Understanding PGCC Tuition and Fees: A Comprehensive Guide

For students considering Prince George's Community College (PGCC), understanding the costs associated with tuition and fees is crucial for financial planning. This article provides a detailed breakdown of PGCC's tuition and fees, comparing them to national and state averages, and outlining various payment options and financial aid opportunities.

Base Cost of Attendance

The sticker price for attending PGCC includes tuition and fees, but doesn't factor in financial aid or scholarships. In the 2020-2021 academic year, the average out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Prince George's Community College was $8,474. For Maryland residents, the yearly charges were $6,026. This figure covers one year of academic instruction but does not include room and board.

The breakdown is as follows:

	Tuition	Fees	Total
Out-of-State	$7,296	$1,178	$8,474
In-State (Maryland)	$4,848	$1,178	$6,026

Comparison to Other Schools

Compared to national averages, PGCC offers a more affordable option, especially for Maryland residents. The national out-of-state average for tuition and fees is $19,933 per year. Prince George's Community College out-of-state undergraduates, on the other hand, pay about $8,474 a year in tuition and fees, making the school relatively inexpensive. In-state undergrads in Maryland pay an average of $16,784 for tuition and fees. Undergraduates who hail from Maryland pay an average of $6,026 a year to attend PGCC, making the school a bargain if you only consider tuition and fees alone.

The following table summarizes PGCC's relative cost compared to nationwide, Middle Atlantic, and Maryland averages:

Read also: Financial Aid and the PGCC Promise

	Nationwide	Middle Atlantic	Maryland
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees	Inexpensive	Inexpensive	Inexpensive
In-State Tuition & Fees	Inexpensive	Inexpensive	Inexpensive

It’s important to remember that while sticker prices are useful for initial comparisons, the actual cost can vary significantly based on financial aid packages.

Projected Costs

While historical data provides a good starting point, it's essential to consider potential cost increases. With an average annual growth rate of -0.13% for the past five years, Maryland residents could expect to pay $6,010 this year if the percentage growth remains the same. If the in-state PGCC tuition and fees growth rate stays consistent, two years of study could cost $12,012, and four years would cost $23,993. During the same time period, tuition and fees for out-of-state students have increased by -0.09%. Out-of-state students will be charged approximately $8,458 in this academic year if the costs keep going up at the same rate. This means an estimated $16,908 for two years of out-of-state tuition and fees at PGCC, and $33,784 for four years.

Understanding Tuition and Fees

Tuition is charged per credit hour or equivalent hours (EH). The amount charged per credit is determined by a student’s official place of residence, referred to as “domicile.” A student’s domicile must fall into one of three categories: Prince George’s County resident; Maryland resident in a county other than Prince George’s County; out-of-state (including out-of-country). Underage students and students who have graduated from high school in the past two years are automatically considered to be dependents of their parents/legal guardians. Students claiming residency in Prince George’s County but who graduated from a non-county high school in the past two years must provide proof of legal dependency on a Prince George’s County resident during the most recently completed tax year. Undocumented students are considered non-Maryland residents for tuition purposes unless they qualify for lower rates under the Maryland Dream Act. It is the student’s responsibility to provide evidence of in-county residency. All students should be prepared to document living in the county or state for a minimum period of three months. Failure to have updated documents which reflect the current address will result in the student being charged out-of-state rates. International students must present their visas or other documents in order for a residency classification to be made. It is the student’s responsibility to report a change of address within 30 days of its occurrence. Post office boxes cannot be used as legal addresses. Appeals for change of residence status should be directed to the Office of Records and Registration. Appeals must be submitted and resolved prior to the end of the third week of classes.

Fees are charges assessed in addition to tuition. They may be per credit or they may be flat, per-semester or per-course fees. As used in this section, the word “semester” includes intersession and the summer term as well as the traditional fall or spring semester. The instructional services fee is a mandatory per-credit fee for all credit and developmental studies courses offered at the college. The college annually conducts a discipline cost analysis to determine the costs of the academic disciplines offered at the college and adjusts the fee accordingly.

