Chipola College Provides Great Education Value
With prices of everything on the rise, Chipola College continues to be an exceptional value in higher education.
The Chipola District Board of Trustees has not raised tuition or fees in nearly a decade, since 2011-12. Chipola’s in-state tuition is $102 per semester hour for freshman and sophomore level classes, and only $115 an hour for junior and senior level classes. Georgia and Alabama residents pay only one dollar more per semester hour to attend Chipola.
By comparison, Florida State University’s undergraduate tuition is $215 per hour on the main campus and $180 per hour at the Panama City campus. The University of West Florida’s tuition is $218 an hour. Troy University—Troy and Dothan campuses—charges $325 an hour.
The majority of Chipola students receive some form of financial aid through the Federal Pell Grant, State of Florida scholarships such as Bright Futures or through the Chipola Foundation.
The college awards $3.2 million annually in state and federal awards and nearly $1 million through institutional waivers and scholarships.
The Chipola Foundation awarded 1,098 scholarships during the 2019-20 school year, totaling more than $778,000 spent toward tuition and books. The Foundation is accepting applications for more than 170 scholarships available on the Foundation’s current scholarship list for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.
The Foundation also helps students with gifts from two large trusts. The Violet McLendon Educational Trust awarded more than 340 scholarships this school year. The Maynard and Edna Fink Estate funds 14 Valedictorian Scholarships at $4,000 and 27 other scholarships annually.
Steve Young, Chipola Vice President of Business Services, says, “Chipola is the best return on investment a student can make. We award more in financial aid and scholarships than we collect in tuition and fees.”
Current and prospective Chipola students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Application (FAFSA) as soon as possible and to apply for Foundation Scholarships.
Students must complete the FAFSA in order to qualify for Pell, Work Study and other federal financial aid. The FAFSA takes several days to process; therefore, students are encouraged to submit all electronic forms as soon as possible. For information, call 850-718-2366. For mor information on Foundation scholarships, call 850-718-2404 or visit www.chipola.edu/foundation.