College of Charleston’s Board of Trustees Approves Tuition Increase

Tuition increases for the 2009/10 academic year were announced yesterday at the College of Charleston.  The Board of Trustees also voted to increase the differential tuition rate for The Graduate School again, which means graduate students will see a 12% increase in tuition this year.

In-state graduate students can expect to pay about $412 per semester hour, making a three-credit hour course approximately $1,236.  Out-of-state students will pay $1,001 per credit hour, totaling $3,003 per three-credit hour course.  Special student fees may increase the amount you will need to pay.  Visit the Treasurer‘s website for more information.

Graduate School Dean Amy Thompson McCandless encourages all of our graduate students to “fill out your FAFSA, update all of your financial aid applications with the new tuition amount, and contact us to learn about more opportunities to help fund your education.”

We met yesterday with the Office of Research and Grants Administration to explore various grants, fellowships and scholarships available to graduating seniors and graduate students.  We now have access to a 28-page document full of nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships.  Not only that, but as a graduate student, you have access to the Associate Dean of the Honors College who works with you every step of the way to create a solid application.  With her help, our students have secured NSF Fellowships, Knauss Fellowships, and Fulbright Awards.  All graduate students are encouraged to contact Trisha Folds-Bennett to learn more about these opportunities and to get started.  Also, look for upcoming grant writing & fellowship/scholarship application workshops this Fall.

As I learn about other opportunities, I update our website accordingly so be sure to check there on a regular basis.  The Career Center is also a good resource for College of Charleston students, as is their online job search engine, CisternOnline.

If you are a full-time student, you should also consider an assistantship.  Assistantships are often related to your study or area of specialization, and are available in one of three forms: a graduate assistantship, research assistantship, and teaching assistantship.  College of Charleston offers abatements on a first-come, first-serve basis for out-of-state students, so we encourage you to apply early.  And if you are applying for an abatement in the Fall, you should make sure you’re covered for the entire academic year and secure your abatement through the Spring semester.  Otherwise, funding will most likely run out, and you will not be able to secure an abatement for the second half of the year.

Again, there are ways to help pay for your master’s degree.  If you’re not sure how, there are plenty of people to talk with: your program director, the Graduate School staff, the Career Center, the staff at ORGA, and Financial Aid.

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