7.3.1 Tuition

7.3.1.1 Definitions

7.3.1.2 Graduate Tuition

USG institutions that offer graduate programs may request Board approval for graduate tuition rates as follows:

1. Each institution that offers graduate programs shall request a “core” graduate tuition rate that shall apply to all graduate courses and programs, based on market comparators for in-state and out-of-state tuition.
2. Each institution may request separate graduate tuition rates for specialized programs, subject to the provisions of Section 7.3.1.3 of this policy manual.

The regular graduate tuition rates normally shall be charged to all graduate students. However, where a graduate student is classified as a research, teaching, or graduate assistant, the institution may waive all or part of the graduate tuition and/or waive the differential between in-state and out-of-state graduate tuition or the differential between in-state and out-of-country graduate tuition. A registration fee of no less than $25 shall be charged to all students for whom a full waiver is provided.

7.3.1.3 Professional Program Tuition

Board approval shall be required for in-state, out-of-state and and out-of-country differential tuition rates for nationally competitive graduate and professional programs, as deemed appropriate by the institution based upon the academic marketplace and the tuition charged by peer institutions with similar missions.

An institution seeking such approval from the Board shall provide the Board with an impact analysis and a plan for enhancing the quality of the program.

The professional program tuition rates normally shall be charged to all program students. However, the institution, on a degree program basis, may waive the graduate tuition in accordance with such policies noted or limit the waiver to the amount associated with the regular graduate tuition where a graduate student is:

1. Classified as a graduate assistant under Section 7.3.1.2 of this Policy Manual; or,
2. Eligible for an out-of-state tuition waiver under Section 7.3.4.1 of this Policy Manual.

7.3.1.4 Tuition for Distance Learning Courses and Programs

Board approval is required to charge special tuition rates for distance education courses and programs. For purposes of this policy, distance learning courses and programs that qualify for a special distance learning tuition rate shall be defined by the Board Treasurer, Chief Fiscal Officer. (BoR Minutes, Jan. 2017)

7.3.1.5 Tuition Agreements with Corporations, Organizations, and Other Legal Entities

USG institutions may enter into agreements with “customers,” defined as corporations, organizations, agencies, or other legal entities, for the delivery of credit courses and programs. These agreements enhance relationships between the USG, local businesses within the service area surrounding the institution, students, and faculty by allowing course delivery to be tailored to meet the needs of the customers and their employees or members so that students receive skills that are aligned with the needs of the customer and providing flexibility with respect to the location of the course delivery.

The course and program delivery shall be restricted to employees or members of the customer group and their dependents, except upon agreement between the institution and the customer to permit non-members or non-employees to enroll in courses or programs on a space-available basis. Participating students are required to meet the minimum requirements for admission to the institution.

The amount institutions may charge for the course and program delivery shall be agreed upon between the institution and the customer and shall represent the reasonable and fair market value of the instruction, provided that the charges are not less than the total direct and indirect costs to the institution for the delivery of instruction and related services. Such costs may include, but are not limited to, course development, direct instruction, textbooks, consumables, non-instructional services, hardware, software, and indirect costs such as administrative overhead, maintenance, and security. Additionally, the amount charged must reflect all required mandatory fees to include, at a minimum, the Technology Fee.

The charges agreed upon between the institution and the customer shall be assessed to the customer on a per-seat, per-student, or per-agreement (flat-rate) basis to be levied and collected in either of the following manners as applicable:

1. The institution may directly charge and collect all agreed-upon tuition and other charges from the customer; or
2. The institution may directly charge and collect all agreed-upon tuition and other charges from a customer’s participating employees in instances where the customer’s internal policy requires its employees to pay tuition and all other charges directly to an institution in order for the employee to be eligible for possible future reimbursement by the customer.

In all cases, the collection of agreed-upon tuition and other charges must be in accordance with Board Policy 7.3.3, Tuition and Fee Payment and Deferral. The agreement, description of program content and delivery, and the pricing model must be approved by the Chancellor or designee(s) before any such agreement may be executed.

