Texas law limits the number of undergraduate semester credit hours that the State will support for a student working toward an undergraduate degree. When a student exceeds these limits, the College may be required to charge a higher tuition rate (up to the non-resident rate), and some hours may no longer be eligible for state formula funding.
30‑Hour and 45‑Hour Tuition Limits (Tex. Educ. Code §54.014)
Institutions of higher education may charge a higher tuition rate for resident undergraduates whose attempted semester credit hours exceed the following limitations:
The limitation is based on when a student first enrolled as a degree‑seeking undergraduate at any Texas public institution of higher education.
Students whose first enrollment as degree‑seeking undergraduates at a Texas public institution was in fall 1999 through summer 2006 are subject to a 45‑hour limit: 45 or more semester credit hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for completion of the undergraduate degree program in which the student is enrolled.
Students whose first enrollment as degree‑seeking undergraduates at a Texas public institution was in fall 2006 or later are subject to a 30‑hour limit: 30 or more semester credit hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for completion of the undergraduate degree program in which the student is enrolled.
For these purposes, students are treated as having the program of study (major) that is officially recorded on the census date of the term. Changes in program after the census date do not retroactively change a student’s status under the excess‑hour limit.
Although Texarkana College awards associate degrees and certificates (not bachelor’s degrees), these limits still apply to resident students enrolled here. Hours earned at Texarkana College will also count toward these limits if the student later transfers to a Texas public university.
15‑Hour Formula‑Funding Limit for Associate Degrees (Tex. Educ. Code §61.0595)
For state formula‑funding purposes, the State generally funds up to 15 semester credit hours beyond the minimum requirements of an associate degree program. Semester credit hours attempted after a student exceeds this threshold may not be eligible for state formula funding, and the student may be subject to higher tuition and fees.
In limited circumstances, a student who has successfully completed at least 50 semester credit hours at a Texas public institution and who returns after an absence of at least 24 months may receive a one‑time exemption for the first additional 15 semester credit hours attempted after reenrollment. These hours are not treated as excess for state‑funding purposes.
Hours That Do Not Count Toward the Limits
Under current law and Coordinating Board rules, the following types of credit generally do not count toward the excess‑hour limits described above:
Hours earned before receiving a previously awarded baccalaureate degree.
Hours earned through examination or similar methods without registering for a course (such as credit‑by‑exam).
Hours from remedial or developmental courses, technical or workforce education courses, or other courses that do not generate academic credit applicable to an undergraduate degree.
Hours earned at private or out‑of‑state institutions.
Any hours that are not eligible for state formula funding.
Because these rules are established by state law and may change through legislative or regulatory action, students are strongly encouraged to work closely with an academic advisor to plan their programs of study and avoid attempting hours that may not be eligible for state funding.
Questions regarding how these limits apply to an individual student should be directed to the Office of Enrollment Services.