Senior Citizen (65+) Free Tuition for Up to 6 Credit Hours
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Apply any timeRenews each year
Texas public colleges may let students 65 and older take up to six credit hours per semester tuition-free when space is available.
- How much
- tuition (not fees) for up to 6 credit hours per semester
- Who qualifies
- Age 65+; open to residents, nonresidents and foreign students per THECB; college must opt in; tax-supported courses only.
- For adults going back to school
- When to apply
- Apply any time Each term, space permitting.
- How to apply
- Ask the registrar whether your Texas public college offers it, then provide proof of age
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (statutes.capitol.texas.gov), page 2 and page 3
The details
Optional for each college. A person 65 or older may enroll for credit in up to six hours per semester or summer term without paying tuition, if space is available (paying students get priority). Fees are not covered. A separate optional benefit lets 65+ audit courses free.
More money from Texas
- Dell Scholars Program$20,000 flexible scholarship + laptop, book credits, emergency funds, teletherapy
- TEXAS Grant (Toward EXcellence, Access, & Success)up to $5,399 per semester (2026-27 max; up to $16,197/yr with summer); target $2,500 per semester
- Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)up to $2,134/semester (community colleges), $3,896/semester (technical institutes), $1,840/semester (state colleges) in 2026-27
- Texas First Scholarship$10,798 (graduate 2+ semesters early) or $5,399 (less than 2 semesters early), 2026-27
- Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG)up to $4,270 per year; up to $6,405 per year for undergraduates with exceptional need (2026-27)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.