Starting your bachelor’s degree in your 20s and beyond or coming back to finish your degree after years away can be difficult to navigate. Two of the main areas of concern for adults starting or returning to college include cost and financial aid. At ETSU Online, we try to provide practical information to help you get started.

Let’s start by exploring the cost.

What are the tuition categories?

When looking at the cost of enrolling at a college, tuition is not the only factor. Colleges may have different fee structures that impact how much you pay. ETSU’s tuition includes the cost of instruction plus associated program service fees. Additionally, students who are from other U.S. States, and international students, pay additional fees as non-Tennessee residents. The following are ETSU’s base tuition rate categories:

  • Tennessee In-State
  • Border State (applies to the undergraduate level only and includes Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia)
  • Other USA States
  • International (applies to the undergraduate level only)
  • eRate (applies to fully online students only)

Current rates can be viewed on the Tuition and Fees Tables web page.

What are the most common tuition categories for online students?  

Online students typically pay either the Tennessee In-State rate or the eRate. The eRate is available to ETSU students, who are classified as non-residents of Tennessee and who are enrolled exclusively in online courses. The eRate is less expensive than the out-of-state rate, but more expensive than the in-state rate. Are you an online student living in Tennessee? In that case, you get the less expensive Tennessee In-State tuition option!

What about additional fees?  

Any applicable additional fees would be added to the base tuition cost described above. The most common additional fees are course fees and online fees.

  • Course Fees: Specialized academic course fee revenues are limited to funding only the related costs for providing these courses.
  • Online Course Fee: This fee applies to all online courses and funds technology support services to students.

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Can a student get an estimate of the cost?

Estimated cost can be calculated on the Undergraduate Student Tuition and Fees Estimator. I recommend this tool frequently and find it very useful. You can select your program, how many credits you’d take per semester, and your area of residency. You can also select ‘online’ as the course delivery method and choose the specific courses you plan to take, if you know them. The more information you can enter, the closer the estimate will be.  

Note: Tuition and fees are subject to change each year. For the most up-to-date amounts, check out the undergraduate tuition and fee tables. The information presented on the Tuition and Fees Estimator is only an estimate; it is not an actual statement of costs and is not binding in any way.

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What are the available financial aid options?  

Financial aid options include grants, loans, scholarships, employee tuition assistance, and work study positions. The best place to start finding information, resources, and contact information is the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. This webpage has guides for first-time students, transfer students, veterans, and more. Topics you can explore include:

  • Types of Aid
  • Applying for Aid
  • How Aid Works
  • Scholarships
  • Dates & Deadlines
  • Contacting a Financial Aid Counselor


Another very useful resource is Bucky’s Treasure Map. It outlines four steps to financing your education.

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A Practical Path to Your Degree

All in all, the total cost to attend can be offset by applicable aid. After your aid is applied, you will pay the remaining cost each semester – either all at once by the payment deadline or by enrolling in a payment plan.

As an online student, you have access to resources, people, and tools to help you find your way. Let’s get started!