‘What do you mean it’s free?’ TCL extending tuition, fee waiver program through summer
The Technical College of the Lowcountry announced Tuesday that it is extending its tuition and fee waiver program through the summer for South Carolina residents.
The program began in the fall after Gov. Henry McMaster announced a $17 million workforce scholarship for the state’s 16 technical colleges as a way to combat the ongoing worker shortage, TCL public relations specialist Mindy Lucas said. The response from students and staff has been positive, Lucas said, and the focus has been on “getting the word out.”
“People aren’t really sure what that (paid tuition) means,” Lucas said. “It’s hard for people to think, ‘What do you mean it’s free?’ Surely there’s a catch.”
Students are invited to fill out their 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a TCL program with at least six credit hours, at least two classes, per semester. The fees that are waived are “required fees,” meaning fees such as technology and registration fees, Lucas said.
The tuition and fee waivers do not apply to dual enrollment or students from other colleges who are completing coursework at TCL.
‘It’s a win-win’
South Carolina ranked in the top 10 for states that are struggling the most with hiring, according to a WalletHub study based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. As of February, the unemployment rate was at 3.8% and there were more than 6 million people unemployed nationwide, the bureau’s data showed.
Before the pandemic, the unemployment rate was at 3.5% and there were 5.7 million people without jobs. Though the numbers seem to be improving from those seen during the height of the pandemic, Lucas said employers are still reporting they cannot find people to hire.
“Employers tell us not just that they can’t find people to fill these positions, these vacancies, but that they are looking for specific job skills,” Lucas said. “We’re working to make sure they have qualified workers that do have the job skills. It is a win-win.”
Schools like the college’s culinary institute are already offering free coursework, the institute’s dean, Miles Huff, previously told the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. Culinary students are only responsible for purchasing their knives and other supplies they may need, but tuition is free, he said.
Current students should meet with their advisors and make sure they are registered for the spring and summer semesters. New students can enroll for the summer semester right until the day before classes are scheduled to start, Lucas said. Registration for summer classes begins March 28.
This story was originally published March 9, 2022 at 1:46 PM.
