Augusta University tuition, housing and meal plans to increase

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University students will pay more for tuition, housing and meal plans.

The increases apply to both full-time and part-time students.

Georgia’s first need-based scholarship will become available and could help ease the burden for families.

Esperanza Lorenzo Martinez, a junior kinesiology major and first-generation student, said costs add up beyond tuition.

“It’ll still add up, especially like there’s so many things that they add on situation costs, like the lab fees and like, it might be maybe like $30, but you add that with maybe you’re taking like 5, six classes, then that adds up to maybe like 300, $400,” Martinez said.

Kyle Parsons, director of student financial aid and scholarships, said students have different paths depending on what aid they qualify for.

“For many students, that path is going to look different depending on what types of aid they may qualify for, whether that’s a need-based source of fund, a scholarship, or a state or federal grant,” Parsons said. “One of the biggest opportunities is for students to qualify for the Hope Scholarship or Zell Miller Scholarship.”

Rihanna McGahee, a senior communications major, said scholarships can help with tuition but the balance shifts.

“Even though we have scholarships that we can apply for, it can be used for tuition, but we could also lose money while gaining money at the same time,” McGahee said.

Omariaon Butts, a criminal justice major and intern with Augusta University Police Department, said the increase could affect students without scholarships.

“I think I would be more concerned for the ones who didn’t and they had to pull out a bunch of loans or maybe pay out of pocket and now it’s got to be extra,” Butts said.

Parsons said the university wants to help students navigate the increases.

“We want to make sure that they understand that there is a path forward, that just because something increases doesn’t mean that we can’t help offset that somewhere else,” Parsons said. “We want to make sure that students are set up for success, that they’re in a position to be able to focus on their academics and not on the financial barriers that stand in front of them.”