What is cost of attendance (COA)?
This refers to the total direct and indirect costs of a student’s education expenses for an award year. Tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation expenses, and personal expenses make up the traditional components of a student’s COA. A cost of a computer can be included as part of the student’s personal expenses as well. Some institutions may include other institution-specific expenses in a student’s COA budget.
Your college or university will generally publish on its Web site or in its financial aid office the college’s cost of attendance. This is an estimate of how much money will be required to attend school for one year at that college, including all reasonable expenses – such as Tuition, Room/Board, Books, and Supplies, plus an average allotment for personal expenses and transportation.
