Tuition and Fees

Rules for Residency

Determination of Residency

The state of Texas requires each student to certify legal residence at the time of enrollment.

The student is responsible for registering under the proper residence classification. Any question concerning the right to classification as a resident of Texas or of Tarrant County should be clarified prior to enrollment at Tarrant County College.

Students needing additional information about residency determination should contact the campus Admissions and Registrar Office. State requirements for residency may be found at www.collegeforalltexans.com or www.thecb.state.tx.us.

Appeal of Residency Determination

Students who have been classified as Out-of-County or Out-of-State may appeal that determination by first completing a new residency questionnaire and discussing their concerns with the campus Admissions and Registrar.

Reclassification of Residency Status

Students who have been classified as Out-of-County should request reclassification by the Admissions and Registrar Office if they establish residence in Tarrant County; a Tarrant County address — not a post office box — must be provided. Students who have been classified as Out-of-State should request reclassification by the campus Admissions and Registrar Office when their circumstances change in such a way as to meet state requirements. A Residency Questionnaire must be completed and submitted with necessary documentation.

Tuition Categories

The state of Texas has established legal guidelines to determine whether students are Legal Residents for Tuition Purposes. Residency status is determined at the time of application for admission to the College and can be updated when students meet and document their change of status. For additional information on rules and regulations determining residence status, visit “CB Rules” under the Community and Technical Colleges link on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board website at www.thecb.state.tx.us.

Each student is assigned to one of three tuition categories:

• Legal resident of Tarrant County status is assigned to those who have lived in Texas under circumstances specified in Rules and Regulations, and who are residents of Tarrant County.
• Legal resident of another Texas County status is assigned to those who qualify for In-State status, but who do not reside in Tarrant County.
• Legal resident of other state/non-resident status is assigned to those who do not qualify for In-State status.

Tuition

All tuition is subject to change without notice. A student is not officially registered until payment has been made in full, third-party sponsorship is submitted, or a payment plan has been completed. Until all financial obligations to the College have been satisfied, students may not re-enroll or receive official transcripts or diplomas.

Effective with the Spring 2016 term, tuition at Tarrant County College will be as follows:

1. Legal resident of Tarrant County for tuition purposes: $59 per semester hour
2. Legal resident of any other Texas county for tuition purposes: $106 per semester hour
3. Legal resident of another state/non-resident for tuition purposes: $255 per semester hour
4. Additional tuition charges for courses attempted three or more times (Third Attempt Rule effective starting Fall 2013): $60 per semester hour

Other TCC Fees

In addition to tuition, students enrolled at TCC may be required to pay one or more of the following charges as applicable:

Community & Industry Education courses (CIE): Refer to the CIE Catalog for specific tuition information. Tuition for CIE courses will be based on anticipated cost.

Student Account Center

The Student Account Center is a student financial system designed to help students better manage their student account activity. Some of the features include payments by Automated Clearing House (ACH) or debit/credit card, payment plan enrollments, storing payment methods, or assigning authorized users. Students may access the Student Account Center through WebAdvisor by selecting the “Student Account Center” link located in the WebAdvisor main menu. Please visit the TCC website at www.tccd.edu for the most updated information.

Payment Methods

For the convenience of the student, several payment methods are available:

1. In person at a campus Business Services Office:

1. Cash
2. Major credit/debit cards: A photo id card is required for credit/debit card payments processed.
3. Check:  A driver’s license is required for check payments. TCC will not accept checks as a form of payment for prior term balances.
4. Third Party Sponsors: If tuition is to be paid by an agency or company, a voucher from the agency or company must be submitted to the Business Services Office in accordance to the payment deadline indicated below. By submitting a voucher, the third party sponsor agrees to pay all tuition. This includes any non-refundable tuition. If a third party sponsor has not paid the student’s tuition, per the voucher, by the end of the next term/quarter, the unpaid tuition will be moved to the student’s account. The student will be responsible for the unpaid balance, which may be sent to a third party collection agency.
5. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Prepaid Tuition Programs: Required documentation for these programs should be submitted to the campus Business Services Office in accordance to the payment deadline indicated below.

2. Online through the Student Account Center:

1. Major credit/debit cards
2. Automated Clearing House (ACH) or Electronic Check
3. Payment Plan: TCC provides students several convenient payment plan options. The available options are located in the Student Account Center.  All payment plan options are in line with the provisions of Section 54.0007 of the Texas Education Code. Students should enroll by connecting to the Student Account Center through the TCC website. The cost of the payment plan is a $25 per term/quarter non-refundable enrollment fee. There is a $25 returned payment fee.

Per Texas Education Code 54.007(2)(d): A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE FULL PAYMENT OF TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES, INCLUDING ANY INCIDENTAL FEES, BY THE DUE DATE MAY BE PROHIBITED FROM REGISTERING FOR CLASSES UNTIL FULL PAYMENT IS MADE. A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE FULL PAYMENT PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SEMESTER OR TERM MAY BE DENIED CREDIT FOR THE WORK DONE THAT SEMESTER OR TERM. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the tuition payment schedule for each term. The following table illustrates the Undergraduate tuition payment schedule effective for the Fall 2017 term. Payment schedules are subject to change. For the latest information, please visit the TCC website at www.tccd.edu.

