High-flying Bermuda College students will now have the opportunity to study at a well-respected US university for thousands of dollars less.Yesterday, Bermuda College president Duranda Greene announced the school would be signing a partnership with Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University next week.Five Bermuda College students a year will be able to study a Business Administration undergraduate degree at the university and pay in-state school fees instead of expensive international student fees.‘Business Week’ ranked Robinson College in the top 100 Business undergraduate degree programmes in the US. ‘US News and World Report’ ranked the programme 57 in the US. It is on the list of the top 100 public universities for doctoral degrees awarded. There are approximately 31,500 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the university and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredit it.The agreement will last for the next three years and students who have completed at least 60 credits of a Business Administration Associate certification at the Bermuda College will be eligible.The students will also have to satisfy entrance requirements to the Georgia State University and have a minimum Grade Point Average of a ‘3.0’ or ‘B’.Students who are selected will pay just $434 for a full course load each semester, instead of $13,454.Barry Wood, Director of External Relations for the Department of Risk Management and Insurance at Georgia State said the college has been recruiting Bermudians for the past eight years.“We have a strategic interest in forging this relationship with Bermuda College,” he added. “Bermuda is among the three largest insurance centres in the world and Georgia State’s Department of Risk Management and Insurance is ranked third in the United States by the ‘U.S. News and World Report’.“Our goal is simply to bring to Georgia State motivated and bright business students that will graduate and return to positions of influence in Bermuda.”Dr Greene said the Bermuda College’s recent accreditation was helping them expand the services they offer to local students.“In this economic climate, the in-state tuition that Georgia State is offering is a particularly good incentive and we encourage our business students to take every advantage of this ‘win-win’ partnership,” she said. “We look forward to a long and wonderful relationship with Georgia State University and the Robinson College of Business.”Related websiteswww.gsu.eduwww.bermudacollege.bm