of dollars in state financial aid programs and increased institutional funding to support affordability. 

In 2023, more than $680 million was allocated to reform community college funding and expand degree pathways for students. 

In 2025, the legislature increased financial aid funding by $328 million to increase access to eligible students statewide. “These investments ensure that higher education remains accessible and affordable for all Texans,” Abbott said.

Abbott's opponent in this year's governor's race, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, has not proposed a higher education plan and claims the race is about billionaires funding and supporting Abbott. 

Her priorities include a series of K-12 public school education reforms and convening the legislature to send every Texan a $1,500 taxpayer-funded check. She says the check will help Texans cover healthcare, grocery and utility costs and “make homeownership a reality.”