Courses with an earlier start date than the 16 week Fall/Spring term or the 1st 5 week session of the Summer term may have an earlier payment deadline than listed above. Financial Aid students are responsible for the payment of Maymester and Wintermester tuition. Reimbursement will come at a later date depending on financial aid eligibility.  

Failure to pay tuition or to make payment arrangements by the deadline may result in students being dropped from their courses. Students should not assume that a course will be automatically dropped for nonpayment. Students are responsible for dropping any course they do not wish to be enrolled in.

Returned Items

A Returned Item is a returned check, returned ACH payment, or credit/debit card chargeback. Returned Items must be paid within 10 days of return notification. Students will be notified by TCC email and/or US mail. If the returned item balance and $25 fee is not paid by the deadline, the student may be dropped from all current term courses and blocked from future registrations.

NOTICE: DELINQUENT INSTALLMENT CONTRACTS, UNPAID RETURNED CHECKS, OUTSTANDING MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES, AND FINANCIAL AID ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE SENT TO A THIRD-PARTY AGENCY FOR COLLECTION. THE STUDENT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COLLECTION AGENCY FEES INCURRED FROM THE ADDITIONAL COLLECTION EFFORTS.  A student who fails to make full payment prior to the end of the semester or term/quarter will be prohibited from registering for future classes until full payment is made. Failure to make full payment prior to the end of the term/quarter may result in transcript denial. Multiple returned items may result in restrictions on future check writing and credit card payment privileges.

Formal Means of Communication

TCC Business Services will send notices to the student’s myTCC email as the formal means of communication.

Refund Policy

Students officially dropping and/or withdrawing, or dropped at the discretion of the instructor, during a regular 16-week session are eligible for a refund of tuition according to the following schedule:

Students officially dropping and/or withdrawing, or dropped at the discretion of the instructor, from a regular five-week summer session are eligible for a refund of tuition and fees according to the following schedule:

PLEASE NOTE

For non-regular semester-length courses, students should contact the campus Business Services Office for refund schedules. The following table illustrates how refunds would be determined for non-regular length courses.

Refund of tuition is subject to change by legislative and/or TCC Board of Trustees action without notice.

• Based upon the Refund Schedule, credit balances are automatically reflected on the student’s account upon withdrawal or course cancellation.
• Refunds will be made to the debit/credit card used for payment. 
• Refunds for cash, check, and ACH payments will be processed using the student’s preferred refund method selected with the contracted third-party refunding company. Please see the Refund Selection section below for further details.
• A refund may take up to six weeks to process.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: Financial Aid students withdrawing before the 60 percent refund point in the term may be required to repay funds unearned due to requirements for the return of Title IV funds.
• Refund percentages are calculated/based on invoiced amounts, not payments made.
• STUDENTS WHO HAVE OPTED FOR THE INSTALLMENT PAYMENT PLAN AND ARE DROPPING CLASSES AND/OR WITHDRAWING ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL PAYMENT OF THE PROMISSORY NOTE. REFUNDS WILL BE APPLIED TO ANY BALANCE DUE ON THE NOTE.
• Refund policy on CIE courses is listed in the Community & Industry Education catalog.
• Students must be cautioned that there will be at least a 30 percent penalty for partial and/or complete withdrawals after the session begins.
• Refunds may be appealed by the end of the following semester for which the refund is requested. Please see the chart below. More information is also available on the TCC website at www.tccd.edu.

Refund Selection

Eligible financial aid students and/or registered students between the ages of 16-54 are mailed an envelope from our contracted third-party refunding company. Students will be provided with instructions on choosing their preferred refund method for future financial aid or course refunds. This is subject to change.

Financial Responsibility Agreement

The Financial Responsibility Agreement (FRA) provides relevant information about the College’s official financial policies and what is considered the responsibility of the student. Students will be asked to acknowledge the document every 120 days of accessing the online system. Students are encouraged to read the document to stay informed on the College’s policies concerning areas such as tuition payment, past due balances, third party collections, refunds, Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and dual credit. Students may access the FRA at all times through the TCC website at www.tccd.edu. 

Tuition Waivers and Exemptions

In addition to established financial aid programs, the state of Texas and Tarrant County College offer a number of opportunities which reduce or eliminate tuition.

Students must submit required documentation to the Admissions and Registrar Office. Tuition must be paid by the established deadline if documentation or approval of an exemption or waiver is pending. Overpayments will be refunded only if documentation and approval are completed by the state-defined Official Day of Record, unless otherwise noted. Students should contact the campus Admissions and Registrar Office for additional information. State exemption and waiver program information may be found at the College For All Texans website at www.collegeforalltexans.com.

