Understanding Tri-County Technical College Tuition and Fees for the Summer Semester

Choosing a college is a big decision, and understanding the costs involved is a crucial part of the process. This article provides a comprehensive overview of tuition, fees, payment options, refund policies, residency requirements, and financial aid opportunities at Tri-County Technical College (TCTC), specifically focusing on aspects relevant to the summer semester. Tri-County Technical College is here for you, providing more than 1,000 credit courses are offered each semester in more than 200 career and technical programs. Tri-C's Workforce Training provides both non-credit and credit training for individuals and businesses to assist individuals with skills leading to employment. Tri-C offers a variety of affordable and convenient community programs for both adults and youth.

Tuition Structure

Curriculum tuition at Tri-County Technical College is charged per credit hour, up to a maximum of 16 credit hours per semester. It's important to note that tuition and expenses are subject to change at any time, as costs are provisional and dependent upon the actions of the North Carolina State Legislature. For tuition purposes, a full-time student is generally defined as one who is enrolled for 12 credit hours or more.

Mandatory Fees

In addition to tuition, an institutional fee is applied each semester automatically at the time of registration. This fee provides students with access to various campus resources, including:

All Campuses
Recreation facilities
Technology Learning Centers
Libraries
E-learning resources
Campus special events

Fees will be adjusted when courses are added or dropped in accordance with the withdraw and refund deadlines. You are responsible for withdrawing from courses you choose not to attend or complete for any reason.

Payment Options

Tri-County Technical College offers multiple convenient payment methods:

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Cash: Accepted at the Business Office.
Check or Money Order: Payable to Tri-County Community College. Note that a returned check results in indebtedness to the school and jeopardizes enrollment.
Credit or Debit Cards: VISA, Discover, American Express, and MasterCard are accepted. Payments can be made online through eTC portal accounts or by phone at 864-646-1802 or toll-free (within the 864 area code) 1-866-269-5677, ext. 1802.
Payment Plan: Credit students may enroll in an interest-free monthly payment plan during specified enrollment periods. A $25 nonrefundable fee applies each semester, and enrollment is required each term.

Refund Policy

Understanding the refund policy is crucial for managing your finances effectively.

100% Refund: A full refund is granted if you officially withdraw prior to the first day of classes of the academic term, as noted in the college calendar. You are also eligible for a 100% refund if the class in which you are officially registered is canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
75% Refund: A 75% refund is issued if you officially withdraw from the class(es) prior to or on the official 10% point of the term (per 23NCAC2D.0202). The 10% point is calculated from the first day of each semester.

Important Notice About Schedule Adjustments: To avoid a 25% charge, TCCC recommends dropping and adding classes simultaneously before the last day to add classes.

Procedure for Refunds: To receive a refund, complete an official drop form at the Registrar and receive a new schedule.

Bookstore Refunds: Refunds at the Follett Bookstore require proof of purchase and a withdrawal slip from the class. No refunds are given for used books (books that have been marked or written in).

When a course cancellation reduces a student’s course load, the student (or sponsor) will receive a 100% refund (including associated courses fees). No action is required by the student to initiate the refund. Terms of varying lengths will have refund periods that correspond to the drop periods. If the drop period is equivalent to less than one instructional day, no refund will be granted. To be eligible for a refund, students must initiate the drop action by dropping the course(s) via their eTC account. The refund request must be made during the drop period.

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Residency and Tuition

Residency at Tri-County Technical College is an essential part of tuition assessment. Students are required to pay out-of-state tuition if they are not legal residents of the state of South Carolina. Initial determination of one’s resident status is made at the time of admission. The burden of proof rests with the student to show evidence as deemed necessary to establish and maintain her/his residency status.

To qualify for in-state tuition, students must demonstrate legal residency in South Carolina. The initial residency determination is made during the admission process, and the burden of proof lies with the student.

Residency Application: To have residency status evaluated before the tuition due date, submit the residency packet to the Residency Officer (190 Miller Hall, Pendleton Campus) no later than the residency priority date (as indicated on the Enrollment and Academic Calendar). Residency packets will be considered through the last day to add classes for Session A for the term in which the student is attempting to qualify for in-state tuition. However, the student must pay out-of-state tuition prior to the tuition due date.

The residency packet should include:

A completed residency application (available online at www.tctc.edu/x1101.xml).
Copies of the most recently filed Federal and State income tax returns.
A statement from the employer for whom in-state determination is based (full-time employees only). The statement must verify full-time employment, specify the number of hours worked per week, state the original date of employment in South Carolina, and specify the length of term of employment (if indefinite, state so).

