Estimated Cost of Attendance

The Estimated Cost of Attendance includes the average costs for a student to attend UC Davis for one academic year, usually listed as nine-month amounts and used to determine aid packages only. The Total Estimated Cost of Attendance is the sum of all budget components, including both direct and indirect costs. Note that special programs and terms, such as summer sessions or graduate/professional degree programs, may have different calendars and therefore different budgets. 

• Direct Costs: Charges included in the cost of attendance that the student/family pays directly to the college. Actual charges may vary by student. For example, students may have different housing options or may enroll in a part-time program.
   
• Indirect Costs: Estimated expenses in the cost of attendance that are not paid directly to the institution.

Estimated Cost of Attendance amounts are subject to change. Each portion of a student's individual budget is allocated to the categories listed below:

• Systemwide Tuition and Fees
• Campus-based Fees
• Books and Supplies
• Housing and Food
• Personal Expenses
• Transportation
• Health Insurance
• Nonresident Supplemental Tuition
• Summer
• Other Costs

Systemwide Tuition and Fees

Systemwide tuition and fees are a direct cost and include the total amount you are charged for classes, student services fees, and nonresident supplemental tuition (if you are a nonresident), rounded to the nearest dollar. All students pay UC Tuition. Your tuition amount is based on the year you first enrolled in a degree program at UC and on whether you are a CA resident or a nonresident. Under the UC Tuition Stability Plan, tuition should remain the same cost each year for up to six years from the time of your first enrollment (barring any unexpected economic changes). For the purposes of assessing cohort-based charges, a student's cohort will be based on the academic year of the term in which a student first enrolls at UC as a degree-seeking undergraduate. For a full breakdown of tuition and fee amounts, please visit the UC Davis Tuition and Fees website.

Campus-based Fees

This is a direct cost. These fees help fund a variety of student-related services, such as student government, student public transportation, building improvements, etc. Campus-based fees are established, increased, or renewed by student vote in campus elections.

Books and Supplies

This is an indirect cost. It is an estimated average of the cost of books and school supplies (e.g., writing utensils, paper, computer purchase, etc.) while attending college. To keep costs down, students can participate in Equitable Access through the UC Davis bookstore. Students can choose to opt-out each quarter. Equitable Access is a flat-fee program designed to reduce inequity among students by eliminating course material access issues while ensuring that costs are predictable and equal for all undergraduate students.

Housing and Food

Housing and Food includes housing, food, utilities, telephone, meals, and groceries while attending college, even if living at home with parents. The three available housing types for undergraduates are as follows:

On-Campus Housing

For students with a recognized contract through UC Davis Student Housing and who pay costs quarter by quarter via MyBill, this is a direct cost. For financial aid and budget purposes, the following are considered On-Campus Housing for the 2023-24 academic year:

• Residence Halls – Segundo, Tercero and Cuarto (quarterly)
• On-Campus Apartments – The Greens at West Village, Orchard Park (monthly)

Off-Campus Housing

For students who sign a lease and typically pay rent on a month-to-month basis directly to the leasing entity, this is an indirect cost. This includes students living physically on-campus who pay rent on a month-to-month basis. For example, Sol at West Village is physically on campus but is not considered On-Campus Housing for financial aid budget purposes as this location provides lease agreements to students who pay rent directly to the leasing entity on a month-to-month basis.

Commuter

A student who is living with a relative, usually a parent, is considered to be living at home. On the financial aid application, this is called Commuter. Your campus will use varying methods to confirm your living situation so that you are assigned the appropriate Cost of Attendance. This expense is an indirect cost.

Important:  Students should ensure that MyAwards is displaying the correct housing status based on the information provided above. Students can view their housing status on the Summary tab by expanding the Total Estimated Cost of Attendance dropdown. 

 

If a student's housing status is listed incorrectly, they can update Financial Aid and Scholarships (FAS) with a Housing Status Change submission:

1. Log in to MyAwards
2. Click on the Awards tab
3. Click the Submit Change in Aid request link
4. Select Make changes to my housing status
5. Select the correct Housing Status
6. Submit

Once submitted, Financial Aid and Scholarships will update the student's budget within 7-10 business days.

 

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Please note: The amount of grants and scholarships awarded are subject to change and may be prorated based on a student’s actual budget type, i.e., residence hall versus an off-campus apartment. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards.

Personal Expenses

This is an indirect cost. It is an estimated average of the cost of incidental expenses such as personal hygiene, laundry, clothing and reasonable entertainment. 

Transportation

This is an indirect cost. It is an estimated average of transportation costs such as traveling to and from home on breaks, local transportation costs, etc., while attending college.

Health Insurance

This is a direct cost, a charge billed to your college student account unless the student applies for and is approved for a waiver. This amount reflects the annual charge for the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP), which covers an academic year.

All enrolled students are required to have health insurance that meets minimum coverage limits established by the University of California. Students are automatically enrolled and the charge is included in the student bill. Students who have adequate private insurance and do not wish to enroll in UC SHIP may request an insurance waiver from the campus Student Health office by the campus’s designated deadline. Students will need to have their private insurance plan information available when submitting the waiver request.

Financial Aid offers may include a UC Health Insurance Grant or Waiver to cover this cost for eligible students. This is gift aid offered by the University of California campus to California resident undergraduate students with financial need who participate in the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP). Students who elect to waive UC SHIP fees will not be eligible for UC SHIP gift aid. Please note that a financial aid offer may change if you waive out of UC SHIP. For information about this comprehensive plan, visit Student Health and Counseling Services. Note: Your final amount will be determined after we have verified your eligibility.

Nonresident Supplemental Tuition

Includes tuition and fees associated with a non-resident (out of state) status and is a direct cost. This budget component will only be posted if applicable.

Summer

Includes fees and costs for attending summer and may be a combination of direct and indirect costs. This budget component applies to undergraduates, and will only be posted if applicable.

Other Costs

Includes additional basic educational cost considerations not categorized in the main budget components. This may comprise of but is not limited to, loan fees, the entering undergraduate document fee, or additional expenses approved through an appeal.