Fees & Cost

THE COST OF COLLEGE

Current fee amounts may be found by visiting http://www.volstate.edu/BusinessOffice/Fees.php. The College reserves the right to change the fees listed herein or to add new ones whenever such additions are found to be necessary. Please see the current semester’s schedule of classes for current tuition and fee rates at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice/fees.php.

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) approved the elimination of the 12-hour tuition cap in December 2008. With the elimination of the tuition cap beginning in the fall 2009, all students may pay an hourly rate for each semester hour of classes they take depending on the fee structure approved by the TBR. TBR will establish the 2016-2017 tuition rates at the June 2016 quarterly meeting.

Fees are subject to change at any time by action of the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Business Regulations and Payment Methods 
All fees are payable at the time of registration each semester, unless otherwise noted in the schedule of classes. Registration at the beginning of each term is incomplete until all fees are paid, and no student may be admitted to classes without having met this financial obligation. No student may re-enroll, graduate, or receive an academic transcript until all outstanding amounts are paid to the College. The student’s responsibility for amounts owed to the College is not relieved by the non-attendance of class. Fees may be paid by cash, check, money order, American Express, Discover, Visa, or MasterCard. All fees must be paid in the Business Office located in the Ramer Administration Building at the Gallatin campus, the Business Office located in the Millard and JJ Oakley Administration Building at the Livingston campus, or at Highland Crest at the Springfield campus, or on the College’s online registration system.

Deferred Payment
The deferred payment agreement can be obtained in the Business Office located in the Ramer Administration Building or online, by downloading the agreement from the College’s website (http://www.volstate.edu/BusinessOffice/deferredpayment.php). For specific terms and conditions, as well as due dates, please refer to the current semester’s schedule of classes.

The deferred payment and deferred payment agreement may be completed online using the College’s online registration system. Detailed Instructions for making the online deferred payment can be found by going to: http://www.volstate.edu/Pride/Documents/PrideOnlinePaymentInstructions.pdf. The online deferred payment plan offers an option for a saved payment method for the installment payments. If this option is selected, on the deferred payment due dates, the credit card or bank account information that you have saved will automatically be charged on the due date. In addition, the signed agreement and initial deferred payment can be mailed, faxed or returned to the Business Office.

Any refund due resulting from the withdrawal of class is subject to the refund policy referenced in the Credit Course Refunds section of this catalog.

Fee Holds
Payment made by personal check of past due amounts, which have resulted in a hold on the student’s account, will not release the hold for 14 business days after the payment posts on the account.

Books and Supplies
The cost of books and supplies varies from one program of study to another and from term to term. The average cost of books and supplies for a full-time student taking a minimum fifteen hour course load is estimated to be $600.00 per semester. Books and supplies may be purchased at the Campus Bookstore with cash, personal check, American Express, Discover, Visa, or MasterCard or online at www.efollett.com. Bookstore refund dates may be obtained from the Bookstore each semester.

Eligibility for Deferment of Payment of Tuition and Fees by certain eligible students receiving U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs or other Government Funded Educational Assistance Benefits.
Service Members, Veterans, and dependents of veterans who are eligible beneficiaries of U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits or other government funded educational assistance, subject to the conditions and guidelines set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-104 as amended, may elect, upon formal application, to defer payment of required tuition and fees until the final day of the term for which the deferment has been requested. Application for the deferment must be made no later than 14 days after the beginning of the term, and the amount of the deferment shall not exceed the total monetary benefits to be received for the term. Students who have been granted deferments are expected to make timely payments on their outstanding tuition and fees balance once education benefits begin, and eligibility for such deferment shall terminate if the student fails to abide by any applicable rule or regulation, or to act in good faith in making timely payments. This notice is published pursuant to Public Chapter 279, Acts of 2003, effective July 1, 2003.

Tuition and Fees

Current tuition and fee rates can be found at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice/fees.php. Payment of Maintenance Fees entitles students to admission to home athletic events, concerts, plays, social and other student-sponsored activities, as specified by announcement.  Students should be mindful of fee due dates and refund deadlines each term.

Additional Charges
The College reserves the right to change the fees listed herein or to add new ones whenever such additions are found to be necessary. Fees are subject to change at any time by action of the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Mandatory Fees

Maintenance Fee
The Maintenance Fee is a charge to students enrolled in credit courses for undergraduate, in-state tuition. It is an enrollment or registration fee and is calculated based on the number of Student Credit Hours (SCH’s) for which the student enrolls. Fees are established by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR). All students, whether resident or non-resident, pay a maintenance fee (tuition) to cover the registration.

