TCSG board approves tuition increase
The state board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia has approved the system’s request for a tuition increase. Effective Fall Semester 2019, there will be a tuition increase of $11, making tuition $100 per credit hour. For five years, the tuition rate at TCSG colleges, including Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, has remained at $89 per credit hour. The last time TCSG had a tuition increase was in 2014. The tuition increase will provide technical colleges the opportunity to keep pace with increased operational costs and expanded enrollment to meet the growing demand for a skilled workforce. The increase will allow our colleges to meet the needs of students and industry while remaining one of the most affordable postsecondary options in Georgia.
According to a press release issued by Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, despite the tuition increase, the majority of students attending Wiregrass will still be able to attend with little to no out of pocket expense. There are many financial aid options available for future and current students at Wiregrass along with a payment plan option. Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to check their eligibility for Pell Grant and the Georgia Lottery funded HOPE programs. Depending on their major and GPA students may be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Grant, Zell Miller Grant and the HOPE Career Grant. The HOPE Grant, separate of the HOPE Scholarship, is available to Georgia residents who are working towards a certificate or diploma at a technical college. The grant award covers a portion eligible student’s tuition and initial eligibility is based on Georgia residency alone. A student that is eligible for the HOPE Grant and maintains a 3.0 GPA will be awarded the Zell Miller HOPE Grant which covers 100 percent of tuition.
The HOPE Career Grant applies to eligible students enrolled in select majors specifically aligned with one of the 12 industries in which there are more jobs available in Georgia than there are skilled workers to fill them. A student’s HOPE Career Grant amount is a fixed amount per term based upon the student’s program of study and the number of hours enrolled. The list of programs is available on the Wiregrass website. Recently, the list grew from 37 programs that qualified for the HOPE Career Grant, to 77 programs at Wiregrass that qualify. Additional assistance is available for those that qualify for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as well as Wiregrass Foundation Scholarships.
The tuition increase will go into effect beginning Fall Semester, August 14 at Wiregrass.