Jeff Yass
Yass, co-founder of Pennsylvania-based trading firm Susquehanna International Group and a major proponent of private school vouchers, made his support contingent on one condition: the university must never accept government funding.
The university announced the gift last month but only identified Yass as the donor in a news release issued Wednesday.
The donation reflects a broader movement among conservative donors and political leaders to create alternative education models outside public systems and reshape existing institutions they characterize as ideologically imbalanced. Yass was among the university's early supporters and has emerged as an influential figure in Texas politics, contributing $10 million to Gov. Greg Abbott over the past two years, much of which supported efforts to unseat Republican legislators who opposed school voucher programs.
University President Carlos Carvalho said the institution currently enrolls approximately 150 students across its first two undergraduate classes and plans to expand to between 400 and 500 students in coming years. The university, which opened its downtown Austin campus to its inaugural undergraduate class in 2024, offers a four-year bachelor of arts degree in liberal studies and provides automatic admission to applicants meeting specified standardized test score thresholds.
Yass' contribution launches a $300 million fundraising campaign designed to enable students to complete their education debt-free. The university has received $50 million to date, with the remaining $50 million expected over the next four years.
Carvalho said that the tuition-free model relies entirely on philanthropic support and anticipated contributions from future alumni.
