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TCSG State Board Approves Tuition Increase for 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, September  6, 2012

Contact: Mike Light

TCSG Executive Director

of Communications

404-327-6913

Atlanta – The state board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia today approved the system’s request for a tuition increase of $10 per credit hour starting next year.

   TCSG students at the 25 TCSG colleges will pay $85 per credit hour beginning in the spring 2013 semester. As a result, tuition for a full, 15-hour course load will cost $1,275 next semester, or $150 more than today.

   Three-quarters of TCSG students use HOPE to help pay for their tuition, mostly in the form of the HOPE grant, which 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 semester, up from the $214 that they currently spend

   In addition, the TCSG board approved a new $50 institutional fee beginning in spring 2013 and a $50 fee for online courses starting in fall 2013. TCSG students will pay, on average, a total of $223 in fees starting in the spring.

   Once the expense of books is added in, usually about $500, the total cost to attend a TCSG college full-time for a semester next year will be just under $2,000. The out-of-pocket cost for students who qualify for the HOPE grant will be about $1,086.

   Many students can reduce the cost of their TCSG education if they qualify for the federal Pell grant, which is awarded based on financial need.Last year, more than half of the 170,000 students who enrolled at TCSG colleges utilized the Pell grant.

   “A tuition and fee increase was made necessary by the rising expenses to deliver our programs and lower state appropriations,” said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson. “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.”

   About the TCSG: The 25 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia offer affordable education and excellent training in more than 600 certificate, diploma and two-year associate degree programs. Students of all ages take advantage of outstanding instructors, hands-on learning and state-of-the-art equipment to gain the skills needed for today’s in-demand jobs.

   In 2012, the TCSG colleges delivered 2.7 million credit hours of instruction to 170,000 students. The TCSG is online, too, serving 85,000 students through the system’s Georgia Virtual Technical Connection. Many TCSG students enjoy the benefits of Georgia’s HOPE grant and scholarship and the federal Pell grant, which will pay for a significant portion of a TCSG education.

   For more information about the TCSG and links to a technical college in your area, go to www.tcsg.edu

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A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech) is the premier provider of career-ready technical education in Coastal Georgia, offering a comprehensive range of nearly 150 market-driven programs, preparing students for high-demand careers including Aviation Technology, Cybersecurity, Health Sciences, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Automation & Robotics, Information Technology, Culinary Arts, Public Services and more. With campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, Savannah Tech serves more than 13,000 credit and non-credit students with a variety of pathways to success, including dual enrollment programs for high school students and specialized support services for military veterans and their families. Beyond academics, Savannah Tech is an economic and community development partner, collaborating with industry leaders to provide customized training programs, assessment services, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Savannah Technical College complies with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The TCSG State Board prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any TCSG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except the preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law.