Tuition and Fee Guidelines for Participating Private Schools

Schools are in the process of setting tuition and fees and confirming student enrollments for the 2026-27 school year. 

Below are some guidelines to help guide schools in this process. 

Treating all students the same 

A student should not be charged a different amount of tuition and fees simply because they receive a TEFA award.  

If a family qualifies for a generally applicable discount – including a discount for siblings, employees, or parishioners – TEFA participation should not affect their discount. 

Schools do have discretion to tailor financial aid based on students’ individual circumstances and may factor a student’s TEFA award into an analysis of a family’s ability to pay.  

Schools should have a written policy that details how financial aid does not change the amount of tuition charged.   

Eligible fees 

TEFA funds may cover fees that apply to all students as a condition of enrollment, or that cover products and services provided by the school that are directly related to educational instruction or would be eligible program expenses if they were provided separately. 

Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• Enrollment and registration fees. 
• Book, curriculum, materials, and supply fees. 
• Technology fees. 
• School-related activity fees, including extracurriculars and athletics*. 
• Fees for tutoring, education-related therapies, or coursework provided by the school.
• Uniform fees.
• Fees for breakfast or lunch provided during the school day. 
• Facility, building and security fees, if these fees are mandatory for all students.
• Graduation fees.
• Transportation fees. 
• Assessment fees.

*Fees for school activities, including class trips, must be related to educational instruction. 

Ineligible fees 

In general, fees that are not directly related to educational instruction, or not for products or services that would be eligible program expenses if provided on their own, are not eligible.  

Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• Fees that cover before- or afterschool care or other non-educational supervision. 
• Fees or charges that support capital campaigns or other fundraising. 
• Parent organization membership fees. 

Reimbursements and refunds must be paid to the original source of payment 

Participating in the TEFA program does not place any additional restrictions on transactions between parents, schools and participating vendors involving non-TEFA funds, including payments parents make using personal funds.   

However, Texas law strictly prohibits schools and vendors from  refunding, rebating or crediting any transaction paid for with TEFA program funds back to the personal account of a participating parent or student.   

Schools and vendors may consider adjusting payment schedules to accommodate families who rely on TEFA funds to cover expenses—while still managing cash flow and securing enrollment.   

For example, they may allow participating families to initiate advance tuition and fee payments after funds appear in student accounts on July 1. That would ensure participating families have the option to cover these expenses with TEFA funds before the school year begins.   

There is no time-based restriction on when families can pay for eligible expenses, which means program funds may be used to pay tuition or fees in advance. For example, they may use 2026-27 program funds to pay tuition and fees for the 2027-28 school year.   

If the student stops participating in the program, the school will be expected to return any tuition and fees paid in advance to the state.