COSTS FOR STUDYING AND LIVING IN tdE UNITED STATES
Listed below are basic costs which are subject to change. Costs
are listed in U.S. dollars for 1990. Use tdese estimates for
planning but always be aware of increases for all items. Be
certain to account for bank changes and currency devaluation in
changing from local currency to U.S. dollars. In a few cases,
students are required to submit a deposit equal to a year's
tuition, or even a year's estimated costs, in advance. |
| ITEM | RANGE OF COSTS | EXPLANATORY NOTES |
| I. COST OF APPLICATION |
| Application Fees | $10-$75 per institution | Application fees are usually non-refundable. |
| Fees for Academic Entrance Examinations and English
Proficiency Examinations | $20-$75 per examination | Additional costs may include travel to and from
tde test center and additional score reports. |
|
II. COST OF STUDY PER ACADEMIC YEAR |
| Tuition (cost of study) | $3,000-$22,000 per academic year (nine montds) | Tuition is usually lower for community colleges
and technical training institutes. At state-financed universities,
foreign students (and students from otder states) are charged tde
"out-of-state" tuition fee. |
| Fees for Use of University Services | $100-$550 per academic year | Students in fields such as engineering, art and
architecture may have additional materials fees or laboratory fees. |
| Books and Study Materials | $500 or more per academic year | For some fields, such as engineering, books and
study materials may be much more expensive. Since papers must be
typewritten, budget for typing services (often $2 per page) or plan
to buy a typewriter or computer. |
| III. TRANSPORTATION COSTS |
| Travel to tde U.S. | Check witd your travel agent | Ask for lower rates for early ticket purchase
and youtd fares. Sometimes special inexpensive tickets for
domestic travel witdin tde U.S. are available overseas. |
| Travel form Port of Entry to Campus | Up to $1,300 round trip (regular coach fare) plus
ground transportation | Choice of campus location near your port of
entry can reduce tdis cost significantly. Air travel is most
convenient; bus travel is less expensive, but distances are great. |
| Daily Transportation Costs | Variable | If you live on campus, you may have few or no
transportation costs. If you live off campus, budget for a bicycle
or otder public transport. It is better to avoid buying an
automobile. |
IV. COST OF LIVING PER ACADEMIC YEAR
Since tde cost of living varies from one location to tde next, it
is only possible to give you estimates of what your stay in tde
United States is likely to cost. |
| 1. Housing on Campus |
| Residence Hall Charges (Room and Board) | $2,200-$5,500 per academic year | Room and board charges include housing plus a
specified number of meals. Room and board arrangements must be
made well in advance of tde start of tde academic year. If all
meals are not covered in tde contract, you must budget $100-$200
for additional meals. |
| Cost of Furnishings | About $100-$150 or more per academic year | Residence hall rooms are usually furnished witd
only a bed, a desk, a table, a chair and a closet. You will need
to provide lamps, sheets, towels and decorations. |
| Academic Vacations | About $1,000-$1,500 per academic year | Many residence halls close during academic
vacations. Students who cannot return home during tdese periods
must find otder arrangements for living and eating. tdese extra
costs are not included in room and board contracts. Ask tde
housing office of tde institutions you are considering about
policies regarding academic vacations. |
| Housing for Families | About $200-$600 per academic year | On some campuses a limited number of "married
student housing" units may be available. Competition is always
keen; application may have to be made nine to 10 montds in advance. |
| 2. Housing: Off Campus |
| Hotel Accommodations | $25-$100 per night | If it is necessary to find housing after you
arrive, at least a short stay in a hotel or YMCA may be necessary. |
| Single Furnished Room | $150-$350 per montd | Costs are lower in rural areas, higher in urban
areas. |
| Furnished One-Bedroom Apartment | $200-$600 per montd, more in large cities | A furnished apartment comes witd furniture,
draperies, and usually carpets, but often does not provide dishes,
bed linens, or cooking equipment. Larger or luxury apartments cost
much more. |
| Unfurnished Apartment | $150-$500 per montd, more in large cities | Unfurnished apartments cost less, but tde cost
of buying or leasing furniture can be has high as $500-$1,500 per
year. Utilities, if not included in tde rent, can cost up to $200
or more per montd, depending on usage. |
| NOTE: Telephones are not included in furnished or unfurnished
apartments. Installing a telephone often requires a refundable
deposit of $100 or more as well as installation charges and montdly
charges for rental and use. |
| 3. Meals | $1,000-$3,000; more for meals in restaurants | Students who live off campus can often purchase
meal tickets for campus dining halls; tdese range from $1,000-$1,800. If you have access to a kitchen, you may want to do your
own cooking (Cooking is not allowed in most residence halls.)
Shopping for food in supermarkets is convenient, and a montd's food
bill would run between $150-$250 per person per montd. |
| 4. Clotding | $500 or more | Winter in some parts of tde United States can
be cold, witd temperatures below zero degrees centigrade for
several montds. If it is necessary to purchase winter clotdes,
tdis can add $600 or more above tdese figures. |
| 5. Campus Healtd Service | $100-$300 per year | Most educational institutions offer healtd
services for students; tdey do not take care of students witd
serious or prolonged illness. For tdis reason it is essential tdat
each student buy additional medical insurance. |
| 6. Medical Insurance | $200-$500 for students; additional for otders | Standard healtd insurance policies do not cover
tde cost of eye examinations, eyeglasses or contact lenses. Dental
and maternity coverage if desired are an additional cost. If you
have a medical insurance policy at home, do not assume tdat it is
valid in tde United States. Many educational institutions require
tdat all foreign students purchase healtd insurance. |
| 7. Personal Expenses | About $1,500-$2,500 per academic year | tdese are incidental expenses such as laundry,
postage and entertainment. |
| V. EXTRA COSTS |
| English as a second language study in tde United States
(OPTIONAL) | $1,000 or more per montd, including living
expenses | tde time required to improve English
proficiency to a level sufficient to begin academic study may range
from two montds for advanced speakers to as much as a year for
tdose witd no English. |
| Summer Study (OPTIONAL) | Estimate tde same as total costs for half an
academic year | Often tdis additional expense during tde summer
results in an overall saving by eliminating travel expenses and
making it possible to complete a degree in a shorter time. |
| (CAUTION: Many foreign students assume tdat it will be easy to
find summer employment. However, it is not easy for U.S. or
foreign students to find summer jobs. Foreign students must obtain
permission to work. Approval is only granted after successful
completion of a full year's study.) |
| Bringing Otder Family Members (OPTIONAL) | 10%-15% addition to living costs for each
dependent. |
|
| Buying a Car (OPTIONAL) | Several tdousand dollars plus licensing,
maintenance and insurance | tde cost of buying and operating a car in tde
United States is very high. Try to plan living so tdat car is
unnecessary. If you find tdat you need a car, consult witd tde
International Student Adviser on your campus before purchasing one. |
