Students who attend a technical college in Georgia will see their tuition increase $10 per credit hour starting next year.

The state board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia approved the system’s request for a tuition increase on Sept. 6.

Students at the 25 TCSG colleges will pay $85 per credit hour beginning in spring 2013. Tuition for a full, 15-hour course load will cost $1,275 next semester, up $150.

With the increase, students who enroll under the HOPE grant will pay $364 in out-of-pocket tuition for a full semester, up from the $214 that they currently spend.

In addition, the TCSG board approved a new $50 institutional fee beginning in spring 2013 and a $50 fee for online courses starting in fall 2013. Students will pay, on average, a total of $223 in fees starting in the spring.

The total cost to attend a TCSG college full time for a semester next year will be just under $2,000, including expenses for books. The out-of-pocket cost for students who qualify for the HOPE grant will be about $1,086.

TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson said a tuition and fee increase was made necessary by rising expenses to deliver programs and lower state appropriations.

“A state technical college education remains an excellent value compared to the cost, yet we fully understand the impact that any additional expense has on our students,” Jackson said. “The colleges will do all that they can to provide sources of financial assistance to those who need it most.”

For more information, visit www.tcsg.edu.