Tuition Charged for Excess Credit Hours
Texas Education Code Section 54.068 stipulates that the State of Texas will not provide funds to state institutions of higher education for excess semester credit hours earned by a resident undergraduate student. Since funding will not be provided by the State, and as permitted by State law, SFA will charge tuition at the non-resident rate to all students that exceed the semester credit hour limit of their program.
The Code states, "The board may not include funding for semester credit hours earned by a resident undergraduate student who before the semester or other academic sessions begins has previously attempted a number of semester credit hours for courses taken at any institution of higher education while classified as a resident student for tuition purposes that exceeds by at least 30 hours the number of semester credit hours required for completion of the degree program in which the student is enrolled."
The 2005 Legislative Session amended Texas Education code 54.068 by changing the number of semester credit hours that exceeds the number of semester credit hours required for completion of the degree program in which the student is enrolled from 45 hours to 30 hours. Those undergraduate students, who first entered higher education in the Fall of 1999 through the summer of 2006, will still be held to the 45 semester hour limitation.
The 30 hour limitation on excess credit hours applies only to those undergraduate students who first enter higher education in the Fall of 2006 and thereafter. The semester credit hours counted toward the limitation include all hours attempted by the student except:
- Semester credit hours earned by the student before receiving a baccalaureate degree that has been previously awarded.
- Semester credit hours earned by the student by examination or under any other procedure by which credit is earned without registering for a course for which tuition is charged.
- Credit for remedial education courses, technical courses, workforce education courses funded according to contract hours, or other courses that do not count toward a degree program at the institution.
- Semester credit hours earned by the student at a private or an out-of-state institution.
Contact Information
businessoffice@sfasu.edu
• office: (936) 468-6960 • fax: (936) 468-7213