The Guaranteed Tuition Plan
An entering cohort of Middle Georgia College students, who enroll as freshmen, are "guaranteed" a fixed rate of tuition for 9 successive semesters (15 successive semesters in the Bachelor degree program). That means the tuition rate will not change (increase) over the period of the guarantee. A new cohort of freshmen the following year will have a different tuition rate, but that rate also will be guaranteed. This allows students and parents to plan with predictability the financial needs for college in terms of tuition.
Students who enrolled at another University System of Georgia institution since summer semester 2006 will keep their guaranteed tuition classification when they transfer to another University System of Georgia institution. Students who enroll from a non-University System institution will have fixed rate for 6 successive semesters. Students who started at any institution prior to Summer 2006 will be charged the continuing rate each year.
At the end of the guaranteed rate, students will pay the rate of the incoming freshmen class, which normally will be higher than the rate set when those students first enrolled. The goal is to send a "price signal" to encourage students to graduate in a timely manner to avoid this higher tuition rate.
Click here to see the Guaranteed Tuition Plan chart
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Guaranteed Tuition plan?
The University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents (BOR) approved the Guaranteed
Tuition Plan (GTP) policy to provide greater predictability in college costs for students and their families, to encourage on time graduation and to provide for better utilization of USG assets. GTP went into effect in Fall 2006 and is applicable only for those students entering a USG institution Fall 2006 and later. GTP sets a student's tuition rate for a specified period of time according to that student's enrollment status. A student who graduates from high school or a new transfer student who enrolls for the first time at a USG institution will be assigned a tuition rate based on the GTP tuition rate set by the BOR for that year. Rates vary by type of institution. A full description of Guaranteed Tuition Plan can be found in the BOR Policy Manual at http://www.usg.edu/regents/policymanual/700.phtml in section 704.
Will my financial aid be affected by the Guaranteed Tuition Plan? Yes - financial aid is calculated based on a total cost of attendance (budget) that includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, personal expenses and room and board. The variances in tuition charges will be reflected in the student budget.
Will my HOPE scholarship be affected by the Guaranteed Tuition Plan? Yes - HOPE Scholarship amounts are based on the total amount of tuition and mandatory fees. Scholarship awards will reflect the Guaranteed Tuition Rate assignment for each recipient.
Does the GTP cover books, fees and room and board charges?
No, the GTP only applies to tuition.
How do students know what their assigned GTP rate is?
Eligible students will be placed in a rate plan the first semester enrolled and will remain in the assigned plan year until it expires, regardless of how many times the student transfers or stops and starts.
How long does the Guaranteed Tuition Plan rate plan last?
The GTP rate for freshmen remains the same for four years (12 consecutive semesters) at USG regional, research, and state universities; for five years (15 consecutive semesters) at state colleges (for student in the Bachelors degree program at MGC); and for three years (nine consecutive semesters) at two-year institutions (for students in Associate degree and certificate programs at MGC). The important thing to remember is the year and semester in which your GTP rate began. The Guaranteed Tuition plan year begins with the Fall semester and continues through the Spring and Summer semesters of that year.
What happens when the Guaranteed Tuition Rate expires?
After the GTP, students will pay the continuing rate, which normally will be higher than the rate set when those students first enrolled. The rate is no longer guaranteed and students will be charged a new rate every year.
Are transfer students eligible for the Fixed for Four?
Students who transfer into a USG institution from a non-USG institution are classified as non-USG transfers. A non-USG transfer student's GTP rate remains the same for two years (six consecutive semesters). Students who began as a freshman at an USG institution in Fall 2006 or later and then transfers to another USG institution are covered by the GTP policy. The student would pay the GTP rate that was in affect at that institution during the time the student began as a freshman at a USG institution.
If a student enters a state college as a freshman in Fall 2007 and transfers to a state university Fall 2009, when does the student's Guaranteed Tuition Plan rate expire?
The student's GTP rate would expire at the end of Summer 2011 because the GTP is only fixed for 12 consecutive semesters at a state university. Beginning Fall 2011, the student would pay the current continuing tuition rate each year.
