Cost of Attendance vs. Your Bill

Cost of Attendance

What exactly is the "cost of attendance?"

The term cost of attendance (COA), sometimes referred to as a student budget, estimates what attending one year may cost a traditional student. Your COA is often higher than your direct billed amount since it includes basic living expenses, tuition, and fees. For example, the COA consists of an allowance for transportation because we recognize that you may need to pay for gas, bus tickets, or even vehicle costs. Still, the University will not bill you for transportation expenses. It’s simply a cost allowance that an average student could incur.

Why is the cost of attendance shown in my student portal?

Each student who submits a FAFSA is assigned a COA based on the particular degree or certificate program they are enrolled in. This COA estimates what it will cost to attend for one academic year. The COA also sets a federally required limit on the amount of financial aid you can receive during a period of enrollment. Therefore, the total amount of your financial aid, including scholarships and loans, cannot exceed your cost of attendance.

What's included in my cost of attendance?

Your COA is made up of two different types of costs: direct and indirect.

Direct costs are items that will appear on your University bill, such as tuition and fees, and is an estimate of what you will pay to attend Antioch for that term. For more information, please visit Tuition and Fees (insert hyperlink to Tuition and Fee Page). 

Indirect costs are estimated costs associated with attending school and will not appear on your bill. These include allowances for books, transportation, and personal expenses.

Example: Direct and Indirect Costs that make up the COA:

(Please note, this is a fictitious COA based upon full-time enrollment for a 12 month academic year and would be adjusted for your actual enrollment and program. To get an estimate of your exact Cost of Attendance, please visit (Insert hyperlink to COA Page off of Tuition and Fees Page))

Direct Costs
	Tuition	$20,832
	Fees	$580
Subtotal Direct Costs		$21,412
Indirect Costs
	Housing and Food	$21,276
	Transportation	$4,332
	Personal Expenses	$13,778
	Federal Student Loan Fees	$400
	Books and Supplies	$1,600
Subtotal Indirect Costs		$41,386
Total Cost of Attendance		$62,798
Estimated Student Bill		$21,412

The transportation allowance refers to the cost of traveling to and from campus, and the cost of operating and maintaining a vehicle.

The personal expenses allowance is an estimate of costs for clothing, toiletries, etc., for the year.

Direct Loan fees are the origination fees charged by the federal government and deducted from the federal student loans. Visit www.studentaid.gov for more information on Direct Loan Fees.