Examples of fees include:

Transcripts: Students pay either $6 or $8 per copy.
Application Fee: Any student who applies to the college, either for the first time or after an absence of two or more years, must pay a non-refundable $25 application fee.
Standard Fee: Students pay a standard $35 fee. Some examinations requiring a lab component will cost an additional $15.
Stop Payment/Check Reissue Fee: If a student loses a check or does not receive it due to an incorrect address on file, a $25 stop payment fee and a $10 check reissue fee will be assessed.
F-1 Visa Processing Fee: Applicants seeking enrollment at the college under an F-1 student visa will be charged a $25 F-1 visa processing fee.
Registration Fee: Students are charged a $25 registration fee for each semester of enrollment in credit courses.
Returned Check Fee: A $25 service charge will be assessed on all checks returned unpaid by the bank.

Payment Options

Full payment of tuition and fees is expected the day of registration. If payment in full is not received, the student’s registration will be canceled. Payment should be in the form of cash, personal check, certified check, money order, or approved credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover). Use of financial aid, scholarships, veterans benefits, and any other sponsorship which provides payment directly to the college is equally acceptable.

PGCC offers several payment options:

Direct Payment: Cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover).
Tuition Payment Plan: The college offers a tuition payment plan for credit students for the fall, spring, and summer semesters that allows tuition to be paid in either four, three, or two installments, depending on the date the plan is activated. Payments are set up under an automatic payment system from a checking or savings account, Visa, or MasterCard with payments being deducted according to the plan’s due dates for the semester.
Employer Assistance: Many students receive assistance from their employers with the payment of tuition and fees. The purchase order, tuition assistance form, or letter of intent must state the student’s name, social security number, amount to be paid, billing address, and original signature of person(s) authorizing payment. The purchase order, tuition assistance form, or letter of intent will not be accepted after payment has been made by the student. Students paying their own tuition must be reimbursed by the employer or agency. Note: Textbooks, course supplies, and materials may not be covered by this exemption.
Veterans Benefits: Veterans certified to be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill are exempt from the immediate payment of tuition and fees. Those with 100 percent eligibility under this program will have all in-county and in-state tuition and fees paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Those eligible at less than 100 percent or those being charged as non-Maryland residents will be held in their classes and then billed for the amount not paid by the VA. It is important that veterans in this program drop classes they do not wish to take since they will not be dropped for nonpayment during the registration period as other students are. Veterans participating in the VA Vocational Rehabilitation program also will have all tuition and fees paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs provided they have had the proper forms submitted to the college’s Veterans Services Office on their behalf. If there are any questions regarding this procedure, please contact the Veterans Services Office in Bladen Hall, Room 122, or call 301-546-5282.

Tuition Exemptions and Waivers

PGCC offers several tuition exemptions and waivers for eligible students:

Employee Tuition Exemption: A full- or part-time regular employee who enrolls during his or her nonworking hours in any Prince George’s Community College class that has at least 10 regularly enrolled students is exempt from payment of tuition. However, all related fees are the responsibility of the employee, including the Instructional Services Fees. Note: Textbooks, course supplies, and materials are not covered by this exemption.
Homeless Youth and Foster Care Recipients: Some homeless youth and foster care recipients may be eligible for a waiver of tuition and fees, providing certain requirements are met.
Senior Citizen Exemption: Maryland residents who are age 60 or older at the start of the semester are exempt from the payment of tuition for courses for which state funding is received. In addition, they are exempt from payment of instructional services fees, but not application fees, registration fees, and special instructional fees, e.g., applied music fees or telecredit fees. Note: Textbooks, course supplies, and materials are not covered by this exemption.
Permanent Disability Waiver: Any Maryland resident who is out of the workforce because of a permanent disability as designated by the Social Security Act, the Railroad Retirement Act, or the Office of Personnel Management (in the case of former federal employees) may be eligible for a waiver of tuition, but not fees, upon enrollment in courses which normally have at least 10 regularly enrolled students. This waiver applies for up to six credits for non-degree seeking students in credit courses and up to 12 credits per semester for those enrolled in a degree program or a credit certificate program that leads to employment. It also covers tuition for continuing education instruction designed to lead to employment, including life skills instruction. Note: Textbooks, course supplies, and materials are not covered by this exemption. In order to qualify for the waiver, students who wish to take credit courses must apply for financial aid for the appropriate academic year using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) prior to requesting the waiver and must present confirmation of that fact with the waiver application. If awarded, the tuition waiver will be in effect for one academic year, commencing with the fall semester. It will cover tuition charges remaining after all other forms of financial aid have been applied (excluding loans). Contact the Office of Records and Registration, Bladen Hall, Room 126, to obtain the necessary forms to apply for this waiver and to get a full description of this benefit. For those who will need accommodations arranged through the college’s Disability Support Services Office, all documentation supporting the application for this waiver must be on file three weeks prior to the start of the semester in question.
Health Manpower Shortage Programs (HMSP): Maryland residents who do not live in Prince George’s County but who enroll in one of the college’s designated Health Manpower Shortage Programs (HMSP) are eligible for in-county tuition rates so long as they remain enrolled in that program. This is true regardless of whether the student’s county of residence also offers the program. Residents from other states do not qualify for this lowered tuition rate. Nursing (A.S. Paramedic (A.A.S. The state of Maryland will periodically review the needed manpower in these areas, so there is no guarantee that this special designation will continue to apply to these programs. To receive the lower rate, students must be formally admitted in an appropriate curriculum and must be taking credit-bearing courses that count toward graduation in that program. In addition, students may be required to furnish proof of legal residency in the Maryland county that is listed on their application for admission. And they must provide a copy of their social security card during the petitioning process.

