Cost of Attendance

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The Cost of Attendance (COA) is just an estimate and includes ALL expenses to attend the university for one year, not just expenses paid directly to UC Merced. The COA includes average tuition/fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, transportation expenses, and a health insurance allowance and varies depending on whether you live on-campus, off-campus or at-home with relatives. Your actual expenses may be different and most items are not paid directly to the university. The only COA items paid directly to the university are tuition/fees, on-campus room and board if you choose to live on campus and university health insurance if you are unable to complete the health fee waiver.
 
Standardized budgets are expressions of average costs. They are intended to provide sufficient funds to pay for educational expenses for most students in most circumstances. The budget worksheet for undergraduate students can assist you in determining your direct costs.
 
DIRECT COSTS
Direct costs are those costs paid directly to the university and billed through your UC Merced student account. Direct costs are different from the estimated Cost of Attendance. The Cost of Attendance is an estimate of expenses and includes items not paid directly to the university. Direct costs typically only include tuition/fees and on-campus room and board, items that you will receive a bill for. Your actual direct costs will vary depending on things such as whether you attend full or part-time, live on or off campus, etc.
 
NET COST
Net Cost is the amount of direct costs (items you are billed for) you must pay out-of-pocket that are not covered by your financial aid after financial aid is applied. Your net cost is always lower than the Cost of Attendance and in many cases, lower or nothing.

Listed below are the 2013-2014 standard costs of attendance for undergraduate California residents:  

On-Campus
ITEM COST
Tuition/Fees* $13,070
Health Insurance $1,743
Room and Board $14,718
Books and Supplies $1,405
Personal Expenses $1,611
Transportation $905
TOTAL COST $33,452
Off-Campus
ITEM COST
Tuition/Fees* $13,070
Health Insurance $1,743
Room and Board $7,185
Books and Supplies $1,405
Personal Expenses $1,537
Transportation $1,743
TOTAL COST $26,683
At-Home w/ Relatives
ITEM COST
Tuition/Fees* $13,070
Health Insurance $1,743
Room and Board $4,470
Books and Supplies $1,405
Personal Expenses $1,703
Transportation $1,814
TOTAL COST $24,205

*Tuition/Fees are subject to legislative and gubernatorial action and therefore, may change without notice. Non-California residents pay additional $22,878.00 in non-resident Tuition/Fees.

It is impossible to take into account all the situations in which people find themselves or all the consumer choices they make. Students who feel that their "allowed" budget does not reflect their actual expenses should submit an Additional Expense Appeal.

If there are unusual documented expenses, the OFAS can sometimes allow a higher individualized budget. Whether additional financial aid can be made available to the student based on the revised budget depends on the availability of funds. Since scholarship and grant assistance is limited, an increase in the budget will usually be reflected in an adjustment to self-help financial aid (loans and/or work).