Texas Resident Tuition Eligibility – Lawful Presence

North Central Texas College is required to verify lawful presence in the United States for certain students seeking Texas resident (in-state) tuition. This update follows a recent federal court order and guidance from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and takes effect beginning Fall 2025.

These requirements may impact students who previously qualified for in-state tuition under Texas Education Code § 54.053(a)(3). Under the updated legal guidance, students who cannot demonstrate lawful presence in the United States must be classified as non-residents for tuition purposes.

If lawful presence cannot be verified, tuition will be assessed at the non-resident rate. NCTC is committed to supporting students through this process and providing guidance on acceptable documentation and next steps.

  • Lawful presence refers to a person’s legal authorization to be in the United States. This may include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA recipients (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), refugees, asylees, and others with valid immigration documentation.

  • A federal court order issued on June 4, 2025, requires all public universities in Texas to change how in-state tuition eligibility is determined. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board issued guidance to ensure universities apply the court’s ruling consistently.

  • Students who previously qualified for in-state tuition under Texas law but cannot demonstrate lawful presence in the U.S. will now be classified as non-residents for tuition purposes. 

  • Students who may be impacted will receive direct communication via email with instructions on how to submit documentation.

  • Acceptable documentation is documents used to establish lawful presence for the purpose of receiving a Texas Real ID driver’s license as promulgated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). The attached document from the DPS lists documentation that students may provide to demonstrate lawful presence.

    View Acceptable Documents

  • If you do not submit proof of lawful presence by the semester official date of record your tuition classification will be non-resident and you will be charged the higher out-of-state tuition rate.

  • Students should submit documentation through the designated admissions office. For questions, contact the NCTC Office of Admissions or email admissions@nctc.edu.