The federal government allows financial aid funds to be used to cover up to the student’s academic year budget or Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA is an estimate of what it costs a typical student to attend college. This is different from the actual tuition/fees amounts that you may see on your student account as charges due each trimester. The COA is made up of two different types of costs: direct and indirect. Direct costs are items that appear on your TCAT bill, such as tuition and fees. Indirect costs will not appear on your bill but are estimated costs associate with going to college. These include items like books, supplies, and equipment, housing and food (living expenses), transportation and personal expenses. The Cost of Attendance is used to determine your need for financial assistance. Typically, the total of your financial aid cannot exceed your COA.
2024-25 Estimated Cost of Attendance
| Housing Type | Estimated Tuition & Fees | Books, Course Materials, Supplies, & Equipment | Living Expenses (Housing & Food) | Personal/ Miscellaneous | Transportation | Total COA for Academic Year |
| With Parents | $4,119 | $1,454 | $6,169 | $1,890 | $2,646 | $16,278 |
| Not With Parents | $4,119 | $1,454 | $12,988 | $1,890 | $2,646 | $23,097 |
| Military Living on Base | $4,119 | $1,454 | $3,896 | $1,890 | $2,646 | $14,005 |
| Incarcerated | $4,119 | $1,454 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5,573 |
Adjustments to Cost of Attendance
The Financial Aid Office may also adjust the COA on a documented case-by-case basis. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if you have additional costs that may be included in your COA. Requests may be made for an increase to the standard COA for the following reasons:
- Actual cost for books, course materials, supplies & equipment
- Dependent/childcare expenses
- Disability related expenses, not covered by insurance or other agencies
- Required equipment or the rental/upfront purchase of a personal computer
- Mileage between student’s residence and place of employment