Robeson Community College receives financial assistance from local, state, and federal sources allowing each student an educational opportunity at minimum cost. Tuition is established by the North Carolina State Legislature and is subject to change without notification. The payments of tuition and fees for each term are required at registration.
Residency Requirements
Residency Determination Service (RDS) - Session Law 2013 – 360 directs the University of North Carolina (UNCGA), the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) to create a centralized, uniform process for determining residency for tuition purposes and for administration of state financial aid.
Purpose and Background of North Carolina Residency
The state of North Carolina partially subsidizes the cost of tuition for all students whose domicile, or permanent legal residence, is in North Carolina. Since it first became a state, North Carolina has abided by the philosophy that an educated public is necessary to a democratic government and that the State, therefore, has an obligation to provide for the education of its people. Article IX, Section 9, of the State Constitution states “The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of the University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense”. Therefore, while North Carolina welcomes out-of-state students it considers the privilege of providing a reduced in-state tuition rate to be a taxpayer benefit.
In 2013 the NC General Assembly became concerned about inconsistency in residency determinations across institutions of higher education in North Carolina. The General Assembly legislatively directed UNC General Administration (GA), the NC Community College System (NCCCS), the NC State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA) and the NC Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) to create a centralized, uniform process for determining residency for tuition purposes and for administration of state financial aid. This centralized process is known as the Residency Determination Service (RDS). In order for a student to receive the benefits of in - state tuition a residency determination from RDS is required as part of admission. To learn more about residency and complete a determination go to the NCRDS website [opens in an new window] (www.NCresidency.org).
Residency Determination Service (RDS)
The purpose and mission of RDS is to provide leadership and administration of residency determinations in accordance with North Carolina residency laws and applicable federal statutes. The RDS goal is to provide students access to transparent information and the opportunity to claim NC residency in a simple, accurate and straight forward manner. For more information on residency for tuition purposes contact RDS at:
844-896-2411 (phone)
919-835-2427 (fax)
Determining Residency Status
The specific requirements for establishing residency for tuition classification purposes are prescribed by state law. A North Carolina resident for tuition purposes is a person, or a dependent person (dependent according to IRS tax code), whose parent or legal guardian has established and maintained legal residence in North Carolina for at least 12 months. Residence in North Carolina must be legitimate and be a permanent situation rather than just for the purpose of maintaining a residence prior to enrollment at an institution of higher education. Under North Carolina law, to qualify for in - state tuition, you must show that:
- You have established your legal residence (domicile) in North Carolina.
- You have maintained that domicile for at least twelve (12) consecutive months before the beginning of the term.
- You have a residentiary presence in the state.
- You intend to make North Carolina your permanent home indefinitely (rather than being in North Carolina solely to attend college).
Other persons not meeting the 12-month legal residence requirement may be classified as North Carolina residents for tuition purposes only if they fall within one of the limited categories authorized by the North Carolina Legislature. All other persons are ineligible for classification as a North Carolina “resident for tuition purposes” and will be charged out-of-state tuition. To learn more about residency and complete a determination go to the NCRDS website [opens in an new window] (www.NCresidency.org).
Tuition
Fall, Spring and Summer Semester
| Full-Time (12 or more credit hours) |
|
| In-State |
|
| 12 credit hours |
$912.00 |
| 13 credit hours |
$988.00 |
| 14 credit hours |
$1,064.00 |
| 15 credit hours |
$1,140.00 |
| 16 credit hours or more |
$1,216.00 |
| Out-of-State |
|
| 12 credit hours |
$3,216.00 |
| 13 credit hours |
$3,484.00 |
| 14 credit hours |
$3,752.00 |
| 15 credit hours |
$4,020.00 |
| 16 credit hours or more |
$4,288.00 |
| Part-Time (less than 12 credit hours) |
|
| In-State |
$76.00 per credit hour |
| Out-of-State |
$268.00 per credit hour |
Tuition rates are subject to change without notice.
