Your cost of attendance (or financial aid budget) is the estimated full and reasonable cost of completing an academic year as a full-time student. It is comprised of six components:
- tuition and fees*
- books and supplies*
- room and board*
- transportation
- personal expenses
- loan fees
Note: * items make up your ASU direct costs
The cost of a college education varies from student to student. Differences such as your major, living arrangements, residency status and other variables mean the cost of your college education might not be identical to your classmates.
The federal government requires each school to develop its own cost of attendance as a means to award financial aid in a consistent manner for all students. It is important to understand that not all expenses can be included in your COA for financial aid purposes per federal regulations (i.e., car payments, credit card debt). Due to your personal choices, ASU's standard allowance for some expenses may not match your actual costs. In order to maximize your financial aid, it is important to make wise decisions regarding living arrangements and choice of lifestyle.
In order for you to get a better idea of what your ASU direct costs will be, we have created a
Student Budget Worksheet that you can use online in combination with your financial aid awards to better understand your ASU direct costs.
Related Article: How Do I Include Additional Expenses in My Cost of Attendance?
