FAQ Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan

Frequently Asked Questions about UTA's Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan can help you plan your financial academic journey.
A change in Texas law allows UTA to offer two tuition rate plans.  UTA is leveraging this opportunity to allow students and their families the chance to lock in a fixed tuition rate for four years, regardless of tuition increases during that time. The plan is designed to reward those students who do what it takes to graduate in four years. 

Students who maintain a 2.50 UTA grade point average (GPA) or higher during the 48 months after they have opted into the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan and earn 30 or more semester credit hours required for their degree each year will also be eligible to earn tuition rebates. 
UTA also offers a Traditional Tuition Rate Plan based on rates set by The University of Texas System Board of Regents. Rates are subject to future increases.

All students initially are placed in the Traditional Tuition Rate Plan. Eligible students can opt in to the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan to lock in rates and earn rebates now through the July 31st priority deadline at www.uta.edu/admissions/afford/guaranteed-tuition/
By opting into the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan, UTA students and their families can lock in today’s tuition rates and mandatory fees rate, protect against any future tuition increases and earn up to $7,160 off the cost of a four-year degree.  The savings could be greater if tuition rates increase in future years.

The plan is designed to aid and reward students who complete at least 30 semester credit hours toward their degree during an academic year – an essential strategy for graduating on time. Participating students also must maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average in courses completed at UTA that count toward their degree plans.

While the tuition for each term is locked in for 48 months, students who opt into the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan pay tuition only for those terms in which the student is enrolled at UTA during that four-year period.

Whichever plan you choose, know that UTA is committed to keeping costs down for its students, and at the same time increasing the quality of education and student success initiatives. 

New first-year and undergraduate transfer students should opt in to the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan at www.uta.edu/admissions/afford/guaranteed-tuition/ by the July 31 priority deadline. Students who do not select the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan will automatically be placed into the Traditional Tuition Rate Plan.

  • Earn 30 credit hours (remedial and/or developmental credit hours do not count) toward your degree and a minimum 2.5 grade point average (GPA) at UTA your first academic year, beginning in Fall 2023.
  • You must be enrolled at UTA in the Fall term to be eligible for this rebate.
  • Receive $1,850 off your next semester’s tuition payment. 
  • Earn another $1,850 tuition rebate after completing another 30 hours in your second academic year, for a total of 60 credit hours (remedial and/or developmental credit hours do not count) required for your degree, and maintaining a 2.5 UTA GPA. This tuition rebate period runs Fall 2023-Summer 2024.
  • Earn a $3,460 tuition rebate after your third academic year by completing a total of 90 credit hours (remedial and/or developmental credit hours do not count) toward your degree and maintaining a 2.5 UTA GPA. This rebate period runs Fall 2023-Summer 2024.
  • Qualify for a statewide $1,000 on-time tuition rebate for graduating on time with no more than three hours not required for your degree.

The rebate will appear as a credit on the student’s account and apply toward tuition and fees. Any subsequent payment(s) the student makes, along with financial aid disbursement will first be applied to remaining tuition and fee balances, then other charges such as housing, meal plan, etc.
First-year and undergraduate transfer students, including out-of-state and international students, who are seeking their first bachelor’s degree are eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan beginning Fall 2014. Students in Accelerated Online programs are not eligible for Guaranteed Tuition.

Students who earned college credit through UTA high school dual credit programs are eligible to select the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan and may qualify for the tuition rebates if they meet the required benchmarks at UTA.

The plan does not apply to continuing undergraduate students or graduate students.

Once a student opts in to the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan, he or she may not select a different tuition plan (in the current term or in future terms). 

Yes and yes. College savings tuition plans may be used toward your UTA tuition, and you remain eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan rebate program.

It is always wise to consult a financial advisor to determine the best distribution of funds from your college savings plans. UTA’s Student Money Management Center is another resource for understanding how these college savings plans can work with your participation in Guaranteed Tuition Plan.

No, pre-college credit earned through AP, IB, CLEP tests or dual credit courses will not affect students’ opportunity to opt into the UTA Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan. The UTA incentive program is based on how many hours you complete at UTA. College credit hours earned before high school graduation do not count against new first-year who start UTA directly after high school and enroll in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan.
Most programs are still eligible to participate in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan, but there are some exceptions.

Students enrolled in Accelerated Online Degree Programs are not eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan because they already are guaranteed a specific tuition rate through their program.

In some cases, students may be eligible for the guaranteed tuition rate but not for the rebates because of the requirement to complete their degree in the four-year period. It is important to work with your academic advisor to determine your time-to-degree.

The tuition rebate program requires successfully completing 30 hours toward your degree plan in one academic year (Fall to Summer). Hours that do not count toward the UTA GPA are not included in the hours needed to meet the rebate requirements. These include hours that are forgiven under Grade Forgiveness, and any other hours where no grade points are earned, including grades of I (Incomplete), P (Pass in Pass/Fail Option), W (Withdrawal), Q (Withdrawal-No Penalty), Z (No Credit), and F (Failure), and any illegally repeated courses. For additional information, refer to the University grading policies of the catalog.

Grades that are earned as a result of Grade Forgiveness will be calculated into the GPA that is evaluated to meet the 2.5 minimum GPA requirement.


Texas Resident students will lock in Statutory and Designated Tuition and Non-Resident students will lock in Designated Tuition. All students in the plan will lock in all mandatory fees. Course fees and other incidental fees (parking fees, library fees, etc) are not included in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan.

There is no penalty for graduating in more than four years. The Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan, however, only locks in your tuition for four years.

If you take more time to earn your degree, you will be charged the traditional tuition rate that is in effect for the current term. In addition, students who take longer than four years to graduate incur additional costs, such as living expenses, books and fees that can dramatically increase the cost of a college education. It pays to graduate on time.

 
To graduate in four years, you’ll need to earn 30 college credit hours each year. Your academic advisor will help you plan how to achieve this goal. For a list of academic advisors, click here.
UTA makes every effort to offer the courses necessary for your degree throughout the academic year. Each term, your academic dean and faculty members work hard to identify scheduling needs for both current classes and new class offerings.

UTA offers both five-week and 11-week summer sessions, plus two intersessions (also called mini-semesters) to give students added flexibility in terms of when classes are available.

Yes, you will remain in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan for four consecutive years, regardless of enrollment status. Once you have exceeded the four years (12 consecutive semesters) allowed under this program, you would pay the traditional tuition rate that is in effect for the current term.

Please note: To qualify for the tuition rebates, you must begin each 30-hour increment in the fall semester and earn no less than 30 credit hours during the one-year period that begins in August with the fall semester.

 

The state supported on-time rebate is not part of the UTA Guaranteed Tuition Plan, but you may qualify for it. Qualifications include:

  • You must graduate within four calendar years from enrolling in a four-year program, or within five calendar years if the degree is in architecture, engineering or any other program determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to require more than four years to complete, including all hours at any institution.
  • You may not enroll in more than 3 semester credit hours over the minimum number of hours required for your degree.
  • The rebate may take up to 60 days after graduation to process.
  • You must meet Texas residency requirements.
  • You must apply for the statewide on-time tuition rebate before you receive your bachelor’s degree.

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