Tuition rates were accurate at the time of printing.
Personnel in the Armed Services
Any active duty member of the armed services or a military dependent who does not qualify as a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes may be eligible to pay a reduced tuition rate if eligibility requirements for the Military Tuition Benefit (N.C. General Statue Section 116-143.3) have been met. Members for reserve components are not eligible for the benefit unless they have been called up for active duty.
Per Title 38 United States Code Section 3679 (e), Robeson Community College will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrows additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33. Refer to the Apply for VA educational benefits section of the catalog.
Breakage Fee
Breakage, damage, or loss due to negligence, carelessness, or other mishandling of school supplies, materials, or equipment by students is the responsibility of said students. They will be required to pay for damages to such items and may be subject to disciplinary action.
Graduation
The charge for cap, gown, and diploma is paid by the student directly to the manufacturer. Students may order announcements, personal cards, and/or college rings when ordering caps and gowns.
Institutional Indebtedness
Students with outstanding financial obligations to the College will not be permitted to register for a new semester/term until the account balance has been satisfied. Additionally, the College will not issue transcripts nor permit students to graduate until all financial obligations are resolved.
Student Activity Fee
Each student enrolled in 12 semester credit hours or more (full-time status) will pay a $26.00 student activity fee per term. Part-time students (less than 12 semester hours credit) will pay an activity fee of $16.00 per term. Activity fees are charged for enrollment in Fall and Spring Semesters. Summer session students are not required to pay an activity fee. The activity fee is due and payable in the above stated amount at registration. This fee is nonrefundable.
For all full-time and part-time curriculum students, a portion of the activity fee will go towards accident insurance. This accident policy covers only bodily injuries caused by school related accidents while attending school during the hours and on days when school is in session.
The remainder of the student activity fee is to be used by the Student Government Association for such items as entertainment, athletic equipment, ID cards, conventions, and other appropriate activities.
Campus Access/Parking/Security Permit Fee
The fee for Curriculum students enrolled at RCC is $7.50 per Fall and Spring/Summer Semester. The fee is $2.00 for all Continuing Education Classes for which a registration fee is charged. The permit will enable you to park in any of the parking spaces for which the permit is designated. Only those motor vehicles which display a valid permit are entitled to park in designated campus parking lots. Enforcement for parking permits will begin the third week of the semester.
Technology Fee
A technology fee of $32.00 is charged fall and spring semesters to support technology services provided by the College. The fee is charged to all enrolled students and is due at the time that tuition is paid each semester. The fee is non-refundable.
Transcript Service Fee
RCC charges a $5 fee per copy for official transcripts. Payment should be made to the RCC Business Office. Students requesting a copy of their transcript from Robeson Community College should make application to the Registrar’s Office five days before it is needed. Same day service (On-Demand) is $10 for each transcript requested. Same day service may not be available during some high-volume periods including, but not limited to, graduation, end of semester grade submission, and late registration.
Transcripts are normally issued every business day except during registration and drop/add. Robeson Community College will not issue a transcript for any student who has an existing financial obligation to the school. However, this does not prevent the student from inspecting or reviewing his record. The request form for transcripts can be found at: http://www.robeson.edu/registration [opens in a new tab].
The college strives to offer next business day service, with availability beginning about 1 p.m. In order to receive a transcript on the next business day at 1 p.m., the written request must be turned in to the Records and Registration Office during business hours on the previous day. Indicate on the form that you WILL PICK UP or the transcript will be mailed to the address you provided. Official transcripts will be mailed directly to the person or organization named on the Transcript Request Form which is available on the Records and Registration web page (www.robeson.edu/registration [opens in a new tab]).
Robeson Community College is not responsible for transcripts that are not received by the person or organization named on the Transcript Request Form. Robeson Community College does not send or accept faxed transcripts. However, it is acceptable to fax a written request for a transcript.