Waiver Programs

Waivers allow certain students to pay the in-state (Texas resident) tuition rate.

Active Military and Dependents and Military Veterans: Non-Texan military personnel and/or their dependents stationed in Texas or living in Texas and military and dependents who move to Texas after discharge or retirement may qualify. For veterans, waiver requires eligibility for federal veteran education benefits.

Certain Non-Citizens: Local waiver authorized by the college. Enrollments under this waiver of nonresident charges are not reported to the state for funding. Proof of residence in the state for the immediate prior 12 months prior to enrollment is required.

Competitive Scholarship Recipients: Available for nonresident or foreign students receiving competitive scholarships of $1,000 or more administered through the TCC Student Financial Aid Office.

Economic Diversification: Individuals and their dependents whose family has been transferred to Texas as a part of the state’s economic development plan may qualify.

Owners of Tarrant County Property Residing in Another County: Texas residents, who own Tarrant County property, and their income tax dependents, are eligible to pay the in-county tuition rate upon proving they own and have paid Tarrant County College tax on the property in the most recent tax year.  Validation is done using the Tarrant County Appraisal District database, upon request from the student.

Teachers/Professors: Employees of Texas public institutions of higher education and their dependents may qualify for in-state tuition rates prior to reaching 12 months of domicile in the state.

Exemption Programs

Exemptions cover all tuition and in some cases, fees.  Students must be eligible for Texas tuition rates. All exemption programs are authorized by the State of Texas, which also dictates their conditions.  Unless otherwise indicated, all exemption recipients are subject to the college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress requirement.

Adopted Students: Certain persons adopted after being under conservatorship of the state qualify; a letter of eligibility from the Texas Department of Family Protective Services is required.

Blind and/or Deaf Students: Certain blind and/or deaf students may qualify for an exemption of all tuition. Certification of condition and other criteria must be met.

Children or Spouse of Disabled or Deceased Public Servants: Two different exemptions programs exist depending on the servant’s date of injury or death and type of employment. Refer to the College for All Texans website at www.collegeforalltexans.com or a campus Admissions and Registrar Office for assistance in determining eligibility. May also cover textbook costs.

Children of MIA/POWs: Dependents of MIA/POWs may qualify for an exemption of tuition and fees if they are less than 21 years of age and receive a majority of support from a parent.

Combat Exemption: Dependent children or stepchildren of active duty service members deployed to a combative military operation.

Disabled Peace Officers: Peace Officers permanently disabled in the line of duty and unable to continue employment as a result of disability may qualify for an exemption of tuition and fees. Students receiving this exemption must meet Satisfactory Academic requirements.

Educational Aides: Students working in certain paraprofessional positions in Texas public primary and secondary schools may apply; see a campus Student Financial Aid office for details. This program is under review by the state.

Firefighters: Full time paid firefighters, along with certain volunteer firefighters, are exempt from payment of tuition and fees for all classes in certain approved programs of study.

Foster Care: Students who were under the care of the Texas Department of Family Protective Services (and not adopted) from age 14-18 may qualify. Not subject to SAP requirements.

Good Neighbor Scholarship: Students from other Western Hemisphere countries (except Cuba) approved for this award by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board qualify. Students receiving this exemption must meet Satisfactory Academic requirements.  Student should see a campus Student Financial Aid office for application instructions.

Hazlewood Act: Texas veterans who joined the military from Texas or were Texas residents at the time of enlistment, who served at least 181 days on active duty status (other than for training), and who received an honorable discharge may qualify for tuition waivers of up to 150 credit hours. The spouse/children of Texas veterans killed in action or disabled as a result of military duty may also qualify for Hazlewood Act benefits with no SAP requirement. Veterans eligible for Hazlewood Act benefits can transfer the benefits to their children, one child at a time. The child must be under 25 years of age. This program is overseen at the state level by the Texas Veterans Commission. 

Highest Ranking High School Graduate: Exemption for up to two initial semesters of enrollment. A letter from student’s public high school is required.

Nursing Faculty and Nursing Preceptors: Certain nursing faculty and those hospital preceptors participating in nurse training programs may qualify; dollar limits may apply.

Peace Officers: This exemption covers only classes in criminal justice or law enforcement, when taken as part of an approved program. Other classes in the program are not covered. A letter verifying employment as a paid peace officer (as defined at College For All Texans) is required.

Senior Citizens: Texas resident students age 65 or older may be exempt from payment of all tuition for up to six semester credit hours per term and/or from payment of tuition if auditing credit course(s).

Tuition Agreement

Dallas County Community College District Students: A reciprocal tuition agreement allows a Dallas County resident to pay the Tarrant County resident tuition rate provided the individual is enrolled in a degree program not offered at DCCCD.

Lost and Found

Lost and Found is located at Business Services. A District-wide retention schedule is followed for the disposal of unclaimed items.

Notary Services

Business Services provides notary services for TCC business-related transaction to students, faculty, and staff.