Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act

This bill would require public colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid programs to offer in-state tuition and fee rates to residents of certain U.S. territories. This requirement would apply to students from Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands who are also U.S. nationals.

This bill affects public institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs. It also impacts students who are U.S. nationals and residents of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands by ensuring they are charged no more than in-state tuition and fee rates at these institutions.

• In-state tuition rates for territorial residents. Requires public institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs to charge in-state tuition and fee rates to residents of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• U.S. national eligibility requirement. Specifies that the tuition rate protections apply to residents of the listed territories provided they are also U.S. nationals.

• H.R. 6472, Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act
  Feb 6, 2026 · As ordered reported by the House Committee on Education and Workforce on December 11, 2025

The bill establishes new requirements for public institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs, mandating they extend in-state tuition and fee rates to certain residents of U.S. territories.

The bill aims to ensure that U.S. national students residing in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands are charged no more than in-state tuition and fee rates at public institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs.