Non-residential students’ tuition will rise to meet the cost other community colleges are offering.
Tuition will rise from $234 a unit to $258, with an additional capital outlay charge of $11 a unit.
The motion to carry an increase of tuition for non-residential students was unanimous at the Board of Trustees meeting Jan. 16.
Tuition has been steadily rising since 2013 to keep up with a California law that mandates non-residential tuition meets the statewide average. Other colleges such as Chaffey, Mt. San Antonio, Pasadena, and Rio Hondo have Citrus has been applying a two-year inflation factor of 1.046 percent to international students.
Some international students say they were not aware of the change.
Sammy Fernandes, journalism major from Brazil, said she did not know about the the fee raise, but it will not impact her enrollment at Citrus because it would require too much work to return to Brazil.
“I know some students only pay like, 30 dollars to take whatever class they want,” Fernandes said, “It is a big investment for our parents.”
An Nguyen, chemistry major from VietNam, came to Citrus College for its transfer opportunities to universities he is interested in. For Nguyen, the tuition raise is not that impactful by itself, but as an international student he is required to be a full time student and his job opportunities are limited to on campus.
“Other fees increase, like gas, and it kind of makes it difficult for me,” Nguyen said.
Philippe Schicker, mechanical engineering major from Hamburg, Germany, said he was aware of the situation because he knew the Citrus College board of Trustees were voting on it.
Schicker said he understands that the price increase was mandated throughout California and that it was a requirement the school board had to accept.
“There’s not much gained from being upset about at that,” Schicker said in a text.
Those who qualify for an economic hardship waiver avoid capital outlay.
