FREE 3-hour Winter Mini-term classes at TAMUC

[LuckyLion44]

Wanted to share my experience and ask if other people have recent experience with these "tuition free" courses at East Texas A&M/Texas A&M Commerce.

I recently applied as a non-degree seeking graduate student and enrolled yesterday in a graduate business class for the Winter Mini term.  Checked today to see what I owe for the winter term: it's $1,506, including $126 for tuition and $1,380 for fees.  The cost of attendance calculator shows a 3-credit course for a non-Texas resident being ~$2,700 and in-state being ~$1,500.  It seems like I am being given credit for the in-state tuition and fees but have to pay the additional amount due for out of state tuition and fees.  

I am hoping that there will be an adjustment in the next few days, but I am not holding my breath.  Given that I am pursuing my MBA at UT-Rio Grande Valley and pay $1,417 per 3-credit course, I don't anticipate sticking with East Texas A&M if this persists.  I also signed up for some of the tuition-free competency-based graduate courses for the spring.  I wonder how those will work out, tuition and fee-wise, as well.

This does not seem like your bill is calculating correctly. Tuition and course fees (like lab fees and online class fees) are waived for the winter mini term and this has been confirmed by others (in state or out of state). There are 2 known costs that may occur:

• Application fee $50 for grad students -- no idea what it is for undergrads (Its too late to apply now and get in on time, so anyone reading this, don't spend the money) 
  
• Book and materials costs to include a materials cost of "inclusive access fee" which is basically one of those online course lab portals where you can do work and get an eTextbook in the process. There is at least one course in the list that has this, but it is labeled on the schedule of classes. Even so, I believe that fee is under $300, -- I think its under $200 actually. Not sure what I saw in the past.
  

Neither of these materials fees or application fees seem to match what you are describing though. I recommend contacting student.accounts@tamuc.edu early this morning to resolve the issue or drop the class before Monday gets here. 

If you did not apply as a nondegree student and applied as a full time student in a degree program for spring semester, there could potentially be additional costs like health insurance plan, parking, or the rec center for example; this may differ if you selected undergrad or grad as well. Health insurance can still be waived of full time students with verification of other health insurance or proof of off campus living I think. Full time freshman are required to live on campus and so large fees may also be there because of that. It is crucial to have applied as a nondegree seeking student to make this most cost-effective. Any, I am not sure what your fees are listed as but you should absolutely contact them or drop the course; you can't drop it after the first day or 2 and you don't want some random class that you didn't actually finish to be a required transcript you have to send places which would also bring down your cumulative GPA. A fee that large sounds like a health insurance fee actually, and if you are only there for 1 mini term as a non degree seeking student, it doesn't seem like you would need that. Defineately call.