Residency Appeals: Any person, following a decision on his or her resident classification, may appeal the decision to the Tri-County Technical College’s residency appeals committee. This committee, however, is bound by the same laws and regulations as the Residency Officer, so its purpose is only to review the facts and details of any case and to evaluate the correctness of the decision made by the College’s Residency Officer. Persons wishing to appeal a residency decision must provide a letter to the College’s Residency Officer (112 Miller Hall, Pendleton Campus) stating the intention to appeal the decision. The letter must also include a summary of the person’s situation and a statement which specifies the residency provision under which the person feels he or she qualifies to pay in-state (or in-county) fees.

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Financial Aid Opportunities

Tri-County Technical College offers various financial aid options to help students cover their educational expenses. Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and student employment. The Office of Financial Aid will put together financial aid packages using one or all of the previously mentioned forms of assistance to aid students in helping to cover their educational expenses. Students should apply for financial aid early since priority dates are established for several types of aid. A student’s financial need is determined by subtracting the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the total cost of attending the College.

Federal Pell Grant: Undergraduate students who have not received a bachelor’s or professional degree may be considered for the Federal Pell Grant program. Department of Education through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the student’s enrollment status.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG): Available to students who have not completed a bachelor’s or professional degree. FSEOG is awarded to exceptionally needy students. Priority is given to Pell Grant eligible students with the lowest EFCs. There is no guarantee that every eligible student will be able to receive an FSEOG award. All students are encouraged to apply for aid through the FAFSA.
LIFE Scholarship: The LIFE (Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence) Scholarship is an academic scholarship funded by the State of South Carolina. The LIFE Scholarship cannot be awarded to any student who has been convicted of a felony or alcohol/drug related offense. LIFE Scholarships are awarded to entering freshmen who earned a minimum 3.0 SC Uniform GPA in high school. Department of Education’s Title IV regulations. To remain eligible for the LIFE Scholarship, students must successfully complete 30 non-remedial credit hours. For those students who begin eligibility during the academic year, typically a spring semester, a minimum of 15 non-remedial credit hours is required for renewal in the new academic year. In all cases, the student must maintain a cumulative, collegiate GPA of 3.0 to remain eligible for the LIFE Scholarship. Students can only receive up to a total of four consecutive semesters of the LIFE Scholarship at a two-year college.
Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA): South Carolina students who qualify for in-state tuition rates at a South Carolina technical college may be eligible to receive LTA if the tuition and fees are not covered by Federal or other State need based aid. LTA will not pay for any expenses other than tuition and will not generate a credit balance on an account. LTA by itself will never pay the entire cost of tuition. Students must be South Carolina residents and must enroll in at least 6 credit hours each term in an eligible program. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA after attempting 24 semester hours in order to continue to receive LTA. Students intending to access Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) funds must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
South Carolina Need-Based Grant: The South Carolina Need-Based Grant is available to a limited number of students with financial need determined by the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) based on financial information provided on the FAFSA. Students must be South Carolina residents to qualify.
Tri-County Technical College Foundation Scholarships: Awarded each year to both new and continuing students. Application periods occur twice per year, March and November. Application openings and deadlines are posted on the web and flat screens on campus. The criteria for scholarships vary, but include academic achievement, community participation, and financial need.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program: Provides on and off-campus part-time employment opportunities for students. The program is designed to assist students in offsetting the cost of educational expenses while earning on-the-job training and experience to prepare them for future employment.
Loans: Subsidized loans are awarded on the basis of financial need. Unsubsidized loans are those for which students are responsible for the interest from the time the unsubsidized loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. Students can choose to pay the interest or allow it to accrue (accumulate) and be capitalized. Dependent students are eligible for additional unsubsidized loans up to $2,000. After graduating, leaving school or dropping below half-time enrollment, students will have a six-month “grace period” before beginning repayment. During this period, students receive repayment information from their loan servicer and the first payment due date. Students are responsible for beginning repayment on time, even if they don’t receive this information.
PLUS Loans: Parents can borrow a PLUS loan to help pay a dependent undergraduate student’s education expenses. The student must be enrolled at least half time in an eligible program and have a current FAFSA on file. The yearly limit on a PLUS loan is equal to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received. Alternative loan programs are also available for those who qualify.

Veteran's Benefits

Tri-County Technical College is approved for veterans’ educational benefits by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, State Approving Agency (SAA) for training veterans and their dependents. Code in these programs: Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill; Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty; Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation; Chapter 32 VEAP; and Chapter 35 Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA). Veterans, their dependents, and members of the National Guard or Reserve may be eligible to receive benefits while pursuing an approved program of education or training.

