Tuition Surcharge

NOTE: Effective Fall 2010, the tuition surcharge increased from twenty-five percent (25%) to fifty percent (50%) as amended by Section 9.10.(a) of Session Law 2009-451.

The General Assembly instituted a tuition surcharge on all new undergraduates seeking a baccalaureate degree, as required by subsection (b) of Section 89, of chapter 321 of the 1993 Session Laws as amended by Section 17.10 of chapter 769 of the 1993 Session Laws. This surcharge is effective Fall Semester 1994. Specifically, it states,

"The Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina shall ensure that procedures are established that are necessary to impose a twenty-five percent (25%) tuition surcharge prior to 2010-2011 academic year and fifty percent (50%) beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year on students who take more than 140 degree credit hours to complete a baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or more than 110% of the credit hours necessary to complete a baccalaureate degree in any program officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program. The calculation of these credit hours taken at the constituent institution or accepted for transfer shall include courses failed by the student or that are not completed unless officially dropped by the student pursuant to the academic policy of the appropriate institution.  The calculation of the credit hours taken shall exclude hours earned through the College Board's Advanced Placement or CLEP examination, through institutional advanced placement or course validation, or through summer term or extension programs. No surcharge shall be imposed on any student who exceeds the degree credit hour limits within the equivalent of four academic years of regular term enrollment, or within five academic years of regular term enrollment in a degree program officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program."

Upon application by a student, the tuition surcharge shall be waived if the student demonstrates that any of the following have substantially disrupted or interrupted the student’s pursuit of a degree: (1) a military service obligation, (2) serious medical debilitation, (3) a short-term or long-term disability, or (4) other extraordinary hardship. Please click on the following link to obtain a copy of the Tuition Surcharge Waiver Request form. Waiver Request Form

Effective beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year, all undergraduates seeking a baccalaureate degree at a constituent institution will be subject to the requirements listed herein.

Effective beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year, the tuition surcharge will be raised from 25 percent to 50 percent.

The undergraduate credit hours to be counted for this requirement include: (1) those courses taken at the constituent institution or accepted for transfer, (2) failed courses, and (3) those courses not completed unless officially dropped by the student consistent with the academic policy of the appropriate constituent institution. All credit hours transferred after August 15, 2013, shall be included for tuition surcharge calculation purposes regardless of their application to the student’s major or minor, unless otherwise exempted consistent with this regulation. However, the following credit hours shall be excluded from the calculation: (1) those earned through the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or similar programs, (2) those earned through institutional advanced placement, course validation, or any similar procedure for awarding course credit, (3) those earned through summer session or extension programs on the campus or at another institution, (4) Military Science courses required to earn a military commission, and (5) credits earned from private and out of state colleges and universities transferred prior to August 15, 2013. In addition, and consistent with this regulation, credit hours taken while enrolled as a high school student shall be excluded from the tuition surcharge calculation.

The tuition surcharge shall be imposed on all counted hours in excess of the threshold defined for each of the following three categories of undergraduates:

1. For students earning a first baccalaureate degree in a program that requires no more than 128 credit hours, the surcharge shall be applied to all counted credit hours in excess of 140.
2. For students earning a first baccalaureate degree in a board-approved program that requires more than 128 counted credit hours, the surcharge shall be applied to all credit hours that exceed 110 percent of the credit hours required for the degree. Such programs include those that have been officially designated by the Board of Governors as five-year programs, and combined bachelor's/master's degrees.
3. For students earning a baccalaureate degree other than their first, the surcharge shall be applied to all counted credit hours that exceed 110 percent of the minimum additional credit hours needed to earn the additional baccalaureate degree.

The surcharge shall not be imposed on undergraduates who:

1. Complete a first baccalaureate degree program that has not been officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program and whose counted credit hours were taken in eight (8) or fewer regular term semesters or the equivalent; or
2. Complete a first baccalaureate degree program that has been officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program and whose counted credit hours were taken in ten or fewer regular term semesters or the equivalent.

The surcharge shall be imposed on tuition charged in the current semester and in subsequent semesters where a student’s cumulative credit hours total – with that semester’s course load included – exceeds the threshold. The surcharge does not apply to required fees. Students have 30 days from the time charged to appeal the surcharge.

For additional information on the tuition surcharge, please refer to the Tuition Surcharge FAQ below.

1. What is the tuition surcharge?

In 1993, the North Carolina General Assembly (Senate Bill 27--Section 89b) enacted legislation directing the Board of Governors to impose a 25% tuition surcharge on students who take more than 140 degree-credit hours to complete the first undergraduate baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or more than 110% of the credit hours necessary to complete a five-year program. In 1994, the legislation was modified (Senate Bill 1505--Section17.10) to exempt students who complete the degree in eight regular term semesters or the equivalent (or ten semesters for a five-year program).

