Cost of Attendance

The following standard allowances will be included in a student's COA regardless of dependency status.

• Tuition and Fees: Allowance for tuition, which is based on 12 semester credit hours enrollment plus an expected $70 institutional fee per semester for the academic year.
• Books and Supplies: Allowance based on a full-time course load and includes the estimated cost of books, course materials, supplies and equipment (including the purchase of a personal computer).
• Living Expenses: Allowance for food and housing costs. Half-time students are eligible for this allowance, but students enrolled less than half time (1 to 5 credit hours) will have living expenses removed from their budget.
• Transportation: Allowance includes transportation costs for travel between campuses, home and the workplace.
• Personal Expenses: Allowance includes miscellaneous personal expenses a student may incur, such as prior learning assessments, grooming/personal hygiene or recreation. Students enrolled less than half time (1 to 5 credit hours) will have personal expenses removed from their budget.
• Loan Fees: Allowance for loan fees for students who are offered or have accepted federal direct loans. This allowance will equal the average loan fees charged to a student at the institution.

Students who incur the following costs while attending college can request that they be included in their COA. All requests must be made to the Financial Aid office and will require supporting documentation.

• Professional Licensure, Certification or Credential: Allowance for the costs associated with obtaining a license, certification or first professional credential. It only applies to programs that prepare a student for a profession that requires such a qualification.
• Dependent Care Expenses: Allowance based on actual costs expected to be incurred for dependent care during periods that include but are not limited to class time, study time, fieldwork, internships and commuting time for the student.
• Disability-Related Expenses: Allowance for expenses related to a student's disability, such as special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment and supplies. These costs must be reasonably incurred and not paid for by other agencies.
• Cooperative Education Program Expenses: Allowance for reasonable costs associated with employment for a student engaged in a work experience under a cooperative education program.
• Study Abroad Expenses: Allowance for reasonable costs for a student in a Tri-C credit-approved study abroad program. For example, the allowance for a student who is a U.S. citizen studying at a foreign school may include visa or passport costs.

Requests for additional allowances are not a guarantee or approval. An approved COA appeal does not guarantee that students will be eligible for additional financial aid.

Some programs may have additional costs that are not included in the standard Tri-C COA. These additional expenses may include background check fees, vaccination fees, costs for specialized equipment or tools, or uniforms. For details on program-specific costs, please contact a program representative. If you have program costs outside of the standard COA, please contact the Financial Aid Office to inquire about a COA Adjustment.

School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Computer Science

• Automotive Technology
• Applied Industrial Technology

 School of Business, Legal Professions and Hospitality

• Captioning and Court Reporting
• Criminal Justice: Police Academy
• Hospitality Management

 School of Creative Arts

• Visual Communication and Design

School of Liberal Arts and Sciences

• Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies
• Early Childhood Education

School of Nursing and Health Professions

• Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Electroneurodiagnostic Technology Nursing
• Dental Hygiene
• Health Careers
• Massage Therapy
• Nursing
• Optical Technology
• Veterinary Technology

Students who have educational expenses that exceed, or are not included in, the standard COA can request an increase in allowances through a COA adjustment. Examples of allowable adjustments include expenses related to excessive travel due to school-related experiences, dependent care expenses, or unusually high expenses for required course materials. For more information on COA adjustments, view our professional judgments web page.

The summer term has an adjusted COA to reflect the 10-week session length. Students enrolled in all terms (fall, spring and summer) will have a budget reflecting both the Standard COA and Summer-Only COA.

COA Component	In-County	Out-of-County	Out-of-State
Tuition and Fees	$1,625	$1,979	$7,248
Books and Supplies	$1,700	$1,700	$1,700
Living Expenses	$9,200	$9,200	$9,200
Transportation	$1,725	$1,725	$1,725
Personal Expenses	$1,725	$1,725	$1,725
Total	$17,599	$18,308	$21,598

The federal government has established regulations that limit the COA for students enrolled less than half time (1 to 5 credit hours). As a result, the Financial Aid office will remove allowances for living and personal expenses at the end of the semester for students enrolled less than half time in the preceding term. Students who are over-awarded will be responsible for making payment arrangements for any account balance.

Tri-C values affordability. The Net Price Calculator helps students estimate their cost of attendance based on the most recent year's costs. It provides an early approximation of what a new first-year student can expect to pay to attend Tri-C.