Dear Student,
In April of 2006, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) adopted the Guaranteed Tuition Plan (GTP). It is important that you understand the details of GTP so you can plan for college tuition needs.
Guaranteed Tuition Plan Rates
The tuition you pay depends upon the semester in which you first enrolled in a USG college or university. If you enrolled prior to fall semester 2006, you are not eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Plan. Tuition is set on an annual basis and will increase modestly each year.
If you began in fall semester 2006 or later as a freshman, the tuition charged the first semester of enrollment will not increase for 12 successive semesters. For example, if you first enrolled in fall semester 2008, your tuition would be fixed through summer semester 2012. Freshman who entered Summer semester 2009 and any subsequent semester, do not qualify for the Guaranteed Tuition Plan.
If you do not enroll for a semester or more, those semesters still count as part of the semesters in which tuition is fixed. Taking a semester or semesters off does not stop the clock on the guaranteed 12 successive semesters. From a financial perspective, this should be a strong incentive for you to enroll each semester, including summer semesters.
If you transfer from one USG college or university to another, your tuition will be based on your first semester of enrollment at a USG college or university. For example, if you first enrolled at a USG two year college fall semester 2007, and then transferred to a four year USG college or university fall semester 2008, you would pay the same tuition as those students who enrolled at the four year USG college or university in fall 2007.
If you transfer from non-USG colleges or universities, you are eligible for the guaranteed tuition rate effective the year you transferred. However, this rate will remain fixed for only 6 consecutive semesters. Following the end of the 6 semesters you will be assessed at the current guaranteed rate. For example, if you transferred to a USG college or university from a nonsystem school in Spring 2007 your guaranteed tuition rate ends Fall 2008. Beginning Spring 2009 you will pay the same tuition as the students who entered here as freshmen for Fall 2008.
If you do not complete your degree within the guaranteed tuition period, you will see a sharp rise in tuition the next term of enrollment. For example, if you began fall semester 2006 as a freshman at ASU, your tuition would be fixed through summer 2010. But, after that point you could see an estimated increase of 30 to 60 percent.
Detailed Information Available
The University System of Georgia has set up a web site to provide detailed information about the Guaranteed Tuition Plan. The site includes a wealth of information to help you understand the plan and how it affects you. Key features of the site include a Guaranteed Tuition Plan wizard that allows you to input information specific to you and receive specific details about your plan and timelines. The site also features a contact list for the Guaranteed Tuition Plan expert on your college or university campus who will be happy to personally answer any questions you may still have after visiting the site.
For more information, click here.