Eligibility and Application: To receive benefits, the veteran must first be admitted into a program of study at the College. The veteran should then contact TC Central (Pendleton Campus) and provide a copy of his/her DD214 (if application is based on active duty service) or Notice of Basic Eligibility (if application is based on current Reserve or National Guard service).

Program Changes: To change a program of study (major), the same admission and evaluation process must be followed, and a “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” Form (22-1995 or 22-5495 if an eligible dependent) must be completed in the Financial Aid Office or online at www.gibill.va.gov. A “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” form is needed for a veteran student transferring to Tri-County Technical College who has used benefits elsewhere.

Certification: Certification of enrollment is reported to Veterans Affairs (VA) at the request of the veteran. TCTC must review the classes selected at registration each term. The law provides that no payment will be made to an eligible veteran for auditing a course or for taking a course in which a grade assigned is not used in computing graduation requirements. This means that a veteran may not be certified for any course not listed in his/her curriculum as a graduation requirement. If there are electives listed as part of the curriculum, the total number of elective hours designated by the program should not be exceeded.

Notification of Changes: All recipients of veterans’ educational benefits must immediately notify the Financial Aid Office of any change that may affect their pay status.

Important Information Regarding Grades for Veterans:

Non-Punitive Grade: A non-punitive grade is a grade that does not count as earned credit and is not considered in progress standards for graduation. A withdrawal after the drop period is non-punitive if it is not calculated into the student’s GPA, or it is not considered in academic progress criteria. Payment is not allowed for a course in which this grade is awarded.
Grade of “I”: For evaluation of VA Satisfactory Progress, the grade of “I” (incomplete) will be computed as an “F” when calculating the program GPA. Once the permanent grade is assigned, the student should contact the Financial Aid Office to review his/her status.

Special note to Veterans: Beginning on August 1, 2019, Tri-County Community College will allow GI Bill® and VR&E beneficiaries (Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 beneficiaries) to attend a course of education or training for up to 90 days from the date the beneficiary provides a certificate of eligibility, or valid VAF 28-1905.

Other Important Considerations

Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver: The College offers tuition-free courses, both credit and non-credit, on a space-available basis to senior citizens, 60 years of age or older. To be eligible for tuition-free courses, a student must be a legal resident of South Carolina and meet all admission requirements. The College may require proof that the student is eligible for tuition-waived status.
Free Credit Tuition for Certain War Veterans’ Children: Based on the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 Title 59-111-20, the College offers Free Credit Tuition for Certain War Veterans’ Children. The Business Office must receive a letter from the state of South Carolina, Office of the Governor, Division of Veterans’ Affairs, before waiving tuition. The College requires proof that the student is eligible for tuition-waived status.
Book Purchases with Credit Balances: Students whose funding for tuition and fees is greater than their account balance, generating a credit balance, may have funds available to charge books at the TCTC Campus Store. Students with credit balances, who prefer to purchase books off campus, may request a check for books at the Business Office. Students may use their active Bank Mobile account to receive the funds. Generally requests must be made at least 10 days before the Campus Store charging period begins. A detailed cost sheet from the merchant of choice is required before funds will be processed.
Dishonored Checks: A dishonored check is one that is returned to the College as unpaid. These checks include stop payments, insufficient funds, refer to maker, account closed and any other reason for unpaid funds.
Sponsorships: A sponsorship is defined as a program provided by an employer or other organization that pays Tri-County Technical College directly for a portion or all tuition, fees and/or books.
Past Due Accounts and Collections: The Business Office is responsible for collecting outstanding balances from self-pay, financial aid, or other sources. If a student is enrolled in an active payment plan for the term and is not current with installments, then the account is considered past due. When an account is not paid by the end of a term, the account will be moved to collections status. Once in collections; the current balance may not be seen online and students will need to contact the Business Office to make full payment. The College may add any and all collection cost to student accounts. Account balances that remain in collection status will be submitted to a collection agency and/or the South Carolina Department of Revenue. South Carolina Department of Revenue will withhold the amount due to Tri-County Technical College, plus a $25.00 administrative fee from tax refunds. If the refund amount is not sufficient to cover the entire balance owed to the College, South Carolina Department of Revenue may also garnish wages.
Student Accident Insurance: The College provides an inexpensive student accident insurance program. A group policy offering the desired insurance protection will be maintained in effect by the College, and all students (including high school students) are required to obtain this coverage.

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