Financial Aid

Financial aid can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket cost of attending PGCC. Financial aid can include grants, loans, scholarships and work-study jobs. Financial aid packages vary depending on your financial need. Most colleges determine financial need based on your FAFSA. The average aid package awarded was $4,732.

It's important to note that financial aid opportunities can include:

Read also: Affording ECU

Need-Based Scholarships and Grants: These do not need to be paid back.
Need-Based Loans: These must be paid back.

To determine eligibility for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Refunds

The effective date for the calculation of a refund for a credit course shall be the date the drop/withdrawal form is filed in the Office of Records and Registration, or the date the transaction is completed through Owl Link. For courses longer than five weeks in length, a 100 percent (100%) refund of tuition and fees will be granted through midnight of the day after the first class meeting day, regardless of the day of the week that may fall on. A 75 percent refund will be granted if the class is officially dropped by midnight of the third through the ninth calendar day to include the first class day and weekends. Students who officially drop a class during calendar days 10 through 14 will receive a 50 percent refund of tuition and fees. No refunds will be granted after the 14th calendar day. For courses shorter than 5 weeks in length, a 100 percent refund of tuition and fees will be granted through the calendar day after the first class meeting, regardless of the day of the week that may fall on. A 75 percent refund will be granted if the class is officially dropped by midnight of the third calendar day, to include the first day of class. No refunds will be granted after that time. No refunds after the refund deadlines outlined above. Refunds of payments made by credit card will be refunded to the card as a credit. All other refunds will be issued electronically according to the preference set by the student when activating their BankMobile Debit Card. No paper checks will be issued.

Delinquency

Delinquency in payment of any amount due from a student or former student to the college or under any loan program administered by the college or failure of financial aid recipients to complete an exit interview before leaving the college will result in denial of registration, exclusion from classes, withholding of grades, transcripts, degrees, or certificates. The college employs the services of the State Central Collection Unit (SCCU). One of the SCCU measures is to refer delinquent accounts to the credit bureau. It will remain on the credit report for the next seven years. If the delinquent account is referred to a collection agency, the student will be held liable for all collection costs incurred, in addition to the delinquent amount due.

BankMobile Debit Card

All credit students will receive a debit card issued through BankMobile. This card is very important and must be activated in order to set up a preference for the way refunds from the college to the student will be delivered. Students may choose to have refunds and rebates processed as deposits to their BankMobile Debit Card or they may choose to have refunds electronically deposited in another bank account specified on the BankMobile Debit Card activation site.

Other Costs to Consider

Besides tuition and fees, students should budget for other expenses such as:

Books and Supplies: Estimated at $1,500 per year.
Personal Expenses: Costs for personal items.
Transportation: Costs for commuting to and from campus.

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