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Billionaire Jeff Yass has donated $100 million to the University of Austin, a relatively new private school, with the goal of making tuition permanently free for all students. The gift comes with one major condition... the university can never accept government funding. Yass, who co founded Susquehanna International Group and is a longtime supporter of school choice and vouchers, says the donation is meant to show that higher education does not have to rely on public money to survive.The donation is part of a larger $300 million fundraising effort aimed at keeping the university fully independent from state and federal oversight. Founded in 2021 by critics of mainstream academia, the University of Austin centers its mission on free speech and merit based admissions and currently offers a four year liberal studies degree. While nearby public schools like the University of Texas at Austin navigate changing federal rules and political pressures, the University of Austin plans to use this private funding to stay outside that system entirely. With about 150 students enrolled and plans to grow to 500, the school is positioning itself as a debt free alternative for students who want a different kind of college experience.