Cost of attendance

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In education finance in the United States, the 'cost of attendance' (COA) (also known as the price of attendance) is the estimated full and reasonable cost of completing a full year as a full-time student. The cost of attendance is published by each educational institution and typically includes:

• Tuition and fees payable to the institution
• Books and supplies
• Room and board
• Personal costs, transportation

As of October 29, 2011, every post-secondary institution that receives federal financial aid funds must post a Net Price Calculator that shows the institution's Cost of Attendance — defined by the federal requirement as the sum of tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and other expenses including personal expenses and transportation for a first-time, full-time undergraduate student — and determines for each prospective or current student a personalized Net Price, which is the difference between COA and need and merit-based Grant Aid (not including work-study programs or government subsidized loans).

The published cost of attendance establishes the limits for qualified financial aid and student loans available to the student.

See also

• Higher education bubble