91±¬ÁÏ

Doctoral Student
99-Hour Rule

As a doctoral student in Texas, it's important to understand how the 99-hour rule may affect your tuition costs. 91±¬ÁÏ â€” along with all other major state-assisted graduate universities in Texas — is required to charge nonresident tuition rates to doctoral students who have attempted more than 99 graduate credit hours. This applies regardless of any scholarships or assistantships you may hold.

Important:  This rule applies to all doctoral students — Texas residents and nonresidents alike — even if you currently pay resident tuition rates through a scholarship or assistantship. Plan ahead and work closely with your advisor to manage your credit hour count.

What Hours Count towards the 99-Hour Limit?

Once you are admitted into a doctoral program, all graduate-level credits you enroll in count toward the 99-hour limit, with the exception of some courses that receive master’s-level funding only (such as thesis hours) and the first 30 hours of coursework for students who were admitted with only a bachelor’s degree.

Important:  Although students admitted directly to a doctoral (Ph.D.) program from a bachelor's degree are subject to the 99-hour doctoral rule, please note that the first 30 credit hours completed in the program will not count toward this 99-hour limit.

Exemptions to the 99-Hour Rule

There are two types of exemptions available: program exemptions and individual exemptions.

Program Exemptions:

Some doctoral programs require more than 99 credit hours to complete. Students enrolled in these programs are automatically exempt from the 99-hour non-resident tuition charge, up to 130 hours. No application is needed — the exemption will be applied automatically to your student account.

Programs currently approved for the program exemption:

Note: If your program is listed above, the exemption is applied automatically. You do not need to take any action.

Individual Exemptions:

If unexpected circumstances have directly disrupted your dissertation research, you may be eligible to apply for an individual exemption. Qualifying circumstances include events such as equipment or device failure, unexpected field conditions, or other factors outside your control that have directly impacted your research progress.

To apply for an individual exemption, you will need to submit:

• • A completed exemption application form.
    This form gets routed to your advisor, who will need to approve your request with a letter of support.

Important: Once you have accumulated 75 credit hours applicable toward the 99-hour doctoral rule, you will begin receiving official notice letters outlining the policy and its implications for your academic progress.