University Costs

How have university costs changed over the years?

University costs have been steadily increasing throughout the last ten years as more and

more students apply.  However, foreign students feel the brunt of the hikes as they pay

around the area of three times as much as in country students.

What are some of the costs when going away to university?

Costs that you are expected to cover when going away for university are listed below.

1)   Tuition - this is the main expenditure when going away to university.  Tuition cost

run from about 2,000 - 4,000 dollars a year.

2)  Books and supplies - this cost runs up at about 500 - 800 dollars per year for books.

Average supplies range from about 100 - 200 dollars.

3)  Transportation - when a student is away at university, the problem of getting to and

from school arises.  More than likely, this problem can be solved through public

transportation such as, bus, subway, or shuttle train.  The  average cost for a years pass on

one of these transportation systems is about 200 - 300 dollars.  The other available option

is to own a vehicle.  The downside is gas drains the cash flow and student parking can be

quite expensive at some universities.

4)  Housing - a student who attends university away from home must find a place to eat,

sleep and , of course, study.  There are about three main options in this field of

discussion.  The first is dorm housing.  The costs of sharing a dorm ranges from about

250 - 400 dollars per month.  The second available option is to rent an apartment.  A nice

affordable apartment ranges from about 300 - 500 dollars a month.  This type of

apartments usually contains features such as a stove and a fridge.  The final option is to

board at a house.  This is clearly the most affordable situation.  Most meals are home

cooked, you are equipped with a washer and dryer.  The atmosphere of home is also a

plus for first-time students who might feel homesick.  The price to board ranges from

around 200 - 400 dollars a month depending on how close you are to the campus.

5)  Miscellaneous - costs that are included under the miscellaneous section are food,

clothes, and personal expenditures.  The average cost yearly for miscellaneous expenses

can run from about 500 - 1000 dollars a year.

What is an average cost for going away to university?

The average cost to attend university for a year is from about 10,000 - 15,000 dollars a

year.  If, however, you are planning on attending an overseas university you could look at

paying two or three times as much.

      In conclusion, although university costs are rising it is not necessarily a bad sign.

One of the reasons the costs are skyrocketing is that more and more people are applying

to university.  But, if you are thinking of a post-secondary education, you better start

saving.