Out-of-State Tuition
Tuition is charged to students who are not bona fide residents of the State of Tennessee. Out-of-state tuition charged to non-residents are in addition to maintenance fees. The Office of Admissions shall make the original decision concerning residence classification. Further information about residence classification may be obtained from the Office of Admissions or log onto www.volstate.edu/admissions.

Dual Enrollment Maintenance Fees
The Dual Enrollment Maintenance Fee is a charge to students enrolled in Dual Enrollment credit courses for undergraduate, in-state tuition. It is an enrollment or registration fee and is calculated based on the number of Student Credit Hours (SCH’s) for which the student enrolls. Dual Students do not pay the Technology Access Fees or other mandatory fees. For fee purposes, this fee does not apply to Middle College students.

Audit Students Fees
Students enrolling in regular college classes on an audit basis will pay the same fees (including the application fee and any late registration fee) as those enrolling for credit. Exceptions are granted for students who are totally disabled, senior citizens or state service retirees in compliance with VSCC Policy.

Senior Citizens Fees
Persons 60 years of age and over who are domiciled in Tennessee may audit credit classes at no maintenance charge, applying to enrollment on a space available basis only. Special fees including lab fees, music course fees, etc. may be charged where required. Senior citizens who audit classes will be required to submit an application for admission to the College, but are not required to pay the $20.00 application fee.

Persons 65 years of age and over who are domiciled in Tennessee may take classes for credit with a maximum fee of $70.00, applying to enrollment on a space available basis only. Students enrolled in Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) courses are charged the RODP Online fees in addition to the $70.00 maximum fee. RODP Online fees can be found at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice/fees.php. All admissions requirements must be met and the $20.00 application fee will be charged. Senior citizens must verify their birth date, either with their driver’s license or birth certificate.

Totally Disabled Persons Fees
Persons who are permanently, totally disabled and domiciled in Tennessee may audit classes with no maintenance charge, applying to enrollment on a space available basis only. Individual course fees may be charged where required. Totally disabled persons who audit classes will be required to submit an application for admission to the College, but are not required to pay the $20.00 application fee.

Totally disabled persons who are domiciled in Tennessee may take classes for credit with a maximum fee of $70.00, applying to enrollment on a space available basis only. Totally disabled students enrolling in Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) courses are charged the RODP Online fees in addition to the $70.00 maximum fee. RODP Online fees can be found at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice/fees.php. Registration is permitted no earlier than four (4) weeks prior to the first day of class.  All admissions requirements must be met and the $20.00 application fee will be charged.

Totally disabled persons must provide the College an affidavit or certificate from a physician, or an agency that has adjudicated the person to be totally disabled. Forms are available in the Office of Disability Services,Wood Campus Center, Room 108.

(Refer to section on Regent Online Degree Program Course Fees for additional information regarding RODP courses.)

Regent Online Degree Program Course Fees
All students enrolled in Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) courses must pay VSCC Maintenance Fees and an additional RODP Online Fee per semester hour. Students who are non-residents of the State of Tennessee are charged RODP out-of-state tuition per semester hour. RODP courses are separate from the College’s courses and are not included in the fee calculation for the College’s courses. There is no full-time maximum for RODP course fees.

RODP fees are refundable during the specified refund dates. Please refer to the current semester’s schedule of classes or the College web site for refund dates.

All students who are enrolled in RODP courses are required to pay the additional RODP Online Course Fee. The RODP Online Course Fees are not subject to limitations for disabled and elderly students.

E-Rate Fee
The eRate is available to students who enroll at TBR institutions, who are classified as non-residents of Tennessee, and who are enrolled exclusively in online courses. Students must be approved for the eRate through the Office of Admissions. The eRate is 150% of the institution’s approved undergraduate or graduate maintenance fee. To qualify for an eRate, students must (a) meet all institution admission requirements and must (b) be verified as an online out-of-state student enrolled exclusively in courses delivered online by a procedure documented by the institution. Students enrolled in any type courses other than online (on-ground, hybrid, distance education, etc.) will not be eligible for the eRate specified in this guideline and will instead incur out-of-state fees and charges. Students who enroll in both online courses and other type courses and subsequently drop the other type courses will not become eligible for the eRate.

