Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act

What this does

This bill bars public colleges from charging certain territorial residents out-of-state tuition. It amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add a new section 135A. Under that section, any public institution that receives assistance under the Act may not charge a covered individual tuition or fees higher than the rate it charges residents of the State where the institution is located. A covered individual is a resident of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, or the United States Virgin Islands who is also a national of the United States. The bill enforces this by adding the requirement to the program participation agreement that institutions sign to receive federal student aid. The House passed the bill on March 4, 2026.