Moving to Texas to take advantage of the deaf college tuiton exemption; Worth it?

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DOING IT RIGHT

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I saw that according to Texas Education Code Section 54.205,
all those who are blind/deaf are exempted 100% from college tuiton and fees if they lived in Texas for more than a year. Is this true?
In that case, if I were to move to texas to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin, and do a 4 year business school program, even a couple of their international study programs offered abroad, in places like Rotterdam and Thailand, this means that 100% of the tuiton are going to be exempted because I am deaf?
And by deaf, I wear 2 hearing aids, but use lip reading as my communication method, and have been diagnosed as profound bilateral hearing loss. Does that qualufy as deaf, even though I wear hearing aids?
Please chime in if you have experience with the texas tuiton fee exemption.
Thanks all!
 
That sounds like a good idea... but I don't know about the going-out-of-town part. Since you're getting your education out-of-state, it might not apply. :dunno:

I suggest you talk with someone from Texas. :)
 
My friend did this.. she says you have to have lived in TX for at least a year to qualify for this.
 
Yea. and i dont think you can get into just any college..especially UT..because
If its super hard to get into UT for anyone (hearing in general) then it shouldn't be that easy for you either..that wouldn't be fair..you know? i know Secretblend is coming to Austin to go to the Community College here.. i forgot if he was gonna transfer to UT from there..but thats a lot easier to do.. than just to get in... i know you can call up ACC *austin community college* and ask about the programs for deaf
go to austincc.edu :) i hope that helps
 
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Liza said:
My friend did this.. she says you have to have lived in TX for at least a year to qualify for this.
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Is there any way I could get in touch with your friend? Also does your friend wear hearing aids?
I would like to know if it is really worth making a major change in life, so as to take advantage of this seemingly incredible offer by Texas state.
Thanks.
 
avwdng29 said:
Yea. and i dont think you can get into just any college..especially UT..because
If its super hard to get into UT for anyone (hearing in general) then it shouldn't be that easy for you either..that wouldn't be fair..you know? i know Secretblend is coming to Austin to go to the Community College here.. i forgot if he was gonna transfer to UT from there..but thats a lot easier to do.. than just to get in... i know you can call up ACC *austin community college* and ask about the programs for deaf
go to austincc.edu :) i hope that helps
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Hey there,
I went to that austincc.edu site, and it says on the deaf tuiton exemption link that
(Deaf is defined as a person whose sense of hearing is nonfunctional for normal conversation after all necessary medical treatment, surgery, and use of hearing aids are utilized. Blind is defined by Section 91.051(5) of the Human Resources Code.)
So I wear hearing aids, but primarily lip read as I have great difficulty in conversations, so would the "hearing aid" would immediately disqualify me?
 
DOING IT RIGHT said:
Hey there,
I went to that austincc.edu site, and it says on the deaf tuiton exemption link that
(Deaf is defined as a person whose sense of hearing is nonfunctional for normal conversation after all necessary medical treatment, surgery, and use of hearing aids are utilized. Blind is defined by Section 91.051(5) of the Human Resources Code.)
So I wear hearing aids, but primarily lip read as I have great difficulty in conversations, so would the "hearing aid" would immediately disqualify me?
Click to expand...

i think it may..but not certain.. i know the deaf people i know that go to acc.. dont wear hearing aids.. and i know secretblend stopped wearing his.. Im not sure though i go back to school tomorrow i shall ask for you :)
 
avwdng29 said:
i think it may..but not certain.. i know the deaf people i know that go to acc.. dont wear hearing aids.. and i know secretblend stopped wearing his.. Im not sure though i go back to school tomorrow i shall ask for you :)
Click to expand...

The hearing aids might disaqualify, depending upon aided levels of hearing. But not being a resident of the state of Texas most certainly would. If this poster is planning on taking advantage of the tuition break, they need to extablish residency first...and that means living and working in Texas for a year.
 
I am not from Texas, but Minnesota has the same exemption. And you just have to be deaf, hearing aids or not. Meaning it doesn't matter if you wear hearing aids. The state lets you wear your hearing aids if it helps you at all, I imagine Texas would be the same. It wouldn't be right for them to say "oh, you have to be deaf and NOT wear your hearing aids just to get into college." I am going back to school and I am deaf and I do wear 2 hearing aids, and it doesn't make a difference whatsoever for the deaf exemption as far as the hearing aids are concerned. The key is to knowing the minimum level of deafness, I don't know what it is for Texas-- barely hard-of-hearing does not qualify in MN, but if you are profoundly deaf you should be good to go.)
 
jillio said:
The hearing aids might disaqualify, depending upon aided levels of hearing. But not being a resident of the state of Texas most certainly would. If this poster is planning on taking advantage of the tuition break, they need to extablish residency first...and that means living and working in Texas for a year.
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yea i think liza mentioned that.. and i think he did also in his first post.. but yea fo sho you must be a texas resident :P
 
DOING IT RIGHT said:
Hey there,
I went to that austincc.edu site, and it says on the deaf tuiton exemption link that
(Deaf is defined as a person whose sense of hearing is nonfunctional for normal conversation after all necessary medical treatment, surgery, and use of hearing aids are utilized. Blind is defined by Section 91.051(5) of the Human Resources Code.)
So I wear hearing aids, but primarily lip read as I have great difficulty in conversations, so would the "hearing aid" would immediately disqualify me?
Click to expand...