What about a student who attended a USG institution for the first time in Fall 2006, transferred to a out-of-state or private institution for one semester, and returns to a USG institution in Fall 2007?
A student who graduates from high school and first enrolls at a USG institution is given a GTP rate. The clock starts ticking. The student can come and go, but the GTP will remain in place whether a student is attending a USG institution or not.
Are continuing or formerly enrolled students eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Plan?
No. Students who were enrolled in the USG prior to Summer 2006 are not eligible for the GTP. Continuing or former students will be charged the "continuing rate", which changes
every year. The "continuing rate" is the tuition rate in place for those students who began at a USG institution prior to Summer 2006.
Are joint-enrolled/dual-enrolled students eligible?
Prior to high school graduation, joint-enrolled or dual-enrolled students are charged the
existing guaranteed tuition rate for the current year, however the rate plan is not fixed.
Following graduation from high school, these students will be charged the guaranteed tuition rate in effect the semester they enroll at a USG institution. The tuition is then fixed for future semesters at this rate. Exceptions: Students in the two Academies (GAMES and AAG) are considered new freshmen at the time they first enroll and they will be assigned the existing GTP rate for a period of 12 consecutive semesters.
What if a student attends only part-time?
Once a part-time student's GTP rate expires, the student will pay the continuing
rate, which isn't fixed. Part-time students are defined as those that are attempting no more than an average of 12 credit hours for each year and resulting in no more than the cumulative hours allowed for each institution type at the time their plan period expires. For example:
Institution Attempted Cumulative
Two-Year - 36
State Colleges - 60
Research, Regional, & Four-year Universities – 48
The part-time rate provision applies only to students who began as a freshman in a USG
institution Fall 2006 or later and who are on a Fixed for Four tuition plan. This provision does not apply to students who were enrolled in at a USG institution prior to Fall 2006 or non-USG transfers.
What rate are transient students charged?
USG students starting Fall 2006 or later and who are on a GTP and who decide to
attend at another USG institution as transient student will be charged the GTP
rate at the institution they are attending. USG transient students who entered the USG prior to Summer/Fall 2006 are charged the continuing rate at the institution they are attending. Non-USG transient students are considered transfer students and are assigned the GTP rate in effect for the semester in which they first enroll at a USG institution.
Are out-of-state students eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Plan?
Yes, out-of- state students who first enter the USG in Summer 2006 and later are eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Plan
When is a student not eligible for Guaranteed Tuition Plan?
Students who entered the USG prior to Summer 2006 are not eligible and students who remain enrolled after their plan expires are no longer eligible. Students who entered the USG prior to Summer 2006 will pay the continuing rate each year. Students who remain enrolled after their plan expires will pay the current guaranteed tuition rate each year.
What happens if the student withdraws from all courses in a semester?
Once a student is assigned a GTP rate, the clock starts ticking. The withdrawal
semester counts as one semester in the plan.
If a student's status becomes non-degree-seeking, does the semester(s) still count toward the Guaranteed Tuition Plan?
Yes, if a student starts in a degree program and the status changes to non-degree-seeking, the semester(s) still counts under the GTP.
If a student only takes one course during the first semester of the Guaranteed Tuition Plan rate, does this semester count toward the GTP time period?
Yes. The Guaranteed Tuition Plan starts with the first semester a student attends a USG institution, regardless of the number of hours taken.
What about students who finish their degree before the Guaranteed Tuition Plan rate expires? Do they still get their original Guaranteed Tuition Plan rate if they decide to go for another degree?
Yes. Students can keep their original guaranteed tuition rate if they enroll in another undergraduate program. Students in a graduate program are not eligible for the GTP.
What if a student wishes to return to a USG institution to earn an additional undergraduate certificate or degree?
Once a student's GTP rate expires, any future enrollment will be charged at the current continuing rate, regardless of the reason for re-enrolling.
The University System link on Guaranteed Tuition Planhttp://www.usg.edu/student_affairs/tuition/
