Coastal Bend College launches tuition aid for Jim Wells County students

For Alice senior Alexander Diaz, Coastal Bend College’s new Promise program means the last tuition bill could disappear after grants and scholarships are applied, turning college from a financial stretch into a possibility his family can actually weigh.

The Coastal Bend Promise launched April 1 and is aimed at students in Bee, Atascosa, Jim Wells and Kleberg counties. The college says it is a last-dollar tuition program, which means it covers remaining tuition and fees only after other financial aid and scholarships are used. It can run for up to three years, or six consecutive fall and spring semesters, for eligible students.

The program is built for 2026 high school graduates, 2026 GED recipients, some dual credit students finishing in 2026, and adult learners age 25 and older with 12 or fewer transferable credits. To keep the aid, students must complete TSI requirements in mathematics, enroll full time, maintain satisfactory academic progress and hold at least a 2.0 GPA. Coastal Bend College says the initiative is funded through institutional resources and donor support, and awards depend on available funds.

The biggest relief is tuition, but not the rest of the college bill. Coastal Bend College says the Promise does not pay for books, supplies, housing, meals or transportation, which means some families in Jim Wells County could still face real gaps even if tuition drops to zero. That matters in a county where the college lists 2025-26 tuition and fees at $2,916 for in-district students and $4,776 for out-of-district students, while total cost-of-attendance figures range from $14,469 to $22,045 depending on residency and living arrangement.

Those numbers land in a county of 38,891 people with a median household income of $51,896 and only 16.3% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to Census Bureau profile data. The Texas Tribune’s county education tracker shows that just 18.6% of the 687 Jim Wells County students who began eighth grade in 2011 earned a certificate or degree within six years of their expected high school graduation date. Coastal Bend College says the Promise is meant to improve degree completion, strengthen the regional workforce and reduce student debt.

Alice senior David Bolanos also sees the program as a sign that college may finally be within reach for more local students. Coastal Bend College has taken the message across South Texas with launch stops in Pleasanton, Alice, Kingsville and Beeville, where students could learn about the program and apply on site. For Jim Wells County families deciding whether college is realistic, the Promise removes one of the hardest costs first, even if transportation and everyday living expenses remain on the table.