No, trust me, you qualify. I moved to San Antonio (from another state) in July of 2004 and started going to Texas State in Jan of 2005. I wear hearing aids and use lip reading just like you do, and I qualified then, and now, for certificate of deafness - fee exemption. Contact:

Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
P.O. Box 12904
Austin, Texas 78711
(512) 407-3250 voice
(512) 407-3251 TTY
(512) 407 3299 fax

Let them know that you are interested in services, specifically a "Certificate of Deafness for Tuition Waiver". They will request a recent audiogram.
 
jillio said:
The hearing aids might disaqualify, depending upon aided levels of hearing. But not being a resident of the state of Texas most certainly would. If this poster is planning on taking advantage of the tuition break, they need to extablish residency first...and that means living and working in Texas for a year.
Click to expand...

That's not correct because I am not a resident of the State of Texas and I still qualified.
 
avwdng29 said:
Yea. and i dont think you can get into just any college..especially UT..because
If its super hard to get into UT for anyone (hearing in general) then it shouldn't be that easy for you either..that wouldn't be fair..you know? i know Secretblend is coming to Austin to go to the Community College here.. i forgot if he was gonna transfer to UT from there..but thats a lot easier to do.. than just to get in... i know you can call up ACC *austin community college* and ask about the programs for deaf
go to austincc.edu :) i hope that helps
Click to expand...
That's right. Getting into any university in Texas is like getting in any university in other states. It's difficult to get in and you have to prove yourself. You would have a better chance going into community college, then transfer to a university.

Out of all the deaf students who graduated from my high school between 1992 and 1999, about 7 out of 40 actually finished college. I know some who are pursuing AAS degrees and haven't gotten it yet... after 14 years.

So, be sure to do your research and make sure you're really ready before you make your move. Don't move to Texas just to take advantage of the offer and then disappoint yourself when you find out that you meet the college's requirements.

Check the colleges you want to go to. Find out what you need before they can accept you. If you think you can do it, then go ahead and fill out applications to those colleges. If they accept you, then you can move to Texas and wait a year before going into college. :)
 
VamPyroX said:
That's right. Getting into any university in Texas is like getting in any university in other states. It's difficult to get in and you have to prove yourself. You would have a better chance going into community college, then transfer to a university.

Out of all the deaf students who graduated from my high school between 1992 and 1999, about 7 out of 40 actually finished college. I know some who are pursuing AAS degrees and haven't gotten it yet... after 14 years.

So, be sure to do your research and make sure you're really ready before you make your move. Don't move to Texas just to take advantage of the offer and then disappoint yourself when you find out that you meet the college's requirements.

Check the colleges you want to go to. Find out what you need before they can accept you. If you think you can do it, then go ahead and fill out applications to those colleges. If they accept you, then you can move to Texas and wait a year before going into college. :)
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Its not necessary to wait a year. You can still go to a Texas university as a non-resident and qualify for fee exemption.
 
deafdave3 said:
Its not necessary to wait a year. You can still go to a Texas university as a non-resident and qualify for fee exemption.
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Well in that case, then it seems like a no brainer for the deaf people to move to Texas and take advantage of saving tens and tens of thousands of dollars in the 100% tuiton exemption! If you pursue your Masters or Ph.d, then you can save hundreds of thousands!
Dave, the only thing that I am concerned about is that on this website from AG Bell:
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
when you scroll down to the near bottom, there is this message:
Texas Tuition Exemption for Blind/Deaf Students
Renewable award aids certain blind or deaf students by exempting them from payment of tuition and fees at public colleges or universities in Texas. Must be a resident of Texas.

But you say that it isnt a requirement because you didnt have to do be in Texas for a whole year. So, as soon as you get an apartment and an ID (Drivers License), you are automatically a resident of Texas? Is there any link or contact info that you can give that confirms that you don't have to be a resident of Texas for at least a year in order to get this fee exemption?
I apperciate all of your help and will probably be doing the community college in Texas, get a good GPA, then apply for the university...
 
DOING IT RIGHT said:
Well in that case, then it seems like a no brainer for the deaf people to move to Texas and take advantage of saving tens and tens of thousands of dollars in the 100% tuiton exemption! If you pursue your Masters or Ph.d, then you can save hundreds of thousands!
Dave, the only thing that I am concerned about is that on this website from AG Bell:
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
when you scroll down to the near bottom, there is this message:
Texas Tuition Exemption for Blind/Deaf Students
Renewable award aids certain blind or deaf students by exempting them from payment of tuition and fees at public colleges or universities in Texas. Must be a resident of Texas.

But you say that it isnt a requirement because you didnt have to do be in Texas for a whole year. So, as soon as you get an apartment and an ID (Drivers License), you are automatically a resident of Texas? Is there any link or contact info that you can give that confirms that you don't have to be a resident of Texas for at least a year in order to get this fee exemption?
I apperciate all of your help and will probably be doing the community college in Texas, get a good GPA, then apply for the university...
Click to expand...

The Alexander Graham Bell Association is famous for its hogwash and crap. Don't believe anything they say.

Now, understand that they Certificate of Deafness and college admission are two different things and have nothing to do with each other. You use the Certificate of Deafness to apply for fee exemption at any Texas college or university. You do not need to be a Texas resident to apply for Certificate of Deafness, but they will ask you for a Texas driver's license. I got mine as soon as I moved to Texas. However, when I applied at Texas State, they admitted me as a non-resident and still accepted the fee exemption.

Not all deaf people will want to move to Texas to attend college. I originally started in Louisiana and my tuition was paid for as well as books and supplies. Not all states offer that benefit (I'm pretty sure that Arkansas doesn't), but some do.

Why would Texas want to cater to deaf non-residents like this? Think about it. How many students, deaf or hearing, actually transfer back out of the university home state? A few do, but not many. Therefore, Texas does have something to gain by offering fee exemption. Its actually a pretty smart move by the State of Texas.
 
Then that makes you a texas resident.. meaning your eligible for this waiver
 
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