7.3.1.6 Tuition for Georgia’s “Dual Enrollment” Program

Tuition for high school students participating in Georgia’s “Dual Enrollment” program shall be charged on a per-credit-hour basis at all institutions. Institutions are to accept the amount reimbursed by the Georgia Student Finance Authority (GSFA) for Dual Enrollment tuition charges as full payment. Any tuition amount for Dual Enrollment not covered by the GSFA reimbursement shall be waived.

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7.3.2 Student Fees and Special Charges

7.3.2.1 Mandatory Student Fees

“Mandatory student fees” are defined as fees that are assessed to all students, all undergraduate students, or all full-time undergraduate students on one or more campuses of a USG institution, including those fees due prior to registration that may be refunded later in the semester and fees for which the student receives a cash equivalent in the amount of the fee. Mandatory student fees may be required by the Board of Regents or by the institution subject to approval by the Board of Regents.

Mandatory student fees shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Intercollegiate athletic fees;
2. Student health service fees;
3. Transportation or parking fees (if the latter are charged to all students);
4. Student activity fees;
5. Technology fees;
6. Facility fees; and
7. Mandatory food service fees.

Purposes and rates for all mandatory fees shall be approved by the Board of Regents to become effective the following fall semester. All mandatory fees assessed to students enrolled in 12 credit hours or more shall be assessed at the Board-approved rate. Institutions may reduce mandatory fees on a per-credit-hour basis or on a tiered structure for students taking fewer than 12 credit hours or for students enrolled in summer courses.

All mandatory student fees collected by an institution, as well as any proposals to increase or create a mandatory student fee or to change the purpose of an existing mandatory student fee, shall be proposed and administered by the President of the institution and presented to an advisory committee composed of at least 50 percent students for advice, counsel, and a vote prior to the institution submitting the request to the Board of Regents. The advisory committee must include at least four students and institutions and Student Government Associations should make a concerted effort to include broad representation among the students appointed to the advisory committee. These procedures do not apply to special circumstances in which a general purpose fee is instituted system-wide by the Board of Regents.

Mandatory student fees shall be used exclusively to support the institution’s mission to enrich the educational, institutional, and cultural experience of students. All payments from funds supported by student mandatory fees shall be made according to approved business procedures and the appropriate business practices of the institution.

7.3.2.2 Elective Fees and Special Charges

Institution presidents are authorized to approve elective fees and special charges outlined below; however, any fee or special charge that is required to be paid by any subgroup of students categorized solely by grade level or previous credit hours earned shall undergo the same approval process as mandatory student fees. Any elective fee or special charge that is required to be paid by all students in a specific degree program or in a specific course, with the exception of laboratory fees and supplemental course material fees, shall be approved by the Board, but shall not require review or vote by a mandatory student fee advisory committee.

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7.3.3 Tuition and Fee Payment and Deferral

All tuition and fees are due and payable on or before the last day of the drop/add period for the specific academic term. Exceptions to the time of payment are as follows:

1. An institution may defer tuition and fees up to the amount authorized for a specific academic term for students whose fees are guaranteed and will be paid by an outside agency under a documented agreement with the institution;
2. An institution may defer tuition and fees up to the amount of the aid granted for a specified academic term for students who have an institution-administered loan or scholarship in process;
3. An institution may defer tuition and fees up to the limit stated in the certificate or other document for a specified academic term for foreign students who have a certificate or other acceptable documented evidence that payment will be made after a statement of charges from the student has been presented for payment;
4. An institution may elect to collect fees specifically for housing and dining on an installment basis, in advance of service provided;
5. An institution filing an approved plan with the Office of Fiscal Affairs may elect to collect tuition and fees on an installment basis, in advance of services provided.

