Tuition Surcharge

What is the Tuition Surcharge?

Effective with the Fall semester of 2010, the North Carolina General Assembly increased the tuition surcharge to fifty percent (50%). This surcharge applies to all new undergraduates seeking a baccalaureate degree as required by North Carolina General Statute 116-143.7 as codified by Section 9.10(a) of Session Law 2009-451 (The tuition surcharge was originally instituted at 25% in the fall of 1994).

Who is subject to the Tuition Surcharge?

• Students earning a first baccalaureate degree, the surcharge will be applied to all hours in excess of 140 attempted hours. Attempted hours include all transfer hours as well as withdrawals, repeated courses and failed courses.
• Students earning a second baccalaureate degree, the surcharge will be applied to all hours that exceed 110 percent of the minimum hours required to earn the second degree.

 Who is exempt from the Tuition Surcharge?

• Students who enrolled as degree-seeking students prior to August 1994.
• Students who complete their degree in eight (8) semesters or less of enrollment at all schools.
• Students not seeking a degree (i.e. Certificate of major)

 What hours are Included in the Tuition Surcharge?

• All credit hours attempted during Fall and Spring semesters (including repeated courses, failed courses, and course withdrawals.)
• All course work transferred to UNC Asheville from other institutions regardless of their application to the student’s major or minor (see exclusions below).

 What hours are Excluded from the Tuition Surcharge?

Certain coursework does not apply toward the Tuition Surcharge and those hours are excluded from the total attempted hours for purposes of calculating the surcharge. Hours not subject to the surcharge are:

• College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) credit.
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or similar program.
• Credit earned while in high school
• Credit earned while enrolled for summer school sessions or degree credit extension courses on the campus or at another institution

How to Calculate the Surcharge

The surcharge shall be imposed on tuition charged in the current semester and in subsequent semesters where a student’s cumulative credit hours total, including the current semester hours, exceeds the threshold. The surcharge does not apply to required fees.  Tuition Surcharge Calculator

Tips for Minimizing the Surcharge

• Summer hours taken at any school are exempt from the surcharge.
• The surcharge only applies to 12 credit hours per semester.  Once the surcharge is incurred, students can take more than 12 credit hours per semester, depending on their academic standing, and not incur additional charges above 12 hours.
• Students wanting to complete a double major may consider returning for a second degree or certificate of major in order to complete the requirements for the second major.  Students seeking a second baccalaureate degree are allowed attempted hours up to 110% of the minimum hours required to complete a second degree before the surcharge is applied.. ^{_{more info}}.  Students pursuing a certificate of major are not subject to the surcharge.
• Students completing a major with teacher licensure may consider graduating without the licensure concentration and instead, return as a Post Baccalaureate student seeking teacher licensure to complete the education requirements.  Post Baccalaureate students seeking teacher licensure are not subject to the surcharge. Students should discuss this option with the Education department prior to making a decision. 

How are students notified of the Tuition Surcharge, and when is it applied to their accounts?

The tuition surcharge is normally calculated following the end of the drop/add period at the beginning of the Fall and Spring terms. It is not applicable to courses taken in the summer. Once the calculations are completed, students being assessed the surcharge are sent a letter from the Office of the Registrar and an email to their official UNC Asheville email address, notifying them of the number of hours on which the surcharge will be calculated. The Bursar is notified to add the applicable charges to the student's account, which normally appear within 4 weeks of the start of the semester. The surcharge is only calculated on tuition. Required fees are not included in the assessment.  If you feel that an error was made in your surcharge calculation, you may fill out the Review Request form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar within two weeks of the email notification date.

Tuition Surcharge Waiver Request Procedure

The General Assembly amendment (Section 9.10.(a) of Session Law 2009-451) noted an intent to create waiver categories for the tuition surcharge and to require that the Board of Governors establish a waiver procedure for the UNC campuses to follow.  Specifically, it states that 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:

• A military service obligation
• Serious medical debilitation
• A short-term or long-term disability, or
• Other extraordinary hardship which can be documented 

If you feel that your personal circumstances fall into one of the four categories mentioned above, as established by the General Assembly (see Appendix A of General Statute 116-143.7 for definitions and documentation requirements), you should submit your written request within 30 business days of receiving the notice of the tuition surcharge.  You must fill out the Tuition Surcharge Waiver Request form and include any supporting documentation to support your request.  Once you have completed the form and attached your supporting documentation, please return it to:

Tuition Surcharge Waiver Appeals Committee
c/o UNC Asheville Office of the Registrar
1 University Heights, CPO 1370
Asheville, NC 28804 

Waiver request forms and supporting documentation may also be faxed to the Office of the Registrar at 828.251.6492.
For more information, contact the Office of the Registrar at 828.251.6574.