{"id":1765,"date":"2026-06-19T19:07:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=1765"},"modified":"2026-06-19T19:07:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:07:50","slug":"usc-extends-tuition-freeze-for-in-state-students-but-fees-continue-to-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=1765","title":{"rendered":"USC extends tuition freeze for in-state students. But fees continue to rise"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n

The University of South Carolina will hold tuition for in-state students flat for an eighth consecutive year.<\/p>\n

Read more Body pulled from Lake Wateree after swimmer experiences \u2018distress\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

South Carolina residents who attend the state\u2019s flagship school will pay $12,288 per year \u2014 the same amount they\u2019ve been charged since 2019 \u2014 or 26.5% less than what they would pay if the university had raised tuition by the annual general inflation rate over the past seven years, university officials said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Out-of-state students, who already pay three times more for tuition than Palmetto State residents, will see a 3% rate hike, according to the by the USC Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Non-residents, whose tuition has increased 13.6% since 2019, will be charged $38,500 for the 2026-27 school year.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The extended tuition freeze for in-state students has been made possible by additional money supplied by the South Carolina General Assembly.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Since 2019, state lawmakers have sent the state\u2019s public colleges and universities tens of millions of dollars in exchange for a promise to hold tuition flat for South Carolina residents.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The legislature has yet to set the exact amount that will be allocated for tuition mitigation this year, but both House and Senate budget plans , including $7.2 million for USC\u2019s Columbia campus.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For the first time this year, lawmakers are contemplating whether to attach strings to the tuition supplement.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The House\u2019s budget proposal would require colleges that accept tuition assistance to suspend new admissions for academic programs that consistently lose money, while the Senate\u2019s plan, which is not as hardline, would merely make schools review the efficacy of new and existing academic programs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Non-tuition costs on the rise<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Even as in-state tuition remains frozen, non-tuition costs continue to rise for all USC students.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The board of trustees earlier this year and a 4.1% increase ($216 annually) to the standard meal plan.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As a result, students will pay $9,812 on average for a suite this coming school year and $5,472 annually for the All Access meal plan, which gives them unlimited access to six campus dining halls and $250 to use at any on-campus dining location.<\/p>\n

Read more Body pulled from Lake Wateree after swimmer experiences \u2018distress\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

University officials said the housing and dining increases are necessary to keep pace with inflation.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Since the 2021-22 school year, the average suite cost at USC has increased 27.2% and the typical meal plan has spiked 37.5%, according to USC budget documents.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An analysis conducted earlier this year by The State Media Co found that non-tuition costs at the University of South Carolina had historically outpaced inflation.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n