Tuition and Fees for Excess Hours

As authorized by state law, a student who pays resident tuition rates and who attempts hours that exceed a designated limit will be charged nonresident tuition rates. The designated limit for a student who initially enrolled in an institution of higher education in Fall 1999 through Summer 2006 is 45 credit hours beyond the required hours for the student's declared degree program. The designated limit for a student who initially enrolled in an institution of higher education in Fall 2006 or later is 30 credit hours beyond the hours required for completion of the student’s degree program.

The following semester credit hours are not included in the calculation:

  1. semester credit hours earned by the student 10 or more years before the date the student begins the new degree program under the Academic Fresh Start Program of the Texas Education Code, § 51.931;
  2. hours earned by the student before receiving a baccalaureate degree that has previously been awarded to the student;
  3. hours earned by the student by examination or similar method without registering for a course
  4. hours from remedial and developmental courses, workforce education courses, or other courses that would not generate academic credit that could be applied to a degree at the institution if the course work is within the 27-hour limit at two-year colleges and the 18-hour limit at general academic institutions;
  5. hours earned by the student at a private institution or an out-of-state institution; and
  6. hours not eligible for formula funding.

For more information contact the Enrollment Services Center.

Doctoral Excess Hours (99-hour Rule)

A resident doctoral student who has a total of 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral work at an institution of higher education is required to pay nonresident doctoral tuition rates. Contact the Enrollment Services Center for more information.