Campus Access Fee
A campus access fee will be charged to all students each semester. The purpose of the access fee is to provide parking improvements and repairs for the campus. Parking decals are required for all vehicles that are parked on campus and must be placed in the left bottom corner of the back windshield. Parking citations will be issued to vehicles not properly displaying a current parking decal or parked in unauthorized spaces. Students may park in any campus parking lot, unless otherwise designated. The parking decals may be picked up in the Business Office or Student Services. The cost of the parking decal is included in the campus access fee.

Student Activity Fee
A student activity fee will be charged to all credit students each semester. The purpose of the Student Activity Fee is to provide and promote student events for all members of the student body, both on- and off-campus. It will be used for student programs, student activities, student conference travel and student leadership scholarships. A Student Life Calendar of Events for each semester and is available to every student via student e-mail. This calendar will include all major student events. Each student is encouraged to participate in as many events as possible.

Student Government Activity Fee
A Student Government Activity Fee will be charged to all credit students each semester. The purpose of the Student Government Activity Fee is to provide and promote campus activities for the benefit of the College student body. This fee supplements the Student Activity Fee and is used to provide on-and-off campus activities, primarily through the operational Seed Money available to student organizations that actively contribute to the Student Government Association.

International Education Fee
An International Education Fee will be charged to all credit students each semester. The purpose of the International Education Fee is to promote student’s world knowledge and to assist in internationalizing courses across all disciplines in order to increase students’ ability to compete in the world environment.

Sustainable Campus Fee
A Sustainable Campus Fee will be charged to all credit students each semester. The purpose of this fee is to support projects and practices that make the campus more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Technology Fee
A Technology fee will be charged to all credit students each semester, per credit hour. The purpose of the Technology Fee is to purchase, maintain, and upgrade technological equipment and applications used for instruction and student support.

Special Course Fees

Individual Music Instruction Fees
A special fee for all private music instruction courses is assessed per credit hour.

Science Lab Fees
A special fee will be charged for Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II each semester.  The fee provides funding for science consumables in the Anatomy and Physiology science classes.

Radiology Course Fees
A special fee will be charged for certain Radiology courses. This includes Radiology 111C, Radiology 211C,  Radiology 112C, & Radiology 212C. This covers the film badge/radiation monitoring fee.

Veterinary Technology Fee
A special fee will be charged for certain Veterinary Technology courses. This includes VET 125, VET 220, VET 250, & VET 260. The fee covers the cost of Radiology badges and miscellaneous lab supplies.

Miscellaneous Fees

Application Fee
Each student submitting an application for admission to the College must pay a one-time, non-refundable fee at the time of application. This fee is assessed for all students except for non-credit students and is waived in the case of senior citizens or totally disabled people who wish to audit courses.

Regents Online Continuing Education Program Course Fees
All students enrolled in the Regents Online Continuing Education Program (ROCE) pay a course fee and an online fee. Fees are listed on the ROCE website at www.rodp.org/continuing-education each semester. There is no refund of fees after the ROCE class starts.

Testing Center Fees
Fees are applicable for the following exams given by the Testing Center: ACT Residual, CLEP, correspondence exams, career interest inventories, HiSET, challenge exams, and the HESI A2 Nursing Exam. Transcript request fees also apply to the GED test/HiSET. Refer to the Testing Center’s web page at www.volstate.edu/testing for current fee schedules.

Non-Credit Course/Workshop Fees
The fees for non-credit courses, seminars, and workshops vary according to the nature of the subject matter and length of instruction. Non-credit students are not assessed an application fee, late registration fee, student activity fee, campus access fee, technology fee, international education fee, or the sustainable campus fee. The fee for each course or workshop is listed in the current semester schedule of classes or in the brochure announcing the activity. Fee waivers and fee discounts do not apply to non-credit courses or workshops.

Transcript Issuance Fee
No fee is charged for the issuance of transcripts. Transcripts are issued only at the request of the student or an authorized agent to the Office of Records and Registration. No transcript will be provided for a student who has an outstanding balance due to the College.

Parking Citations
Parking citations are $25.00 per violation except for unauthorized parking in a Handicapped parking space. A $200.00 fine is imposed for each citation for unauthorized parking in a Handicapped parking space. Parking citations are posted to the student account and the student’s records will not be released (will be put on hold) until payment of the fine. The citation must be paid using the College’s website, online registration system, or in the Business Office. If the citation is paid using the online registration system, the student must contact the Business Office at (615) 230-3585 to get the hold removed from the student account.

