Two Venezuelan asylum seekers, Edsel Chacon and Mario Rodriguez, who have lived in South Carolina for three years, are facing steep tuition costs at Trident Technical College despite their deep ties to the state. Both graduated near the top of their class from Hanahan High School, pay taxes, and hold South Carolina driver’s licenses. Yet, they are classified as out-of-state students and must pay 142.2% more in tuition than their in-state peers.
Chacon and Rodriguez told WCSC News that they came to the U.S. seeking safety and opportunity. Their families now call the Lowcountry home, but despite checking many of the residency boxes, they are still being charged out-of-state tuition. Trident Tech’s website lists tuition for out-of-state students at $6,445.82 for an 18-credit hour semester, compared to $2,660.42 for in-state students under similar circumstances.
“It doesn’t make sense to me because I pay taxes here, I live here,” Rodriguez said in an interview with WCSC News, and questioned why his residency status does not reflect his contributions to the community.
Trident Tech defended its decision, citing adherence to South Carolina Commission on Higher Education regulations. “At Trident Technical College, we adhere to the regulations set forth by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education regarding the classification of tuition and fees for all residents, including non-resident aliens, non-citizens, and non-permanent residents,” read their statement. The college referred to Policy 62-604, which outlines that non-citizens and non-permanent residents are typically charged out-of-state tuition unless they meet exceptions, such as obtaining permanent residency status.
The policy on Trident Tech’s website further clarifies that asylum seekers like Chacon and Rodriguez do not qualify for in-state tuition until they receive permanent residency. Time spent in South Carolina before obtaining this status does not count toward the 12-month residency requirement for in-state classification.
Hanahan High School multilingual teacher Dorothy Wooden PhD) has worked closely with the two students and sees their plight as part of a broader challenge faced by asylum seekers trying to pursue higher education in the U.S. “I’ve never seen kids who want an education and to get ahead as much as the students that I teach,” Wooden told WCSC news.
