Tuition and Fees

By registering for courses, a student acknowledges responsibility for payment of tuition and fee charges generated by the registration. If the student fails to make full payment or enroll in the College’s deferred tuition payment program prior to the published due date, the student will be administratively withdrawn from all courses. This withdrawal procedure applies to all students who have registered for courses, including financial aid applicants and recipients. Tuition payment due dates and deferred tuition payment program registration dates may be found by visiting the College website or Business Office, A103.

Note: Tuition and fees are subject to change by the Board of Trustees without prior notice. The tuition and fee schedule for the 2023-2024 academic year as of publication is represented below. Please check with the Business Office for up-to-date information.

Rate of Tuition based on Residence Status and Total Billable Hours*

* Students who audit courses are charged tuition at the same rate as students taking courses for credit. The above tuition rate does not include other fees; please refer to the following list of other fees.

For information on available financial aid, loans, and scholarships, please refer to the Financial Aid  Section of this catalog.

Tuition for Senior Adults

In1974, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation providing for tuition assistance for senior adults. Maryland residents, age 60 or older, may enroll without tuition charge for credit courses at Carroll Community College. The legislation covers tuition only; however, College fees must be paid by all students for credit courses. Credit-free /Continuing Education courses may also have fees which must be paid by all students, including senior adults age 60 or older.

Other Expenses

Books and supplies for a full-time student are estimated to be $1,200.00 per year. Transportation is estimated at $1,500.00 per year. Expense items reflect customary average expenses incurred by students attending Carroll Community College on a full-time basis for an academic year.

Other Fees and Charges

Fees are subject to change without prior notice.

Tuition and Fee Refund Policy

For courses that encompass the full (15-week) term, the tuition and fee refund period concludes at the end of the day one calendar week after the start of the term (7% of the instruction for the course). For courses that encompass less than the full term, the tuition and fee refund period is calculated as 7% of the instruction time for that course (estimated on the following chart.) Go to www.carrollcc.edu/refund for dates. Contact your academic advisor for assistance and logistics for dropping a course:

To qualify for a tuition and fee refund, a student must drop via Student Planning on the Lynx portal or contact an advisor before the due time. Students who fail to attend courses or stop attending courses and who do not formally drop the courses in writing, will continue to be financially responsible for all tuition and fees related to those courses and will receive the final grade earned, usually an “F,” for those courses. This refund policy applies to all students who have registered for courses, including financial aid recipients. Tuition and fee refunds will be credited against the original form of payment when applicable. Students who have any outstanding debt to the College will first have their tuition and fee refunds automatically applied to the payment of that debt. This tuition and fee refund policy applies to all students who have registered for courses. Financial aid recipients should refer to the Withdrawal Policy for Financial Aid Recipients, below, for more information about how financial aid will be affected by dropping courses or withdrawal from all coursework.

A student who misses a refund or withdrawal deadline and wishes to request special consideration by the appeals committee should email details of his/her situation, including appropriate documentation, to studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu. The appeals committee meets monthly to review such requests.

Withdrawal Policy for Financial Aid Recipients

Any federal student aid recipient who withdraws from all coursework during a term is subject to the Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) policy. The policy calculates how much Title IV aid the student has earned for the term in which the withdrawal occurs. At Carroll Community College, Title IV aid subject to R2T4 includes the Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct Plus Loan (PLUS), Federal Pell Grant, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

1. Attendance: Financial aid recipients are required to regularly attend class sessions for the entire term. Financial aid is awarded on the assumption that the financial aid recipient will adhere to this requirement.
    
2. Types of Withdrawal: A student would be considered officially withdrawn if they submitted a written request to the Records Office to be withdrawn from all coursework. A student would be considered unofficially withdrawn if they ceased attendance in all coursework at any point during the term.
    
3. Basic Calculation: The student’s total number of days attended in the term is divided by the total number of days in the term. For example, if the student attended 45 days of a term with 105 days, the student attended 42.9% of the term and has earned 42.9% of the federal student aid awarded for that term. If the student attends greater than 60% of the term, the student has earned 100% of the federal student aid awarded for that term. The 60% point for each term will be listed on each student’s Financial Aid Award Letter. Sample R2T4 calculations may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office at the student’s request.
    
