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The Texas Tribune
The Texas Tribune
National
By Jessica Priest

Confusion reigns as Texas colleges scramble to comply with ban on in-state tuition for undocumented students

Katerin M.S., 24, a graduate student in social work at the University of Houston, works full time as a case worker while managing her schoolwork. Covered by DACA, she is among those advocates and attorneys say have lawful presence and should remain eligible for in-state tuition. Despite this, the university initially raised her tuition. Katerin stands outside her work office on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Houston. “I saw the email when I got to work. Even just thinking about it makes me emotional. I couldn’t escape from it. I literally cried. I felt like I was in a cage — like if you don’t pay it or you don’t do what they tell you by Aug. 8, that is what’s due, and that is what you’re going to have to pay,” she said.
Katerin, a graduate student at the University of Houston, saw her tuition bill almost double after a federal court ruling in June ended the in-state tuition benefit for DACA students. "I saw the email when I got to work ... I literally cried. I felt like I was in a cage, " she said. (Credit: Hope Mora for The Texas Tribune)

Katerin felt her whole body flush when she opened her fall tuition bill from the University of Houston: It had nearly doubled to $7,900.

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