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7.3.4 Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Tuition Waivers and Waiver of Mandatory Fees

7.3.4.1 Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Tuition Waivers

A USG institution may award out-of-state tuition and out-of-country differential waivers and assess in-state tuition for certain non-Georgia residents under the conditions listed below. Notwithstanding any provision in this policy, no person who is unable to show by the required evidence that they are lawfully in the United States shall be eligible for any waiver of tuition differential. Institutions shall comply with the procedures governing the award of out-of-state and out-of-country tuition waivers as established by the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer. The policy regarding student classification status is contained in Board of Regents’ Policy 4.3.

Presidential Waivers
Presidential waivers may be awarded to out-of-state students or out-of-country students selected by the institution President or an authorized representative. The total number of Presidential Waivers in effect shall not exceed four percent for Augusta University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, and the University of Georgia, and two percent for all other USG institutions of the equivalent full-time students enrolled at the institution in the fall term immediately preceding the term for which the out-of-state or out-of-country tuition is to be waived. Institutions awarding presidential waivers in the spring term semester may use either the fall term one year prior or the fall term immediately prior when calculating the number of allowable waivers. The proportionate percentage of out-of-state and out-of-country tuition waived shall be used when determining the number of waivers in effect such that a full waiver of out-of-state or out-of-country tuition counts as one waiver, while a 50 percent waiver of out-of-state or out-of-country tuition counts as a 0.5 waiver.

Institution presidents may award Presidential Waivers at their discretion to students within the following categories:

1. Academic: Students who have demonstrated the potential to excel within a particular program of study offered by the institution as evidenced by scoring within the top half of students matriculating at the institution or the top half of students matriculating within the particular program of study to which the student has applied. Institutions shall determine the top half using the academic criteria (e.g., Freshman Index, standardized test scores, GPA, artistic ability) applicable either for general admission to the institution or for the particular program of study to which the student has applied.

2. Athletic: Students selected to participate in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program and who have demonstrated the potential to succeed within a particular program of study offered by the institution. The percentage of waivers offered within the Athletic category shall not exceed 1/3 of the total number of Presidential Waivers which the institution is eligible to offer, i.e., four percent or two percent.

3. International: Non-citizen students, classified as out-of-state or out-of-country, who are not otherwise ineligible for a tuition differential waiver under this policy and who have demonstrated the potential to succeed within a particular program of study offered by the institution.

Institution presidents shall define institution-specific criteria and procedures for the awarding of and maintaining eligibility for Presidential Waivers and shall submit the institution-specific criteria and procedures for approval to the Chief Academic Officer no later than June 30 prior to the semester in which those criteria and procedures shall take effect. Extraordinary circumstances may arise justifying award of a Presidential Waiver under criteria not specified in this Policy but consistent with the policy intent and in support of the institution’s mission. Presidents may offer an Academic Presidential Waiver in these circumstances but must first seek approval, on a one-time or standing basis, from the Chief Academic Officer. A student may be eligible under one or more Presidential Waiver categories but shall only be granted a waiver under one specific category and will only be counted within the category assigned by the institution. Institutions shall maintain evidence of said approval. Institutions shall maintain adequate documentation of waiver awards to validate that waiver recipients met the institutional criteria and complied with Board of Regents Policy.

Students receiving a Presidential Waiver must achieve a specified level of academic performance to maintain eligibility for the Presidential Waiver. Students receiving an Academic or International Presidential Waiver must maintain a 2.5 GPA calculated on a cumulative basis at the conclusion of each academic year as specified in the respective institution’s approved procedures and using the same GPA method used to calculate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students receiving an athletic Presidential Waiver must maintain SAP.

Failure to maintain the specified level of academic performance at the conclusion of the respective academic year shall result in the student being placed in a two-semester probationary period for waiver purposes. The student shall be eligible to maintain a waiver during this probationary period but shall be ineligible for the waiver if the student is not able to achieve the specified level of academic performance for the student’s specific Presidential Waiver sub-category. The student is eligible to re-gain the waiver, subject to the institution’s discretion and consistent with this Policy, should the student achieve the specified level of academic performance for the student’s specific Presidential Waiver sub-category.