4. Financial Aid Office Procedures: Each term, class attendance will be verified by all instructors. The Financial Aid Office will review the list of students who did not begin attendance. Financial aid awards will be adjusted or canceled for any financial aid recipient who does not begin attendance in one or more courses. The student will therefore be responsible for the full balance of their student tuition and fee account.
   
   The Financial Aid Office will run an enrollment verification report to verify changes in student enrollment. If the student has officially withdrawn from all coursework through the Records Office and is a federal student aid recipient, the Financial Aid Office will use the official withdrawal date to determine if any federal student aid must be returned to the appropriate program. Any funds that must be returned will be returned by the College and the student will be notified by mail that the R2T4 policy has been applied to their account and they must repay the College. The return of funds by the College and notification to the student will occur within 45 days of the student’s official withdrawal.
   
   At the end of each term, the Financial Aid Office will review academic transcripts. Any federal student aid recipient with all F grades or a combination of F and W grades will be considered an unofficial withdrawal until proven otherwise by the instructors. The Financial Aid Office will use the latest date of attendance as reported by instructors to determine if any federal student aid must be returned to the appropriate program. Any funds that must be returned will be returned by the College and the student will be notified by mail that the R2T4 policy has been applied to their account and they must repay the College. The return of funds by the College and notification to the student will occur within 45 days of the deadline to report grades for that term.
    
5. Order of Return of Funds: The College will return unearned Title IV funds to the appropriate program in the order that is specified by the U.S. Department of Education
   • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (UNSUB)
   • Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (SUB)
   • Federal Direct Plus Loan (PLUS)
   • Federal Pell Grant (PELL)
   • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
      
6. Post-withdrawal Disbursement: If it is determined that the student withdrew officially after beginning attendance in all coursework and prior to the transmittal of federal student aid, the student may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the student is due a post-withdrawal disbursement, the Financial Aid Office will make any disbursement and/or notify the student within 30 days of the date of withdrawal.

If verification is not complete at the time the College completes the R2T4 worksheet for the student, the student will not be eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the student completes verification by the verification deadline, a new R2T4 worksheet will be completed.

Payment of Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees may be paid by cash, money order, personal check, or credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa). To pay online by check or credit card, log into your Student Planning account (visit www.carrollcc.edu/mycarroll and click on Lynx portal). After logging in, click on Student Finance. For more information, please call the Business Office, 410-386-8040.

Payment Plan

The College offers a deferred payment plan (interest free) that allows students to budget tuition payments. In order to qualify for the program, students (credit or continuing education) must have a total tuition balance of $200.00 or more. There is a $25.00 fee to enroll in the plan each term. For more information, please call the Business Office, 410-386-8040. Credit students may log into the Lynx Portal and click on Student Finance to enroll in the payment plan (repeat set-up each term).

Student Loans

Carroll Community College participates in the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program that allows students and parents to borrow funds at low interest rates to pay for education expenses. The U.S. Department of Education lends the money directly to eligible students and parents through the student’s school.

Collection Policy

Students with an outstanding balance at the end of the term will not be permitted to re-register until payment is made in full. The College’s policies regarding payments and collections apply to payments due directly to the College, as well as payments at the College bookstore and other auxiliary services. Delinquent accounts will be assigned to MLR or the State of Maryland Central Collection Unit for collection with a 17% service fee added to the amount owed. The State of Maryland Central Collection Unit has the authority to intercept Maryland Income Tax Refunds or to take legal action through the State’s Attorney General’s Office.

Residency Determination for Tuition Purposes

Carroll Community College is supported by public revenue from Carroll County and the State of Maryland. These revenues are derived for the primary purpose of serving the educational needs of Carroll County residents. Differential tuition rates have been established to accommodate those students from outside the county who wish to attend.

