(a) For the purposes of this section, sections 10a-77, 10a-99 and 10a-105, and this part: (1) A “full-time student” means a student who has been registered and who has been accepted for matriculation at a constituent unit of the state system of higher education in a course of study leading to an associate, bachelor or advanced degree or whose course of instruction or credit hour load indicates pursuit toward a degree; (2) “tuition” means a direct charge for institutional programs, which is clearly delineated from any other fees.

(b) In order to defray part of the cost of the higher education institutional programs at the constituent units of the state system of higher education, tuition shall be charged as provided in said sections 10a-77, 10a-99 and 10a-105 for each full-time student or shall be prorated in the case of a student carrying less than seventy-five per cent of the credit hours defined as a full-time load by the institution. Any person enrolled in and paying extension fees for a course in an educational extension program or a summer session shall not be charged tuition for such course.

(c) Fees charged for educational extension programs and for summer school sessions under sections 10a-77, 10a-99 and 10a-105 shall not be deemed to be tuition within the meaning of this section.