Border Residents

1. Border County Waivers: Graduate or undergraduate students domiciled in an out-of-state county bordering Georgia and enrolling in a program offered at a location approved by the Board of Regents for which the offering institution has been granted permission to award Border County Waivers; or,

2. Border Residents Waivers: Undergraduate students domiciled in another state bordering Georgia subject to the following conditions. Each year, the Chancellor shall review the enrollment levels at each USG institution to determine whether any USG institutions have sufficient excess capacity to increase recruitment of students from neighboring states. Should the Chancellor determine that cause exists to activate the Border Residents Waiver, the Chancellor or his designee will present the list of institutions to the Board of Regents’ Committee on Academic Affairs for approval. If an institution is given permission to award the Border Residents Waiver, it will be allowed to do so for the next three academic years. Any undergraduate students receiving the Border Residents Waiver will remain qualified for the waiver so long as he or she is continuously enrolled during fall and spring semesters at the institution that awarded the waiver.

Economic Development

1. Students who are certified by the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development as being part of a competitive economic development project.

2. As of the first day of classes for the term, an Economic Advantage Waiver may be granted under the following conditions:

   U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Other Eligible Non-Citizens

   A. Dependent Students
   Dependent students providing clear and convincing evidence that the student’s parent or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian relocated to the state of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment. The relocation must be for reasons other than enrolling in an institution of higher education and appropriate steps to establish domicile in the state must be taken. The employment upon which the relocation was based must be held at the time the waiver is awarded.

   B. Independent Students
   Independent students providing clear and convincing evidence that they, or their spouse, relocated to the state of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment. The relocation to the state must be for reasons other than enrolling in an institution of higher education and appropriate steps to establish domicile in the state must be taken. The employment upon which the relocation was based must be held at the time the waiver is awarded.

   C. U.S. refugees, asylees, and other eligible noncitizens as defined by the federal Title IV regulations may be extended the same consideration for the economic advantage waiver as citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States.

   Waiver eligibility for the above qualifying students expires twelve (12) months from the date the waiver is awarded.

   Non-Citizens

   A. Dependent Students
   Non-citizen dependent students providing clear and convincing evidence that the student’s parent or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian relocated to the state of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment and entered the state in a valid, employment-authorized status. The relocation must be for reasons other than enrolling in an institution of higher education and appropriate steps to establish domicile in the state must be taken. The employment upon which the relocation was based must be held at the time the waiver is awarded. Additionally, the non-citizen dependent student must provide clear evidence that the parent, or U.S. court-appointed legal guardian, is taking legally permissible steps to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

   B. Independent Students
   Non-citizen independent students must provide clear and convincing evidence that they, or their spouse, relocated to the state of Georgia to accept full-time, self-sustaining employment and entered the state in a valid, employment authorized status. The relocation must be for reasons other than enrolling in an institution of higher education and appropriate steps to establish domicile in the state must be taken. The employment upon which the relocation was based must be held at the time the waiver is awarded. Additionally, non-citizen independent students must provide clear evidence that they, or their spouse, are taking legally permissible steps to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

   Waiver eligibility for the above qualifying students may continue provided full-time, self-sustaining employment in Georgia and the employment-authorized status are maintained. Furthermore, there must be continued evidence of Georgia domicile and efforts to pursue an adjustment to United States lawful permanent resident status.

3. Students who are employees of Georgia-based corporations or organizations that have contracted with the Board of Regents through USG institutions to provide out-of-state or out-of-country tuition differential waivers.

4. Students enrolled in a USG institution based on a referral by the Vocational Rehabilitation Program of the Georgia Department of Labor or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

5. Career consular officers, their spouses, and their dependent children who are citizens of the foreign nation that their consular office represents and who are stationed and living in Georgia under orders of their respective governments.

Employee

1. Full-time USG employees, their spouses, and their dependent children.

2. Full-time employees of the public schools of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), their spouses, and their dependent children.

