Tuition and Fees
You Can Afford Guilford
Few things in life are as important as a quality college education. Guilford's goal is to provide accessible and affordable excellence that gives you an exceptional and lasting return on your investment.
At Guilford College, we firmly believe in empowering students through accessible and affordable education. Our steadfast commitment is reflected in the substantial investments we make to ensure each student can unlock their academic potential.
Our commitment to the Class of 2029 is manifested through a generous investment of $12.5 million in scholarships and grant aid for our first-year students. This significant undertaking underscores our dedication to fostering an environment where financial constraints are minimized, and educational aspirations are prioritized.
Do you need help paying for college? Check out this Financial Aid Checklist for the steps you need to take to apply for financial aid. (It's also available for download.)
Prospective students age 23 and older, please visit the Continuing Education Program page for cost of attendance information, including direct costs (tuition, meals, housing and fees).
Graduate students looking for cost of attendance information, including direct costs (tuition, meals, housing and fees), please visit the Graduate Student Financial Aid page.
Current students looking for cost of attendance information, including direct costs (tuition, meals, housing and fees): Please visit the Current Current Students page and choose the year you first enrolled at Guilford.
Direct Costs (on campus) |
|
2025-26 Tuition for First-Year Students (Including Transfers) |
|
Full-Time |
$21,600 per semester |
Other Tuition Rates |
|
Part-Time |
$1,110 per credit hour |
Audit |
$110 per credit hour |
Housing |
|
Residence hall room, double occupancy |
$3,300 per semester per resident |
Residence hall room, single occupancy (limited availability) |
$5,175 per semester per resident |
North or South Apartments, single occupancy bedroom (in shared suite) |
$5,500 per semester per resident |
East Apartments, single occupancy bedroom (in shared suite) |
$5,890 per semester per resident |
Meal Plans |
|
19 meals per week, plus $150 Dining Cash (required for all residential first-year students) |
$3,575 per semester |
14 meals per week, plus $150 Dining Cash |
$3,275 per semester |
10 meals per week, plus $150 Dining Cash |
$2,600 per semester |
150 meals per semester, plus $150 Dining Cash (apartment residents only) |
$2,400 per semester |
25 meals per semester |
$390 per semester |
2025-26 Fees For First-Year Students (Including Transfers) |
|
Activity Fee |
$250 per semester |
College Fee |
$185 per semester |
Orientation Fee |
$250 |
Follett ACCESS Book Fee |
$400 per semester |
On-campus parking permit |
$100 per semester |
* Prices subject to change.
Additional Information
When estimating your cost of attendance, take into account both direct and indirect charges. Guilford provides students the following information to assist in making informed decisions about their future and provides a baseline from which they may begin to budget, plan, and prepare. Always borrow conservatively.
Direct costs are billed to your student account and include tuition, on-campus housing, food, and any applicable fees like the student activity fee or College fee.
Indirect costs are additional expenses you need to consider that are not charged to you by the College. These costs of living include books, supplies, personal expenses, transportation, and off-campus housing, if applicable.
| Direct Charges | On Campus | Off Campus | With Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 41,200 | 41,200 | 41,200 |
| Fees | 1,120 | 1120 | 1120 |
| Housing | 6600 | ||
| Food | 7150 | ||
| Total Direct Charges | 56,070 | 42320 | 42,320 |
| Indirect Cost Estimates | |||
| Food | 7,150 | 7150 | |
| Off-Campus Housing | 1500 | 1500 | |
| Books and Supplies | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Personal Expenses | 1000 | 500 | 500 |
| Transportation | 700 | 1400 | 1400 |
| Loan Fees | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Supplies | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Total Indirect Costs | 3060 | 11910 | 11910 |
| Grand Total | 59130 | 54230 | 54230 |
Please note: The above figures are estimates for enrollment for fall and spring and may not reflect actual charges from Guilford.
