If you are interested in a graduate field of study (i.e., master’s or doctoral degree) that isn’t offered at any Texas public university, then the Academic Common Market (ACM) may be available to you.
The ACM is a cooperative agreement among 15 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states allowing students to pursue out-of-state academic degree programs at the in-state tuition rate. The SREB states making use of the Academic Common Market are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Schools in Washington, D.C. are not eligible.
Please note that Texas participates in the ACM only at the graduate level (masters, doctoral, and related degrees) for both in-state and out-of-state students. The available programs will vary according to the state and the institution, and a full listing can be found on the Southern Regional Education Board website. If you are interested in an out-of-state graduate school program that is not on the list, you can go ahead and apply and the program will be added if it is eligible and if the host institution is willing.
If you are an out-of-state resident accepted into a graduate program in Texas, please contact the ACM coordinator in your home state.
If you are a Texas resident accepted into an out-of-state graduate program, the first step is to confirm that a comparable program at the same degree level is not already offered at a Texas public university. Please visit this site to search for degree programs in Texas.
If there are no programs at Texas public institutions that have at least 50% comparable required coursework, then you can apply for the ACM by submitting two items:
- The completed ACM application form, including a notarized signature verifying Texas residency.
- A copy of the university’s notice to you of your unconditional acceptance to the program. A printout of an email acceptance is fine.