3. Teachers employed full-time on military bases in Georgia

Military

1. Active duty military personnel, their spouses, and their dependent children who meet one of the following criteria:
   A. The military sponsor is currently stationed in or assigned to Georgia;
   B. The military sponsor previously stationed in or assigned to Georgia is reassigned outside of Georgia, and the student or students remain continuously enrolled in a Georgia high school, TCSG institution, or a USG institution;
   C. The military sponsor is reassigned outside of Georgia and the spouse and dependent children remain in Georgia;
   D. The military sponsor is stationed in a state contiguous to the Georgia border and resides in Georgia;
   E. Dependent children of a military sponsor previously stationed in or assigned to Georgia within the previous five years;
   F. Dependent children of a military sponsor if the child completed at least one year of high school in Georgia; or,
   G. Any student utilizing VA educational benefits transferred from a currently serving military member, even if the student is no longer a dependent of the transferor.

2. Active members of the Georgia National Guard stationed or assigned to Georgia or active members of a unit of the U.S. Military Reserves based in Georgia, and their spouses and their dependent children.

3. Separated military members from a uniformed military service of the United States who meet one of the following:
   A. Individuals who within 36 months of separation from such service enroll in an academic program and demonstrate intent to become domiciled in Georgia. This waiver may also be granted to their spouses and dependent children.
   B. Any separated service member or any student utilizing transferred VA educational benefits and physically residing in the state.
   C. Any individual as described in 38 U.S.C. 3679(c).

Reciprocal

1. Students selected to participate in programs offered through the Academic Common Market.

2. Any student who enrolls in a USG institution as a participant in an international or domestic direct exchange program that provides reciprocal benefits to USG students.

3. Any student who enrolls in a USG study-abroad program to include programs outside the State of Georgia but within the United States and study abroad programs outside the United States. Tuition and fees charged study abroad students shall be consistent with the procedures established in the USG Business Procedures Manual and as determined by the institution President.

Research and Comprehensive University Graduate Students

1. Graduate students attending a Research or Comprehensive University and as determined by the respective institution’s approved procedures. The number of students currently receiving waivers under this category shall not exceed the number assigned below:

   University of Georgia	160
   Georgia Institute of Technology	140
   Georgia State University	140
   Augusta University	40
   Georgia Southern University	20
   Kennesaw State University	20
   University of West Georgia	20
   Valdosta State University	20

2. Medical and dental residents and medical and dental interns at Augusta University.

Non-Resident Students
As of the first day of classes for the term, a non-resident student can be considered for this waiver under the following conditions:

1. Students under 24.

   • If the parent or United States court-appointed, legal guardian has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months and the student can provide clear and legal evidence showing the relationship to the parent or United States court-appointed, legal guardian has existed for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term. Under Georgia Code, legal guardianship must be established prior to the student’s 18th birthday; or
   • If the student can provide clear and legal evidence showing a familial relationship to the spouse and the spouse has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term.

2. Students 24 and Older.

   • If the student can provide clear and legal evidence showing a familial relationship to the spouse and the spouse has maintained domicile in Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term. This waiver can remain in effect as long as the student remains continuously enrolled.

This waiver can remain in effect as long as the student remains continuously enrolled regardless of the domicile of the parent, spouse, or United States court-appointed, legal guardian.

7.3.4.2 Waiver of Mandatory Fees

An institution may waive or reduce mandatory fees for:

1. Students who are enrolled for fewer than six credit hours;
2. Students enrolled in summer semesters;
3. Students who reside or are jointly enrolled at another institution;
4. Students enrolled in practicum experiences (e.g., student teachers) or internships located at least 50 miles from the institution;
5. Students enrolled in distance learning courses or programs who are not also enrolled in on-campus courses nor residing on campus. Such students shall be charged an Online Learning Fee that must equal or exceed the institution’s Technology Fee plus fifty percent (50%) of all other Board approved institutional mandatory fees;
6. Students enrolled at off-campus centers, except that the institution shall be authorized to charge select fees to these students for special services subject to approval by the Board of Regents;
7. Students enrolled in a study abroad program and not enrolled on campus during that same semester; and,
8. Members of the armed services utilizing the military’s tuition assistance programs or paying their own way to attend the institution.

