The SC Technical College System Recommends No Tuition Increase for Fall 2021

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Today the SC Technical College System recommended to the System's sixteen presidents and local area commissions that there be no tuition increase for Fall 2021.

"This recommendation by the System makes clear our commitment to affordability and accessibility for our students and their families," said System President Dr. Tim Hardee. "Many of our students are struggling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that freezing tuition for the upcoming semester is something we can do as a System to ease their stress and their financial obligations."

In addition to the recommended tuition freeze for Fall 2021, the SC Technical College System helps students afford the cost of higher education in other ways.

Helping through scholarships
The South Carolina Lottery Tuition Assistance Program (LTAP) was established in 2001 under the S.C. Educational Lottery Act to provide a supplemental resource to South Carolina residents attending two-year public or independent institutions. Currently, eligible students may receive $110 per credit hour to be used toward the cost-of-tuition. LTAP is a "last dollar" scholarship meaning that all federal and state grants must be awarded first.

In addition to LTAP, South Carolina's technical colleges offer the SC WINS Scholarship Program. SC WINS is a statewide technical college scholarship supplement for LTAP and helps cover any tuition and mandatory fees left after applying all other scholarships and grants. Recipients can receive up to $100 per credit hour. A book allowance of up to $300 per year is also available for student's enrolled in a critical workforce area.

South Carolina's technical colleges also offer workforce scholarships and grants that help cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for in-demand programs across the System.

Helping through statewide transfer agreements
The System's transfer programs smoothly transition students from any of our 16 technical colleges to the four-year South Carolina college or university of their choice. There are agreements in place with most colleges and universities that allow students to achieve their educational ambitions in a timely and affordable manner.

While specifics may vary, the agreements' general nature is the same, and here's how they work. Upon completing an Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree at their local technical college, students can seamlessly transfer to their chosen four-year institution. Students who have completed their AA, AS, or AAS at one of South Carolina's technical colleges with a grade of "C" or better in each required course will enter their chosen college or university with junior standing and will have completed their general education requirements. All courses transferred will be applied toward attaining each student's desired baccalaureate degree. A complete listing of colleges with which the System has statewide transfer agreements can be found at http://www.sctechsystem.edu/students/transfer-programs.html.

Helping through dual enrollment
Dual enrollment allows public, private, and homeschool students in all 46 counties to earn college credits while attending high school. Using a combination of Lottery Tuition Assistance, the SCWINS scholarship program, and Perkins funding, the System can offer tuition-free dual enrollment for all school districts across South Carolina. Dual enrollment offered at no tuition costs for high school students in South Carolina can help lower overall student loan debt across the state. These credits count toward ultimate degree attainment without added financial burden.

Dual enrollment in a high-demand technical field provides quicker access to high-paying jobs currently available in South Carolina. Dual enrollment students learn a marketable skill and earn credit towards the associate degree necessary for many of these opportunities.

Our college's dual enrollment offerings provide smaller class sizes for students than traditional freshman-level courses encouraging greater student success by providing more opportunity for student interaction with faculty, cooperative learning experiences, and relevant teamwork experiences.

###

The SC Technical College System. Comprised of 16 colleges located strategically across the state and two internationally-renowned statewide programs: readySC™ and Apprenticeship Carolina™, the SC Technical College System is dedicated to furthering economic and workforce development in South Carolina. As the state's largest higher education system, the SC Technical System educates more of our state's undergraduates than all the other public higher education institutions combined. Dedicated to making a quality higher education both accessible and affordable, the System plays a crucial role in educating and training South Carolina's workforce for the in-demand, high-skilled jobs of today and tomorrow. Learn more about the System by visiting www.sctechsystem.edu.

Tags: Career College Community Cost Prepared Financial Assistance Students News

Back to The News   Share with a Friend

Contact Us