(The Center Square) – Georgia residents attending the state’s public colleges and universities will pay 1% more for tuition in the 2026-27 year.
The Board of Regents also agreed to a 3% increase for out-of-state students.
In-state students attending the University of Georgia who take 15 hours of classes, which is considered full-time, would pay $5,067 per semester, a $50 increase, according to a chart provided by the board. Tuition for Georgia residents taking 15 hours or more at Georgia State University, a research university, will rise by $45.
The increases for full-time students at the state’s regional universities range from $30 to $75 per semester.
Students in six of the university system’s state colleges will have increases of $15 per semester. Georgia Highlands College and South Georgia State College students will pay an additional $75 per semester.
The increase was approved by the board nearly two weeks after the General Assembly reduced the enrollment‑driven formula funding by $34.2 million in the fiscal year 2027 state budget, which is awaiting second-term Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature.
Tuition was only expected to cover 25% of instructional costs, but that changed after the recession of 2007-09, according to the board. The state’s share of instructional costs has decreased from 75% to about 57%.
“For more than a decade, USG and the Board of Regents have prioritized keeping college affordable for families so more students can pursue higher education right here in Georgia,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said in a statement. “With enrollment at record levels, we’re focused on limiting new financial hurdles and delivering real value on every campus.”
While the General Assembly reduced the enrollment funding formula, it offered a new way for students to pay for college. The new Georgia DREAMS scholarship received $325 million in funding in the adjusted 2026 fiscal year budget, with $25 million for scholarships and $300 million for an endowment. Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 556, which states students would receive a maximum amount of $3,000.
Georgia’s Hope Scholarship, established in 1993, is a merit-based scholarship awarded to high school students with a grade point average of at least 3.0. It is funded by the Georgia Lottery.
