FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) — Francis Marion University announced Thursday that tuition and fees will freeze for the second consecutive year.
FMU said they were one of the handful of universities in South Carolina that had a tuition freeze last year and maintains the lowest net cost of attending in the state.
President Dr. Fred Carter said the trustee’s unanimous decision to freeze tuition shows the university’s commitment to its core values.
“This university was created to make a great education accessible to the people of this region and the state, and to us accessibility has always meant affordability,” Carter said. “It would be unconscionable for us to even think about raising tuition right now in these uncertain times when so many are struggling.”
Undergraduate tuition remains at $5,192 per semester for in-state students. The university said a majority of their students are from in-state.
Carter also addressed the re-opening of the campus in August, with traditional instruction resuming in most classes. More online classes will be offered than in the past and some classes will be “hybrid” classes with some online and some in-person instruction, the university said.
Classroom capacities will be reduced and the university will also use some larger spaces not previously used for educational purposes. In addition, capacity will be reduced in residence halls, with more single rooms being available.
The university will also have new dining procedures with more space and more takeout options.
The university said they will release details of the plans at a later date, but noted that the semester will end the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, with final exams being given online or during one of the last class sessions.
