How is tuition calculated?
Students will be charged tuition based on the total number of contact hours they have in each class.
A contact hour is 60 minutes of instruction between a student and an instructor, or where a student will use tutorial or laboratory equipment.
To calculate the number of contact hours in a course divide the total number of minutes spent in class by 60.
For example: A Biology 101 class is four credit hours, but requires a one-hour lab, and the total contact hours for this class are five. Tuition for a resident is $124.00 per contact hour. So charges for a resident student would total $620.00.
$124.00 x 5 = $620.00
Why do we do this?
Charging by contact hour more fairly distributes tuition costs to students receiving extra instruction. For example, a student taking an economics class needs less contact time with an instructor than a student in a culinary arts class. Students will pay for the amount of instruction time they receive.
Why don’t students receive credit hours for all of the contact hours they are paying for?
Think of it like homework. There is an expectation that every course will require additional time out of class, supplementing it by working on homework and other projects. Students don’t receive credit hours for all of the time they spend doing homework for their classes. Think of contact hours as time spent doing practical application facilitated by an instructor to supplement a class. There are also national standards that must be followed in determining the amount of credit earned for a course. Violating these national standards would affect the transferability of the course to other colleges and universities.
How can GRCC help students pay for my classes?
The college offers a variety of ways to help students pay for their tuition, including a payment plan, grants and scholarships. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information on grants and scholarships— they can help!
- The Payment Plan: A convenient budget plan that allows you to make up to 3 monthly tuition payments.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Information and applications are available online.
- Scholarships: Information and applications are available online.