Carroll Community College follows the Maryland Higher Education Commission general policies governing residency classification of students for tuition purposes. The Registrar is charged with monitoring and enforcing these policies and may require documentation as deemed appropriate. See the Change of Address form for procedural information and documentation requirements.

Students in transition should obtain an official Maryland ID (driver’s license or ID) with the correct street address listed and complete the Change of Address form.

Students who cannot provide standard documentation of 90-days residency (Maryland driver’s license, proof of rental/ownership, and proof of payment of Carroll County taxes with all documents indicating the same address) will be charged at the out of county or state rate until residency is established and appropriate documentation is produced. Special consideration is provided to military families. Please see the registrar, if you are newly relocating due to military obligations.

If the College discovers that the address of record is incorrect, students will be billed/rebilled at the out-of-state rate unless and until appropriate documentation of residency is provided. Students who wish to appeal the registrar’s decision may appeal a residency classification within thirty (30) days of the decision by filing an appeal with the appeals committee at studentaffairs@carrollcc.edu.

Policies and Definitions

The following are guidelines used to determine the residency status of Carroll students.

1. A student is an out-of-county or out-of-state resident if they or their primary supporter(s) resides outside the boundaries of Carroll County or the State of Maryland.
    
2. A student is a Maryland or Carroll County resident if they maintain a legal domicile there and has done so for a period of not less than three (3) months before the date of enrollment.
    
3. For purposes of residency classification, “domicile” shall be defined as a person’s permanent place of abode, where physical presence and possessions are maintained and where they intend to remain indefinitely.
    
4. The domicile of a person who received more than one-half of their financial support from others in the most recently completed year is the domicile of the person contributing the greatest proportion of support, without regard to whether the parties are related by blood or marriage.
    
5. “Date of enrollment” shall mean the published start date of class sessions for the term or other enrollment period involved.
    
6. For information about rates and regulations for visa holders, please see the Admissions section for international students.

Procedures and Regulations

1. At the time of admission or initial enrollment in any credit course at Carroll Community College, each student shall affirm domicile and the factual basis for the claim of domicile.
    
2. Students shall notify the Records Office if their place of residence changes. If facts indicate the domicile has changed, the student will be required to provide address documentation.
    
3. In determining the adequacy of the factual basis for domicile provided by the students, the registrar or a designee shall consider any or all of the following factors and may request evidence for substantiation:
   1. Ownership or rental of local living quarters;
   2. Substantially uninterrupted physical presence, including the months when the student is not in attendance at the College;
   3. Maintenance in Maryland and in Carroll County of all, or substantially all, of the student’s possessions;
   4. Payment of Maryland State and local piggy-back income taxes on all income earned, including all income earned outside the State;
   5. Registration to vote in the State and/or Carroll County;
   6. Registration of a motor vehicle in the State, with a local address specified, if the student owns or uses such a vehicle; possession of a valid Maryland driver’s license, with a local address specified, if the student is licensed anywhere to drive a motor vehicle.
       
4. In addition to the general requirements above, the following provisions apply to the specific categories of students indicated:
   1. Military personnel and their dependents who were domiciliaries of Maryland at the time of entrance into the armed forces and who are stationed outside the State may retain Maryland domicile as long as they do not establish domicile elsewhere.
   2. Military personnel stationed in Maryland who were not Maryland domiciliaries at the time of entrance into the armed forces and their dependents may be considered residents for tuition purposes as long as they remain on active duty in the State.
   3. A foreign national lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States may be considered a resident for tuition purposes if he/she meets the domicile requirements stated in this policy.
   4. A foreign national lawfully admitted to the United States on a temporary, student, or visitor visa may not be considered a resident for tuition purposes.
   5. A student enrolled in a program designated as Statewide or Regional by the Maryland Higher Education Commission may be considered a resident for tuition purposes if domiciled in the approved county for the program.
   6. A student from outside the State who enrolls as part of a reciprocity agreement negotiated between Maryland and another state may be considered a resident for tuition purposes.
       
5. A student may request a change in residency classification by filing a written request (complete the Change of Address form) and submitting evidence to the Records Office.