Tuition Increase Approved for Technical Colleges
NewsCentral Staff
Story Created:
Sep 6, 2012 at 6:09 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Sep 6, 2012 at 6:09 PM EDT
Central Georgia students attending technical colleges in the region should plan on spending more starting next spring.
The state board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia has approved a tuition increase of $10 per credit hour. That will translate to a fee of $85 per credit hour beginning with the spring 2013 semester. For a student taking 15 credit hours, it will cost $1,275, or $150 more than today.
The board also approved a new $50 institutional fee beginning in spring 2013 and a $50 fee for online courses starting in fall 2013. Technical college students will pay, on average, a total of $223 in fees starting in the spring.
75% of technical college students in Georgia use HOPE to help pay for their tuition, mostly in the form of the HOPE grant. That pays $60.75 per credit hour. With the increase, students who enroll under the HOPE grant will pay $364 in out of pocket tuition for a full load semester, up from the $214 they currently pay.
According to TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson, “A tuition and fee increase was made necessary by the rising expenses to deliver our programs and lower state appropriations." Jackson went on to say, “A state technical college education remains an excellent value compared to the cost, yet we fully understand the impact that any additional expense has on our students. The colleges will do all that they can to provide sources of financial assistance to those who need it most. We’re committed to seeing that all of our students get the opportunity they deserve to be a part of Georgia’s 21st century workforce.”
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