2. Who is affected by the tuition surcharge?

All undergraduate degree-seeking students admitted to NC A&T beginning Fall 1994 are affected. The surcharge applies to transfer students and freshmen, in-state and out-of-state students. Students enrolled at NC A&T prior to Fall 1994 are exempt.

3. What undergraduate credit hours are counted towards the 140 credit hour threshold?

(1) those courses taken at the constituent institution or accepted for transfer, (2) failed courses, and (3) those courses not completed unless officially dropped by the student consistent with the academic policy of the appropriate constituent institution. All credit hours transferred after August 15, 2013, shall be included for tuition surcharge calculation purposes regardless of their application to the student’s major or minor, unless otherwise exempted consistent with this regulation.

4. What undergraduate credit hours are excluded from the 140 credit hour threshold?

(1) those hours earned through the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or similar programs, (2) those earned through institutional advanced placement, course validation, or any similar procedure for awarding course credit, (3) those earned through summer session or extension programs on the campus or at another institution, (4) Military Science courses required to earn a military commission, and (5) credits earned from private and out of state colleges and universities transferred prior to August 15, 2013. In addition, and consistent with this regulation, credit hours taken while enrolled as a high school student shall be excluded from the tuition surcharge calculation.

5. How will transfer credit affect the 140 s.h.-limit?

All transfer credits will count toward the 140 s.h.-limit except credit earned in summer school at NC A&T or at another UNC school. Credit hours earned through UNC degree-credit extension programs are also exempt.  (If a student transfers over 98 s.h., he or she is allowed 30 s.h. at NC A&T before the surcharge applies.)

6. What happens if a student attends summer school out of state or at a private school in North Carolina?

Any credit earned at any institution except a UNC school will be counted in the 140 s.h.-limit, including credits earned in summer school.

7. What if a student attends summer school at a community college in North Carolina?

All credits earned at a community college (regular semester or summer school) count in the 140 s.h.-limit.

8. What if a student has over 140 s.h. but graduates in 4 years or less?

The 140 s.h.-limit applies only to students who take longer than eight regular term semesters to earn a 4-year baccalaureate degree or ten regular term semesters in a degree program designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program.

9. How much will the tuition surcharge be?

If a student has 140 s.h. or more, the surcharge is 50% of his other tuition (only tuition, not fees). The surcharge applies to in-state tuition and out-of-state tuition.

10. If a student has 130 s.h. of credit and enrolls for 15 s.h., will he or she have to pay a surcharge? How will it be computed?

Yes, the student will have to pay a surcharge. He or she will be charged the tuition surcharge in the first semester in which enrollment exceeds 140 s.h. The amount of the surcharge is based on the number of hours in excess of 140 s.h. (The exact amount depends on the number of hours for which the student is enrolled and the number of excess hours.)

11. What happens if a student's degree program requires over 128 s.h.?

For students earning a first baccalaureate degree in a UNC Board of Governors Board approved program that requires more than 128 credit hours, the surcharge shall be applied to all Tuition Surcharge Hours that exceed 110 percent of the credit hours required for the degree.

12. How does the 140 s.h.-rule apply to students seeking a second undergraduate degree?

The surcharge will be applied when the student exceeds 110% of the minimum number of additional hours required for the second degree. For example, at NC A&T the surcharge will apply if the student takes more than 33 hours in a program that requires 30 hours. The 140 s.h.-rule, however, does not apply to non-degree seeking students.

13. How does a second undergraduate degree student know how many hours are required for his or her degree?

To satisfy the requirements for a second undergraduate degree at NC A&T, a student must complete a minimum of 30 s.h. after satisfying the requirements for the first degree.  The student should meet with the academic department chairperson in his or her intended major during the first semester of enrollment to determine the number of hours required for the second degree.  The academic department chairperson will then certify this information on the official form provided by the Office of the Registrar.

14. What happens if a student doesn't have his or her program requirements evaluated by the academic department chairperson?

If a program evaluation is not made during the first semester of enrollment, the student may become subject to the tuition surcharge in the second semester.  As soon as the student enrolls for more than 33 s.h., he or she will be billed for the tuition surcharge if no program evaluation is on file in the Office of the Registrar.

15. Is there an appeal process for tuition surcharge?

The Tuition Surcharge is a fee required by the General Administration of the University of North Carolina System and it is not a NC A&T fee. There is an appeal process for this fee.  Upon application by a student, the tuition surcharge may be waived if the student demonstrates that any of the following have substantially disrupted or interrupted the student’s pursuit of a degree: (1) a military service obligation, (2) a serious medical debilitation, (3) a short-term or long-term disability, or (4) other extraordinary hardship.  Please click on the following link to obtain a copy of the Tuition Surcharge Waiver Request form. Waiver Request Form