Tuition Information
Southwest Virginia Community College charges tuition and fees based on credit hours. You can check your class schedule to find out how many credits you are taking in order to determine your costs each semester.
Tuition and fees for Southwest students are set by the State Board for Community Colleges.
All fees are mandatory and must be paid at the same time as tuition.
Important notes:
- It is the student’s responsibility to pay for the classes they enroll in or to put other payment arrangements in place (e.g., Nelnet payment plan, Third Party Billing, Veterans Benefits, financial aid, or VA 529) by the posted payment deadlines.
- If a student decides NOT to attend or stops attending class, the student is responsible for going into their MySouthwest account in SIS and dropping that class before the last day to drop with a refund date to ensure no debt is incurred. Students should refer to the appropriate semester’s Academic Calendar, which lists drop dates by class session. Important: Failure to drop the class by the drop date will result in the student being charged for the class.
Summer 2026 Tuition Rates and Fees
Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027 Tuition Rates and Fees
Books and Materials
You are expected to buy any books, supplies, and materials needed for your courses. The materials needed for each class are listed in the schedule and, if sold by the Southwest bookstore, are linked to the bookstore website with prices, which can help you determine your costs. Materials can be purchased at the Southwest bookstore or online for home delivery.
The Bookstore, located in Buchanan Hall, Room B180, operates Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours during financial aid rush. Textbooks, supplies, convenience items, electronics, and SWCC merchandise are available both in-store and online. Students are encouraged to know their student ID, class schedule, and student email to simplify purchasing their course materials, which are available for rent or purchase in traditional textbook and digital/courseware formats.
Refunds require a receipt and must be completed by the "Last Day to Return Books" posted on the Academic Calendar for each semester, with items in original condition; new books, access codes, and lab kits should remain in their original plastic wrap with unbroken seals, while used books must be in resalable condition to qualify for a refund.
The bookstore has a Buyback Program for used textbooks, purchasing them based on demand at wholesale prices, with funds credited to a debit or gift card.
Digital course materials are typically delivered through the e-reader Kortext, with some exceptions, such as materials that may be integrated into your course in Canvas. If you are unsure, visit or contact the bookstore for support!
Your class materials may be included in your tuition! The Follett Access Program ensures that all required course materials are accessible to students from the very first day of class for convenience and affordability. Typically, these materials are delivered digitally through the campus Learning Management System (LMS) and/or Kortext. Some courses that utilize the Follett Access program have multiple required materials where a portion of the material is included in your tuition, and the other portion is still required to purchase from the bookstore. When shopping in-store, the associates and shelf tags will alert you of these materials. When shopping online, you will see "Follett ACCESS material. No purchase needed unless you opt out" above each book that is included in your tuition.
Explanation of Fees
** All student fees are reviewed and approved by the college’s Student Government Association, Local Board, and the Virginia Community College System State Board, and are subject to change pending action by those governing bodies, usually on an annual basis. Any such changes in fee amounts will be communicated through the college's communication channels and platforms, registration and billing documentation, and updated/future catalog versions.
Compare Cost
Students who attend Southwest Virginia Community College can realize significant savings on educational costs when compared to 4-year or private colleges.
Visit the Virginia Wizard Cost Calculator! Simply set My College as Southwest Virginia Community College and choose Average Public 4-Year Institution, or select another for a listing of 4-year public and private colleges in Virginia.