Tuition Waivers & Exemptions

What are tuition waivers and exemptions?

  • Waivers allow you to pay a tuition rate for which you wouldn't normally be eligible.
  • Exemptions allow you to be exempt from paying some or all of tuition and fees.

How is my waiver or exemption added to my account?

Waivers and exemptions are processed and posted to your student record by the Admissions and Registrar Office.

Current Tuition Waivers and Exemptions

Notes about this table:

Use the filters to narrow down types of benefits and who can use them.

Program Waiver or Exemption Law SAP required? TX residency required? What is exempted/waived?* Description
Ad Valorem E TEC 130.0032 No No Tuition only A person who resides outside of the District may be eligible for in-county fees.
Adopted E TEC 54.367 No No Tuition & fees Student was adopted and was the subject of adoption assistance.
Blind E TEC 54.364 Yes Yes Tuition & fees State certification of condition from the Texas Dept. of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services required.
Children of disabled firemen/peace officers E TEC 54.351 Yes Yes Tuition & fees Child of an eligible disabled firefighter or peace officer injured in the line of duty.
Children of nurse faculty E TEC 54.355 Yes Yes Per employment Child of professional nurse faculty or staff of a public institution in the State of Texas.
Children of POWs and MIAs E TEC 54.343 Yes Yes Tuition & fees Child of persons listed as Missing in Action or Prisoners of War by the US Dept. of Defense.
College teachers, professors, etc. W TEC 54.211 No No Tuition only

Waiver of non-resident tuition to teachers and professors employed at least half-time by any Texas public college or university.

Applicable to the spouse/children.
Competitive scholarship W TEC 54.213 No No Tuition only Non-resident or foreign students receiving competitive scholarship totaling at least $1000.
Deaf E TEC 54.364 Yes Yes Tuition & fees State certification of condition from the Texas Dept. of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services required.
Dependent/spouse of deceased public servants E TEC 54.354 Yes No Books, Tuition & fees Benefits for the spouse/children of individuals in specific public servant positions who were killed in the line of duty.
DCCD reciprocal agreement W TCC Policy No Yes Tuition only

Residents of Dallas County enrolling in a program not available through Dallas College.

Out of county fees waived.
Disabled peace office E TEC 54.352 Yes Yes Tuition & fees Peace officers permanently disabled in the line of duty.
Early College High School (ECHS) W TCC Policy No No Tuition & fees Must be enrolled in a participating early college high school.
Economic development W TEC 54.222 No No Tuition only Transferred to Texas from another state as part of the state's plan for economic development.
Firefighters taking Fire Science courses E TEC 54.353 Yes Yes Tuition only Must be employed in the State of Texas.
Foster care/TX Dept. Family & Protective Services E TEC 54.366 No No Tuition & fees Student must be under the care of the TX Dept. of Family & Protective Services on or after the student's 14th birthday.
Good neighbor E TEC 54.331 Yes No Tuition only Tuition assistance to students from nations of the Western Hemisphere (other than the USA or Cuba).
Hazlewood Exemptions: Veterans E TEC 54.341 Yes Yes Tuition only A veteran must have, at the time of entry into active duty, designated Texas as Home of Record, or entered the service in Texas, or was a Texas resident.
Hazlewood Exemptions: Child/spouse of deceased veteran E TEC 54.341 No Yes Tuition only Spouse or dependent of a Texas veteran who was killed in action or died while in service.
Hazlewood Exemptions: Child/spouse of disabled veteran E TEC 54.341 Yes Yes Tuition only Spouse or dependent of a Texas veteran who was totally disabled as a result of a service-related injury.
Hazlewood Exemptions: Legacy recipients E TEC 54.341 Yes Yes Tuition only Eligible veterans may assign unused hours to a child under certain conditions.
Hazlewood Exemptions: Hazlewood & Chapter 33 stacked E TEC 54.341 Yes Yes Tuition only Must have insufficient federal education benefits to cover relevant tuition and fees, and receive less than 100% of Post 9/11-Chapter 33 GI Bill benefit.
Highest ranking high school senior E TEC 54.301 Yes No Tuition only Valedictorian of an accredited Texas public high school.
Military in Texas W TEC 54.241 No No Tuition only Members of the US Armed Forces, their spouse and children while they are stationed in Texas.
NATO members and family W TEC 54.232 No No Tuition only Eligible individual, spouse or children, in accordance with an agreement between the parties to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, pay the resident tuition rate.
Non-Citizen Residents W TCC Policy No Yes Tuition only Waiver of non-resident fees for non-citizens without legal immigration status who have established Tarrant County residence and are not eligible under SB 1528.
Peace officer E TEC 54.3531 Yes Yes Tuition only Must be employed in the state of Texas. 
Preceptors and/or their children E TEC 54.356 Yes Yes Partial tuition Partial exemption for nurses and their children who serve as clinical nurse preceptors.

$500 tuition limit.
Senior citizens 65+ (free tuition) E TEC 54.365 (c) Yes Yes Tuition only Senior citizens who want to continue their education can receive 6 hours of free tuition.
Senior citizens 65+ (audit hours) E TEC 54.365 (b) Yes Yes Tuition only Senior citizens who want to continue their education can audit any course if space is available.
TCC employees W TCC Policy No No Tuition only Full-time budgeted employees for at least 12 continuous months prior to the first day of registration may apply for the TCC Employee Tuition Waiver.
TCC employees: Spouse/dependents W TCC Policy No No Tuition only Spouse/children of full-time budgeted employee for at least 12 continuous months prior to the first day of registration may apply for the TCC Employee Tuition Waiver.
Teaching and research assistants W TEC 54.212 No No Tuition only Teaching or research assistants employed at any Texas public institution of higher education and their spouses and children.
Texas Tomorrow Fund W TEC 54.621 (c) No No Tuition only Prepaid tuition contract.

*Only applies to state-funded courses.

Updated January 20, 2023