Georgia GED Fees to Increase

The State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia voted this month to increase the fee for the GED test to $32 or $160 for all five parts. Test takers currently pay $19 per test (or $95 for all five sections). The new fee structure goes into effect July 1.

Georgia’s adult learners have easy access to free programs that offer adult education and GED preparation through the TCSG Office of Adult Education. The only cost that adult learners have to pay is the GED test fee. Now, for the first time since 2007, that fee is set to increase in July to $32 for each part of the test under a plan approved by the state board that oversees the TCSG.

The total cost for the five-part test will be $160 and goes into effect on July 1. The new price structure applies to all current tests and coincides with the nationwide implementation of a computer-based GED test. The TCSG Office of Adult Education is currently piloting the computer-based test at two technical college locations and plans to implement it at all GED testing centers statewide by year-end.

“The computer-based GED test is being implemented nationwide, and Georgia is one of the first states to use it,” said Beverly Smith, TCSG assistant commissioner for adult education. "This is an important step for our state since the new GED test that’s scheduled for release in 2014 will be only available on computer. Our ability to begin student preparation early will be a plus for our test-takers."

Qualified students who cannot afford the fees will be eligible to apply for grants through the TCSG colleges and local community organizations. All of the other essential adult education programs, including Adult Basic Education, GED test preparation classes, college and career advisement, and English as a Second Language classes, remain available free of charge to any Georgian.

“In 2011, almost 28,000 people took the GED test in Georgia and over 19,000 passed it and earned their GED diploma," Smith said. "More than 9,500 people received fee assistance to take the test, and we expect to substantially increase that number in the coming year.”

There are added benefits for completing the program and passing the tests. The state presents GED graduates who are Georgia residents with a $500 HOPE voucher that can be used to enroll at a TCSG college.

The HOPE grant, which is separate from the voucher, will pay for a large portion of the state technical college tuition. To keep the HOPE grant, students must maintain at least a 3.0 college grade point average.

Click here to find more information and a list of testing centers.