Students, families catch financial break with 2013-2014 NICC tuition freeze

Students enrolled at Northeast Iowa Community College’s (NICC) campuses and centers – or taking classes online, at their local high schools or who reside out-of-state – stand to benefit financially from the college’s decision to freeze tuition and fees for the 2013-2014 academic year.
In May, the NICC Board of Trustees formally approved the college administration’s recommendation to make the cost-saving move, which will impact the over 7,000 credit students who enroll at NICC annually. The enrollment figure also includes more than 2,600 high school students in the college’s eight-county district whose families currently save on tuition through articulation agreements between high schools and NICC.
The college’s decision to defray additional tuition and fee costs to students is in keeping with its mission of affordability, according to NICC President Liang Chee Wee, Ph.D.
"This school year, we are freezing our tuition and fees, and as far as we know, NICC is the only college in Iowa to do that. This is our commitment to the families in our area – to keep our college affordable,” Dr. Wee said. “We are also going to provide more scholarships for credit, and non-credit, students."
2013-2014 tuition at NICC is $150 per credit hour plus $13 in fees per credit hour, for a total cost of $163 per credit hour. All credit program students, both in-state and out-of-state, paid the same tuition and fees during the previous 2012-2013 academic year.
This fall semester, NICC will implement other services designed to enhance financial processes for students. The college contracted with Higher One®, a financial services company that provides refund management and student-focused money management services to higher education institutions.

Starting in August, students will receive an NICC Blue Card that offers the option to have financial aid refunds deposited directly into a current checking account or a new account established with Higher One. Students may also opt to use the NICC Blue Card as a debit card.
In contracting with Higher One, NICC joins several other two- and four-year colleges in Iowa which also utilize the company’s services for their students.