Subject to the approval of their adviser, students may add or drop courses during the first week of classes. For students reducing their course load to fewer than 12 credit hours through the last day to drop classes without a grade, their account will be adjusted such that they will be billed per credit hour. If this credit-hour reduction results in the student no longer being eligible for financial aid requiring half-time or full-time enrollment for the term, the applicable financial aid will be reduced or canceled in accordance with state and/or federal requirements. As of the census date of the semester, no adjustment of charges will be made. However, state grant aid received may be reduced after census date due to a drop in enrollment status.
The Follett Book fee is the complete charge for your online and physical books and materials for one semester. Materials will be available on the first day of classes through the Campus Bookstore. The fee will be determined in the summer prior to the academic year and communicated to students. Students are expected to return their books to the Bookstore at the end of the semester. If books are not returned, a fee for each book will be charged by Follett to the credit card listed on file.
Students may opt out of this fee and must do so by the semester's add/drop day. Students who opt out are responsible for obtaining their books and materials by the first day of class. Opt out instructions are emailed to your Guilford email address after the billing statements are released each semester.
- Deposit: $250 non-refundable payment required of all new students prior to their enrollment.
- Orientation Fee: one-time charge for all first-year and transfer students to provide funding for Guilford orientation, alcohol education, meals and small group sessions.
- Student Activity Fee: charged to all students to fund the student organizations, events, and programs in which all students may participate or from which they receive benefits.
- Returned Check Charge: Returned checks are re-deposited one time unless we are notified otherwise. A handling fee will be charged to the student’s account each time a check is returned due to insufficient funds or for other reasons. This policy applies to all checks written to Guilford College.
- Housing and Meals: Guilford College is primarily a residential campus and students under the age of 23 are required to live on campus and carry an on-campus meal plan. Students may petition to be released from the residential requirement if they feel they meet certain criteria, such as living locally with a parent/guardian. Students who are not approved for an off-campus release and have also not registered for on-campus housing, will still incur on-campus housing and meal plan fees and are required to pay all related charges.
- Overload charges: any credits above 18 hours per semester will result in an $145 additional charge per credit hour.
Semester Installment
Billing per semester is available for deposited students in TouchNet beginning in July for Fall Semester, November for Spring Semester and April for Summer. You can submit payment directly to the Student Accounts Office or make an online payment through your TouchNet account by the appropriate due date. No. No paper statements are sent to students. It is important to review your TouchNet account often to see any changes.
529 Education Savings Plan
Your 529 savings plan can be used to cover qualifying education expenses. We recommend that you speak with your plan administrator to review qualifying education expenses and to learn how to request a withdrawal from the plan to cover college costs.
Tuition Payment Plan
Guilford College has teamed up with TouchNet to offer families a way to pay installments that are more manageable. This plan accrues no interest, only charging a small fee at the time of enrollment. You can create your TouchNet account online. Students can add authorized users on TouchNet to manage the payment plan as well.
Federal Direct Student Loan
Students who file a FAFSA can borrow through this fixed rate federal loan program. The federal government withholds a small origination fee at the time of disbursement. In order to confirm acceptance of the loan, new borrowers must “Accept” the loan in BannerWeb then complete an Entrance Counseling session and submit an online Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentaid.gov. Students should use their created FSA ID to complete the counseling and MPN. Students must file a FAFSA every year to take advantage of this fixed rate federal loan. Additional information on Federal Direct Student Loans is available at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized.
Federal PLUS Loan
A Federal Direct PLUS Loan is a loan program for biological/adoptive parents or a step-parent whose information is listed on the FAFSA can apply for in order to cover college costs for a dependent student. The student must have a FAFSA on file in order for a parent to borrow a PLUS loan. PLUS loans offer a fixed interest rate but do assess an origination fee. Additional information regarding PLUS Loans is available online at https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/ The parent who is borrowing should log into the site using their FSA ID - the same one created to complete the FAFSA.
Private Education Loan
A student or parent may choose to apply for an education loan through a lender of their choice. To aid students in choosing the best private loan option available, Guilford College has teamed up with ELM Select to offer a private loan comparison tool. The Office of Financial Aid recommends utilizing the maximum federal loans before applying for private loans. Private education loans in the student’s name will require a credit worthy cosigner. Private loan lists and information can be accessed at https://www.elmselect.com/v4/school/266/program-select.
