Academic Fresh Start
Your old grades don’t have to count against you.
What is Academic Fresh Start?
If you’re a Texas resident and apply for admission (or readmission) to Texas public colleges or universities as an undergraduate, you may be able to begin a new course of study with a clear academic record.
If you have credits for college courses taken 10 or more years before your planned enrollment date, those credits and grades can be waived under the “Academic Fresh Start” law.
This option must be used at the time you apply, and it’s an all or nothing option. You can’t choose which courses to ignore and which courses to count.
If you choose Academic Fresh Start, you won’t receive any credit for courses you took over 10 years ago. As a result, these courses can’t be used to fulfill prerequisite or degree plan requirements or to calculate your future GPA.
Tip: This is an all or nothing choice. You cannot pick and choose which courses to ignore and which courses to count.
How does Academic Fresh Start affect your financial aid?
Academic Fresh Start clears only your academic record, not the number of semesters you have been in higher education or your grades for determining financial aid eligibility. For example, students can receive Pell Grants for 12 total semesters, including semesters enrolled as dual credit or community college students, no matter how long ago.
For further details, contact the Financial Aid Office at the colleges you want to attend.
VIDEO
Make education the thing you can't survive without
“You have to think about education like a drink of water in the desert. If you run out of water, nothing can keep you from drinking it when you find it. It’s your survival. You have to think of education the same way.”
How do you use Academic Fresh Start?
Many colleges have an extra Academic Fresh Start form or agreement to send with your application for admission. Depending on how many credits can be ignored, you may need to apply as either an incoming freshman or transfer applicant. Check with the school to find out more.