To qualify for the 62-plus tuition waiver at a Georgia college or university
• Must be a resident of Georgia, 62 years of age or older at the time of registration, and present a birth certificate or other comparable written documentation of age to enable the institution to determine eligibility.
• May enroll as a regular or auditing student in courses offered for resident credit on a “space available” basis without payment of fees, except for supplies, laboratory or shop fees.
• Must meet all undergraduate or graduate admission requirements. Institutions may exercise discretion in exceptional case.
• May not enroll in dental, medical, veterinary, or law schools under the provisions of this policy.
Source: University System of Georgia
GSU-62 Facts & Figures
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Most popular subjects among GSU-62 students
1. History
2. English
3. Spanish
4. Math
5. Sociology
6. Philosophy
7. Political Science
8. French
9. Music
10. African-American Studies
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2014 spring semester GSU-62 enrollment
188 total enrollment
• 124 undergraduates
• 100 female
• 88 male
Avg. GPA: 3.222
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Source: Georgia State University
This past spring, when Bob Brennan received his bachelor’s degree in English from Georgia State University, the 85-year old completed what he had begun in 1951 as a young Korean War veteran.
It was a “big day for me” to finally get that degree, Brennan said. And best of all, in going back to college he didn’t pay a dime of tuition.
In Georgia, adult residents age 62 and older can enroll in any college or university within the Georgia University System and take courses for free. Though the tuition waiver has been around for more than three decades, it may be one of Georgia’s best kept educational secrets.
Rick Tigner first heard of it from a GSU admissions counselor when discussing his application for a geology class he was prepared to pay for. Tigner was 62 at the time and had taken partial retirement so he could take college courses just for the joy of learning subjects that interested him. For that class, his only cost turned out to be a $10 lab fee.
Waiver students can enroll in undergraduate or graduate classes, but they do have to meet college admission requirements. For some, it might mean taking a placement test. Waiver students also have to sign up during late registration and are required to pay any additional fees, such as those for labs or supplies.
Georgia State is seeing an increase in applicants for its GSU-62 program, said Judith Carson, an assistant director in undergraduate admissions. Carson, who is in the GSU-62 program herself working on a Ph.D. in English, is the program’s point person for admissions.
Enrollment numbers for the fall semester are not finalized, but Carson estimates there are more than 200 students in GSU-62, up from a spring enrollment of 188, but minuscule compared to a total student body of around 32,000.
Temme Barkin-Leeds graduated from GSU in 2009, at age 69, with a bachelor’s of fine arts in drawing and painting. She said GSU-62 is a “fabulous program” but the tuition waiver overall is not well advertised in Georgia.
“I learned so much from the younger people in my classes, and I’d like to think they learned from me, too,” she said.
For those thinking about going back, be prepared to face a digital world.
“The use of technology is not an obstacle, but it tends to be a learning curve,” said Scott Burke, GSU Undergraduate Admissions Director.
Tigner, now 66, said while his classmates pulled out their personal computers and tablets to take notes, he stuck with the tried-and-true spiral-bound notebook.
Seniors might also be surprised to find their comments and opinions matter greatly to younger classmates and professors.
Brennen, impressed by “smart and hard-working” student peers, made his own contributions by sharing real life experiences in history and literature classes.
And then there are the unexpected pleasures of going back to school.
Tigner said he didn’t expect to feel so “re-energized and renewed” after attending classes. Barkin-Leeds, who already had a master’s degree, said she was mentored and challenged by professors who didn’t treat her any differently than any other student.
“I would tell any older person to go back – anyway you want, degree or no degree,” said Barkin-Leeds, 73. “If you have a passion to learn something don’t let age stop you.”
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