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Columbus State students to benefit from tuition freeze, reduced fees, border state waivers - Columbus State University Skip to Main Content

Columbus State students to benefit from tuition freeze, reduced fees, border state waivers

May 3, 2022

CSU clocktower

Beginning this fall, Columbus State University students will benefit from lower tuition and fees following recent actions by the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. That's in contrast to national trends where in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges still rose 1.6% during the 2021-22 academic year, according to the College Board.

At its April 12 meeting, regents voted to eliminate the special institutional fee, which for most undergraduate students equals more than $500 per academic year. In addition, the board voted to freeze 2022-23 tuition rates at most USG institutions. This is the third year in a row that tuition at Columbus State will remain unchanged.

As a result, the estimated cost of attendance for students living off campus and seeking a bachelor's degree is $3,422. This is a decrease of 7% for non-residential students and a decrease of 3% for students residing on campus, compared to 2021-22.

"I thank the Board of Regents for seeking ways to make a Columbus State education more affordable," CSU President Chris Markwood said. "This win for students attending CSU and other USG institutions is also a credit to our General Assembly and the state's leadership for its fiscal support of the state's public colleges and universities."

On top of waiving application fees through June 1, the university is also waiving the SAT/ACT testing requirement for incoming freshmen applying to undergraduate degree programs for the fall 2022 semester. They must have a GPA of at least 3.0 in the Required High School Curriculum for test scores to be waived.

"Throughout Columbus State, we are adopting ways to make college accessible and affordable for our students," said Sallie McMullin, associate vice president for enrollment management. "At the top of that list is making the pivotal transition from high school to college as seamless as possible."

Prospective students officially residing in Georgia's border states - Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee - also qualify for out-of-state tuition waivers as a result of actions also taken by the regents on April 12. Like Alabama students who already qualify for border state tuition waivers, students in these additional states who come to CSU as undergraduate students pay in-state tuition rates. Alabama students residing in Chambers, Lee and Russell counties - classified as "border counties" - qualify for in-state tuition rates for both undergraduate and graduate study.

"Offering out-of-state tuition waivers to students in states bordering Georgia offers them a significant benefit," McMullin said, noting that proof of residency is part of the waiver process. "Compared to many of our regional four-year peer institutions, this could equal a savings as much as 25%."

Markwood indicated that the waivers broaden the horizons for students wanting to pursue specialty degree programs lacking or limited in their states - and for which Columbus State is well known.

"Columbus State has recently established itself as a leader in robotics engineering, cybersecurity and film production, just to name a few of our newest programs," he noted. "Add to those our highly regarded arts, business, technology, science, education, and health sciences programs, and Columbus State is sure to be a destination institution for the students residing out of state as they are for Georgia's students."

During the 2021-22 academic year, Columbus State enrolled 7,925 students, of which 81% were undergraduate students and 19% were graduate students. More than 87% of the current student body are Georgia residents, with the remainder hailing from other states or other countries.

Columbus State's fall admissions deadline is June 1, with classes beginning Aug. 15. For more information about enrolling at Columbus State, visit columbusstate.edu/admissions.