The college now offers official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts). The content of the official transcript is converted into a PDF document and delivered to the recipient through the National Student Clearinghouse [opens in a new tab] (studentclearinghouse.org). Fees are posted on the site. This is the most secure and the quickest method to deliver an official transcript, but the student should make certain that the recipient is willing to receive an official e-transcript.
A picture I.D. is required to pick up transcripts as well as any other student documentation.
Student Insurance
Accident insurance covering the student during school hours is currently available each semester. The cost is covered from the activity fee for all curriculum students (full-time and part-time). It is a limited policy covering only bodily injuries caused by school-related accidents. Contact the Business Office located in Building 2 for more information concerning coverage. All claims should be reported to the Business Office.
Textbooks
Textbooks may be purchased in the bookstore. Cost of books vary according to the course of study. Normally, the average cost per semester is $600 for diploma programs and $1000 for degree programs.
For some courses, online access to course materials may be charged at the time of registration. Payment of these fees provide students with access to course materials on the first day of class. Students who register for these courses will be required to have an appropriate device such as a laptop or tablet to access the ebook for the course and additional course resources. Self-Service will denote course sections that require an ebook.
Refund Policy
The policies relating to tuition refund for students are determined by the North Carolina Community College System Statewide Refund Policy for all North Carolina Community Colleges. Activity, lab, pre-college mathematics and technology fees are not tuition based and are non-refundable.
Tuition Refunds
- A refund shall not be made except under the following circumstances:
- A 100 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws prior to the first day of class(es) of the academic semester or term as noted in the college calendar. Also, a student is eligible for a 100 percent refund if the class in which the student is officially registered is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
- A 75 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class(es) prior to or on the official 10 percent point of the semester.
- A student is not officially withdrawn from a course until a completed Drop Form has been submitted and processed by the Records Office. The effective date of withdrawal is the day the Records Office receives the completed form.
Examples of refund when dropping and adding classes:
Drop/Add with No Penalty after Class(es) has/have Started:
After the class(es) has/have started, students should complete all drop/add transactions in one process. If a student change(s) or drop(s) class(es), of equal hours during the same computer transaction, no additional cost will be incurred. This simultaneous transaction may be best managed by Records Office employees and an in-person request is advised.
Drop/Add with a 75% Refund after Class(es) has/have Started:
If the number of hours dropped are greater than the number of hours added, the 75% refund policy will apply to the tuition cost for the hours dropped.
- Students who have not officially withdrawn and have not attended at least once by the 10 percent date of the term will be dropped by the instructor as “never attended.” Tuition and fee adjustments will be made accordingly.
- To comply with applicable federal regulations regarding refunds, federal regulations supersede the state refund regulations stated in this Rule.
- When a student, having paid the required tuition for a semester, dies during that semester (prior to or on the last day of examinations of the college the student was attending), all tuition and fees for that semester may be refunded to the estate of the deceased.
- For a class(es) which the college collects receipts which are not required to be deposited into the State Treasury account (self-supporting), the college shall adopt local refund policies.
Self Supporting Courses Refunds/Cancellations/Never Attend
- The college will refund 100% of tuition paid if the student officially withdraws from the class prior to the first day of the term.
- The college will refund 100% of tuition paid for any classes cancelled by the college.
- No refund will be given for a self-supporting course on or after the first day of the term. This includes students who withdraw after the first day of the term or never attend.
Military Tuition Refund
Upon request of the student, each college shall:
- Grant a full refund of tuition and fees to military reserve and National Guard personnel called to active duty or active duty personnel who have received temporary or permanent reassignments as a result of military operations then taking place outside the state of North Carolina that make it impossible for them to complete their course requirements; and
- Buy back textbooks through the colleges’ bookstore operations to the extent possible. Colleges shall use distance learning technologies and other educational methodologies to help these students, under the guidance of faculty and administrative staff, complete their course requirements.
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