Understand Your Cost of Attendance

Hey, Buffs, have questions about your cost of attendance? We’re here to help you understand your estimated expenses.

The cost of attendance is the estimate of a student’s expenses for one academic year of college. It typically includes:

Expenses billed directly by CU Boulder (e.g., tuition, fees, on-campus housing, food and books)
Expenses that are not billed by CU Boulder (e.g., transportation, off-campus housing and groceries)

The actual expenses may vary depending on your individual program, enrollment level, residency classification, housing selection and food choices. You may have some kinds of expenses but not others.

Attending main campus classes?

Estimate your specific cost:

Bill Estimator

Understanding Your Expenses

If you’re attending CU Boulder at least half time, the cost of attendance is an estimate of the following:

Typical Expenses

Tuition & Fees

What you pay each semester or session for Main Campus academic instruction. The amount varies based on your residency classification, program, enrollment level and courses. Visit the Bursar’s Office for more information on tuition and fees.

Books, Supplies, Course Materials & Equipment

The costs required for your courses, including a reasonable allowance to purchase a computer. Learn about the book store’s . Visit the Office of Financial Aid for the estimated cost of books and supplies.

Housing & Food

Living expenses that may include on- or off-campus housing, meal plans, rent, groceries, utilities and internet. Explore housing options and meal plans through the Division of Student Affairs.

Personal

Personal expenses such as laundry and cleaning supplies, personal hygiene and cell phone plans. View the estimated allowance for personal expenses.

Transportation

An allowance for transit between campus, your place of residence in the United States, and your place of work. View estimated transportation expenses.

Other Case-by-Case Expenses

Medical

The cost of university-provided health insurance for students who do not already have coverage.

Residential Academic Program (RAP) Fees

The cost of special programming that typically takes place in residence halls related to your area of study.

Dependent Care

Caregiving expenses such as child care or elder care.

Federal Student Loan Fees

Origination fees charged to you, or your parent or guardian.

Study Abroad

Reasonable costs associated with an approved for-credit CU Boulder study abroad program.

Professional License, Certificate or Credential Fees

Fees associated with programs that lead to licensure.

Disability-Related

Reasonable expenses related to a student’s disability that are not covered by other assistance.

What's Not Included

The cost of attendance does not and cannot include things like:

Private Loan Fees

Origination fees charged to you, or your parent or guardian for loans offered through private lenders.

Preparatory Course or Exam Fees

Cost of preparation required to be considered for an undergraduate or graduate program, such as SAT or ACT fees, LSAT fees and more.

Recreational Expenses

Expenses such as ski passes, purchase of a car or bike or spring break trips.

Parking Fines

Fines for parking violations on- or off-campus.

Credit Card Debt

Outstanding balances on a credit card that are carried over from month to month.

Paying for College

Federal Cost of Attendance Guidelines

Every year, the federal government and the babyֱ��app Department of Higher Education set student budget parameters to help universities determine financial aid and ensure that the overall cost of attendance is reasonable. These parameters might not reflect what you will actually pay for different expenses. You can request an increase to your cost of attendance for case-by-case expenses, or academic expenses that exceed the budgeted amount. You can find these requests on the Financial Aid website below Special Circumstances & Appeals Forms.

If you receive any kind of financial aid, including private loans or scholarships, you cannot receive more aid than the total cost of attendance in any given year. You can see an estimate of the maximum cost of attendance for new students on the Office of Financial Aid’s website.

Apply for Financial Aid