Prior Learning Assessment-Portfolio Credit
A non-refundable application fee of $25.00 per course is required when a request for Prior Learning Assessment-Portfolio Credit is made.  If credit is awarded, the credit for life application fee is applied toward the maintenance fee charged for the number of credit hours approved.  For information on Credit for Life Experience, please contact the Records and Registration Office at (615) 230-3466.

Health & Accident Insurance for F-1 Visa Students
All foreign non-immigrant students with F-1 Visas must enroll in the TBR Student/Scholar Health & Accident Insurance Plan as a condition of admission and continued enrollment. The Assistant Director of Records & Registration provides information to the Business Office to have this fee posted on the student account.  For information regarding the insurance, please contact the Assistant Director of Records & Registration at (615) 230-3558.

Identification Cards
The College issues each student a photo identification card.  There is no charge to the student for this service.   The ID Card is only valid until August 31st immediately following the date of issue. A returning student who has an ID card from a previous year will be issued an updated expiration sticker for the new academic year.  Please keep your ID card for this purpose. The card is required for admission to some College activities, borrowing library books, cashing personal checks, receiving financial aid checks, and other purposes. The card remains the property of the College and must be presented or surrendered upon request of a College official. If your ID is lost or stolen, a fee of $10.00 must be paid to the Business Office. Bring your receipt to the Office of Student Life & Diversity Initiatives, Wood 215 or 217, and a replacement ID will be issued to you.  Additionally many businesses, both local and national, offer discounts to students who show their College ID card at the time of the transaction.

Check Cashing
Personal checks, maximum of $20.00 per day, will be cashed by the Business Office. An ATM is located in the Wood Campus Center for the student’s convenience.

Returned Checks
A $30.00 service charge will be assessed for any check (paper or electronic) returned to the College by a financial institution. Any student who has not paid for a returned check including the service charge, after notification, will not receive a transcript or have records from the College sent to other institutions. Collection efforts will be pursued by the College for all unpaid returned checks. Check-writing privileges may be revoked for any student who has had more than one check returned by his/her financial institution.

Refunds

Financial Aid Refunds
Refunds for excess financial aid will be issued to either a prepaid Discover debit card, check, or direct deposit, after students have been approved for financial aid, have registered for classes, and make their selection online to opt-in to the debit card. If the prepaid Discover card is selected through the portal, students will need to activate the card once the card is received and prior to being utilized. Funds are not loaded to the debit card until the refund is processed by the Business Office. The Business Office begins processing financial aid refunds on the first day of class. Refunds are issued once all attendance requirements are met.

Direct Deposit
Students may receive their excess financial aid or refunds by direct deposit.  The direct deposit information must be set-up prior to the beginning of the semester.  Once the direct deposit information is set-up, there is a three-day waiting period for account verification before a direct deposit can be processed.  Detailed instructions for setting up direct deposit are available at http://www.volstate.edu/BusinessOffice/DirectDeposit.php.

Non-Credit Course Refunds
Each continuing education non-credit course (includes workshops and seminars) is given a specific course ID. NR: If the course ID ends in NR, there is no refund of course fees.  NR = No Refund. However, you may substitute a colleague/individual if you cannot attend or you may transfer the course fee to a different course; 100% refund only if the course is canceled by the College. RP: If the course ID ends in RP (RP = Refund Policy), the following refund policy applies.

1. 100% REFUND of the course fee is approved:
2. When a course is canceled by the College;
3. When a faculty member recommends that a student drop a course;
4. When a student is deemed ineligible by the institution;
5. When a student’s death occurs during the period of enrollment; or,
6. When a student officially withdraws or drops a course prior to the first scheduled class meeting date.
7. A 50% REFUND of a Continuing Education course fee is approved when a student officially withdraws or drops a course on or after the first scheduled class meeting date and prior to the second class meeting date.
8. There is NO REFUND of course fees if the student drops/withdraws on or after the second scheduled class meeting date

Credit Course Refunds
Refunds of all fees and charges must be in accordance with the following provisions except where previously stated. Refer to the current semester’s schedule of classes for refund dates. The refund percentage is applied to the difference between the per hour rate for the number of credit hours immediately before the drop or withdrawal and the number immediately afterward.   The Business Office begins processing refunds after the first two weeks of the semester.  The refunds are processed as checks or direct deposits to the student.  Students may set-up direct deposit online.  The direct deposit set-up instructions are available at http://www.volstate.edu/BusinessOffice/DirectDeposit.php.