Each USG institution shall document its student fee waiver strategy or plan. Upon request, USG institutions shall provide the student fee waiver plans to the Chancellor or his or her designee.

7.3.4.3 [Reserved]

7.3.4.4 Waiver of Fees for Georgia’s “Dual Enrollment” Program

USG institutions shall waive any fee defined by the Board of Regents as a mandatory fee not covered by the per student state funds amount reimbursed by the Department of Education for high-school students participating in Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program.

Additionally, institutions shall waive all fees defined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission as mandatory fees or noncourse related fees. The amount for student fees reimbursed to institutions by the Georgia Student Finance Authority under the Dual Enrollment program shall be accepted as full payment of the waived fees. As such, students are to be provided full access to the services supported by the waived fees. Dual Enrollment students participating in this program are specifically exempted and shall not be charged for health fees and mandatory commuter food service fees. As such, providing these Dual Enrollment students access to these services is not required. Institutions are required to provide Dual Enrollment student participants with all required books for the courses in which they are enrolled. Any fee associated with providing required textbooks shall be waived by the institution.

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7.3.5 Refunds

The policy for determining refunds to be made on institutional charges and other mandatory fees and elective fees and special charges (non-mandatory fees) at USG institutions, except for those institutions for which special refund policies have been approved by the Board of Regents follows the “institutional refunds” procedures, as defined in the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, P.L. 105-244, TITLE IV—STUDENT ASSISTANCE, PART G—GENERAL PROVISIONS, SEC. 485.

Tuition and fees awarded by scholarship or grant from an agency or authority of the State of Georgia on behalf of a student receiving a refund under this policy shall be reimbursed to such agency or authority.

The Chancellor is authorized and empowered to take or cause to be taken any and all such other and further action as, in the judgment of the Chancellor, may be necessary, proper, convenient or required in connection with the execution of this policy. Such authority may be further delegated to the President of the institution.

USG institution presidents are authorized and empowered to take or cause to be taken any and all such other and further action as may be necessary, proper, convenient, or required in connection with the execution of this policy.

7.3.5.1 Students Withdrawing from an Institution

The refund amount for students withdrawing from an institution shall be based on a pro rata percentage determined by dividing the number of calendar days in the semester that the student completed by the total calendar days in the semester. The total calendar days in a semester includes weekends, but excludes scheduled breaks of five or more days and days that a student was on an approved leave of absence.

The unearned portion shall be refunded up to the point in time that the amount earned equals 60 percent. Students who withdraw from the institution when the calculated percentage of completion is greater than 60 percent are not entitled to a refund of any portion of institutional charges.

7.3.5.2 Death of a Student

A refund of all nonresident fees, matriculation fees, and other mandatory fees shall be made in the event of the death of a student at any time during the academic session.

7.3.5.3 Military Service Refunds

Subject to institutional policies, full refunds of tuition and mandatory fees and pro rata refunds of elective fees are hereby authorized for students who are:

1. Military reservists (including members of the National Guard) who, after having enrolled in a USG institution and paid tuition and fees, receive orders to active duty or are reassigned for temporary duty or mandatory training that prevents completion of the term;

2. Commissioned officers of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) who receive deployment orders in response to a public health crisis or national emergency after having enrolled in a USG institution and paid tuition and fees;

3. Active duty military personnel who, after having enrolled in a USG institution and paid fees, receive reassignment or a temporary duty assignment or a training assignment that would prevent completion of the term; or,

4. Otherwise unusually and detrimentally affected by the activation of members of the reserve components or the deployment of active duty personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States who demonstrate a need for exceptional equitable relief.

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