Academic Credits and Costs
Tuition
The total tuition for the year is $6,250. This tuition includes all expenses due to Augusta Health related to enrollment including textbooks and supplies.
All applicants must pay a $100 non-refundable registration fee due upon signing the enrollment agreement (after an offer of acceptance has been made). Payments are then due as follows: $615 due on the first day of class and $615 due in nine installments according to the schedule outlined on the enrollment agreement.
After a 30-day grace period from the date each tuition deposit is due, a late payment penalty of $20.00 per day will be assessed for a maximum of five days. If payment is still outstanding after this time, the student will be subject to dismissal from the program.
Students are financially obligated for the amount due according to the schedule outlined on the enrollment agreement. A student may choose to pay ahead of this schedule, and will remain obligated only for the amount indicated on the schedule.
Students who attend under the 3+1 option may also be required to pay tuition to their college/university during the clinical year. The student is advised to check with his/her academic advisor for their institution’s policy.
Refund Policy
An applicant is defined as any person who has submitted an application to the program. An enrolled applicant is any person who has been offered admission and has signed the enrollment agreement. An enrolled applicant may or may not become a student depending on satisfaction of the factors related to conditional admission of the enrolled applicant outlined on the enrollment agreement and in this handbook. A student is defined as any person who has attended one or more days of class by way of progression from applicant to enrolled applicant to student.
Applicants to the program are not assessed any fees related to application or admission to the School and thus are not entitled to any refunds. Enrolled applicants must pay a $100 registration fee which is refundable only in the case that an applicant is rejected by the school. Rejection of an enrolled applicant may occur if the applicant is not able to satisfy the conditional admission requirements.
If a student withdraws or is dismissed, s/he may be eligible for a partial refund based on the refund policy described below. The withdrawal or dismissal date is indicated on the formal written notice. In the absence of a formal written notice, the withdrawal date is defined as fourteen calendar days after the student’s last day of attendance.
If a student does not resume attendance on or before the end of an approved leave of absence, the dismissal date will be considered to be the date that the leave of absence was approved for refund purposes.
A student who enters the School but withdraws or is dismissed during the first quartile (25%) of the program is entitled to receive a refund in the amount of 75% of the amount paid*. A student who withdraws or is dismissed during the second quartile (more than 25% but less than 50%) of the program is entitled to receive a refund in the amount of 50% of the amount paid*. A student who withdraws or is dismissed during the third quartile (more than 50% but less than 75%) of the program is entitled to receive a refund in the amount of 25% of the amount paid*. A student who withdraws or is dismissed after completing more than three quartiles (75%) of the program is not entitled to a refund. (*Less the non-refundable $100 registration fee.)
In addition to their financial obligation to this program as described above, students who attend under the 3+1 option who are required to pay tuition to their college/university during the clinical year, and who withdraw or are dismissed from the program, are subject to the refund policy of their college/university for the tuition paid to that institution. The student is advised to check with his/her academic advisor for policies specific to each institution.
Other Expenses
Accepted students are strongly encouraged to have a laptop or tablet computer capable of connecting to wireless internet for use during the program. Other expenses including housing, transportation, meals, healthcare and certification exam fees are the responsibility of the student.
Academic Credits
Formal affiliation agreements are maintained with the following academic institutions which may send students for their senior year of study at Augusta Health. These students are referred to as 3+1 students.
Academic Affiliates
| College | Location |
|---|---|
| Averett University | Danville, Virginia |
| Bridgewater College | Bridgewater, Virginia |
| Eastern Mennonite University | Harrisonburg, Virginia |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, Virginia |
| Mary Baldwin University | Staunton, Virginia |
| Radford University | Radford, Virginia |
| Shippensburg University | Shippensburg, Pennsylvania |
The academic institutions listed above have agreed to award credit for the clinical year towards a baccalaureate degree in Medical Laboratory Science (or a related field) for enrolled 3+1 students as indicated in the following table.
| Course | Averett | Bridgewater | Eastern Mennonite | George Mason | Mary Baldwin | Radford | Shippensburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hematology/ Coagulation | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Microbiology | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Clinical Chemistry | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Immunology/ Serology | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Blood Bank | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Urinalysis/ Body Fluids | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Basic Techniques | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Management/ Education | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Credits | 30 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 33 | 31 | 30 |
Students already possessing baccalaureate degrees may be enrolled, under the 4+1 option, if they meet admission requirements.
Graduation and Certification
Upon successful completion of the program of study, graduates are issued a certificate of completion and become eligible to sit for the national certification examination in Medical Laboratory Science administered by the ASCP Board of Certification.
Students who complete the program under the 3+1 option are also awarded academic credit according to the table above and are recommended to receive a baccalaureate degree from their academic institution.