Maintenance Fee Refunds

1. Refunds are 100% for courses canceled by the College.
2. There is no refund or additional fee assessment for adding and dropping (swapping) equal number of credit hours for the sessions (parts-of-term) within a term with the exception of Regents online Degree Program (RODP) courses.  RODP courses cannot be swapped for VSCC courses, or vice versa without additional fee assessment.
3. The basic fee adjustment for withdrawals or drops during regular terms (fall and spring) is 75% from the official first day of classes for the term (not determined separately for each individual class) through the fourteenth calendar day of classes and then reduced to 25% for a period of time which extends 25% of the length of the term. There is no refund after the 25% period ends.  For shorter terms within the fall and spring semesters, the 75% refund period and the 25% refund period will extend a length of time which is the same proportion of the term as the 75% and 25% periods are of the regular terms. These shorter terms have different beginning and ending dates and different refund dates.
4. For summer sessions and other short terms, the 75% refund period and the 25% refund period will extend a length of time which is the same proportion of the term as the 75% and 25% periods are of the regular terms. Dropping a class and adding another class in the same session must be processed on the same drop/add form or on the Colleges website Pride online for the fees to be evenly exchanged. The summer term consists of four different sessions, each with different beginning and ending dates. Therefore, each session has a unique set of refund periods.
5. All refund/fee adjustment periods will be rounded to whole days and the date on which each refund period ends will be included in semester schedule of classes. In calculating the 75% period for other than the Fall or Spring and in calculating the 25% length of the term in all cases, the number of calendar days during the term will be considered. When the calculation produces a fractional day, rounding will be up or down to the nearest whole day.
6. A full refund (100%) is provided on behalf of a student whose death occurs during the term. Any amount owed will be offset against the refund.
7. A 100% refund will be provided for students who enroll under an advanced registration system but drop or withdraw prior to the beginning of the official first day of classes for the term (not determined separately for each individual class).
8. A 100% refund will be provided to students who are compelled by the institution to withdraw when it is determined that through institutional error they were academically ineligible for enrollment or were not properly admitted to enroll for the course(s) being dropped.  An appropriate official must certify in writing that this provision is applicable in each case.
9. When courses are included in a regular term’s registration process for administrative convenience, but the course does not begin until later in the term, the 75%/25% fee adjustment will be based on the particular course’s beginning and ending dates.  This provision does not apply to classes during the fall and spring terms which may meet only once per week.  Those courses will follow the same refund/fee adjustment dates as other regular courses for the term.
10. Students who drop or withdraw from classes may still have an account balance due under the deferred payment plan. If the drop or withdrawal occurs during a refund period, the total fees charged to the student will be adjusted. The refund is calculated as a percentage of total fees, not as a percentage of the amount paid. If the amount paid is greater than the adjusted balance, a refund check will be issued.
11. The refund percentage is applied to the difference between the per hour rate (or maximum) for the number of credit hours immediately before the drop or withdrawal and the number immediately afterward.
12. Federal Title IV recipients will be granted refund through 60% of the term when withdrawing from the institution. These refunds will be based on applicable federal guidelines.
13. The fee adjustment for the refund is calculated as the difference between (1) the cost of originally enrolled hours and (2) the per credit hour cost of the courses at final enrollment after adjustments have been applied for all courses dropped. Adjustments are calculated at the full per credit hour rate less the fee adjustment credit at the applicable fee adjustment percentage (regardless of the original number of hours enrolled) with total costs not to exceed full-time tuition. For students dropping courses resulting in a change from full-time status to part-time status, a fee adjustment in the tuition and fees will result only if the new calculated charges are less than the original charges. Not all drops/withdrawals will result in a fee adjustment.
14. Other exceptions may be requested through the Office of the Vice-President for Student Services.
15. Examples of common refunds are available upon request.

Out-of-State Tuition Refunds

1. The refund provision for out-of-state tuition is the same as that for maintenance fees. A 75% refund is made for the same period and a 25% refund is made for the same time period. When 100% of maintenance fees are refunded, then 100% of out-of-state tuition also is refunded. Calculation procedures are the same as those specified for maintenance fees.

This is in accordance with VSCC Policy IV:07:09, which can be viewed at http://www.volstate.edu/Policies/Documents/Business-Finance/IV-07-09-Refunds-Fee-Adjustments.pdf.