Austin Community College’s Free Tuition Program Is Showing Real Results

For KXAN, Julianna Russ reports that, one year into the program, Austin Community College’s Free Tuition and Affordability Scholarship initiatives are already translating into higher completion rates, with graduation up 12% year over year. ACC expects more than 4,440 students to graduate this fall, and college leaders say affordability is a key driver. “Every graduate represents a story of resilience, sacrifice, and hope,” said ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, adding that “our student success translates directly to our region’s success” and that ACC is “transforming how we serve—from free tuition and flexible pathways to the supports that help students stay in school”.

Notably, 1,716 graduates participated in ACC’s Free Tuition and Affordability Scholarship initiatives, underscoring how deeply the program is shaping outcomes.That momentum is showing up well before graduation. For Community Impact, Dacia Garcia reports that ACC enrollment is now nearing 44,000 students—almost a 10% increase—with participation in the Free Tuition Pilot program more than doubling in a year, from 4,800 students to over 10,300. “The enrollment surge is proof that more students are choosing ACC as their pathway to a better future,” Lowery-Hart said, crediting faculty and staff for “put[ting] students first.”

ACC has responded by adding about 500 course sections, hiring roughly 100 adjunct faculty, and expanding basic supports like campus food pantries, student advocates, and improved wayfinding—infrastructure aimed at helping students persist, not just enroll.