- Admissions & Aid
- Financial Aid
- Cost of Attendance
Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate designed to help students determine what it may cost to attend Western Carolina University for an academic year. This budgeting tool is based on full-time enrollment and is made up of direct and indirect costs.
Direct costs are the expenses that are billed directly to the student by the university. These expenses include tuition and fees, on-campus housing, meal plans, and book rentals.
Indirect costs are expenses a student will likely incur, but will not pay to the university. Indirect costs vary from student to student and may include off-campus housing, transportation to and from campus, books, and personal expenses.
Each student's cost of attendance is based upon full-time enrollment and residency status. The Office of Financial Aid reviews enrollment each semester after the Add/Drop period ends and makes adjustments to a student's COA if needed.
The cost of attendance is not a final bill but is an estimate of educational expenses for the period of enrollment.
The following are the COA budgets for the 2023-2024 academic year for full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Please note that students enrolled less than full-time will have adjusted tuition and fee components in their COA budgets.
- 2023/2024 Full-Time Undergraduate
- 2023/2024 Distance Education Undergraduate
- 2023/2024 Full-Time Graduate
- 2023/2024 Distance Education Graduate
| 2023-2024 Full-Time Undergraduate | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Tuition and Fees | $4,532 | $8,532 |
| Housing | $7,050.56 | $7,050.56 |
| Food | $4,494 | $4,494 |
| Loan Fees | $59.60 | $59.60 |
| Books and Supplies | $442.58 | $442.58 |
| Travel | $1,561.52 | $2,542 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,708.84 | $1,708.84 |
| Total | $19,849.10 | $24,829.58 |
| 2023-2024 Distance Education Undergraduate | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Tuition and Fees | $1,579.44 | $5,579.28 |
| Housing | $7,050.56 | $7,050.56 |
| Food | $4,494 | $4,494 |
| Loan Fees | $59.60 | $59.60 |
| Books and Supplies | $741.50 | $741.50 |
| Travel | $390.38 | $635.50 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,708.84 | $1,708.84 |
| Total | $16,024.32 | $20,269.28 |
| 2023-2024 Full-Time Graduate | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Tuition and Fees | $7,778 | $18,497 |
| Housing | $7,828 | $7,828 |
| Food | $4,494 | $4,494 |
| Loan Fees | $143.94 | $143.94 |
| Books and Supplies | $741.50 | $741.50 |
| Travel | $1,561.52 | $2,542 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,708.84 | $1,708.84 |
| Total | $24,255.80 | $35,955.28 |
Certain graduate professional programs carry a tuition differential in addition to the regular graduate tuition. These programs include: Family Nurse Practitioner D.N.P., Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P., Atheletic Training M.S.A.T., Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S., Social Work, M.S.W., Physical Therapy D.P.T., Business Administration M.B.A.
| 2023-2024 Distance Education Graduate | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Tuition and Fees | $5,002.56 | $15,721.56 |
| Housing | $7,828 | $7,828 |
| Food | $4,494 | $4,494 |
| Loan Fees | $143.94 | $143.94 |
| Books and Supplies | $741.50 | $741.50 |
| Travel | $390.38 | $635.50 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,708.84 | $1,708.84 |
| Total | $20,309.22 | $31,273.34 |
Certain graduate professional programs carry a tuition differential in addition to the regular graduate tuition. These programs include: Family Nurse Practitioner D.N.P., Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P., Atheletic Training M.S.A.T., Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S., Social Work, M.S.W., Physical Therapy D.P.T., Business Administration M.B.A.
Cost of Attendance Adjustment Request
Students may have special circumstances that result in educationally-related expenses not accounted for in the Cost of Attendance (COA).
Federal regulations give the Financial Aid Office the ability to adjust a student’s cost of attendance budget based on certain additional expenses. Expensese include:
- Child Care
- Health Insurance
- Computer Allowance
- Emergency Car Repair
- Professional Licensing Fees
- Course-related Travel
- Housing expenses that exceed an on-campus weighted average
- Board exam for professional licensure, certification, or credentialing for employment in the student's field of study (costs must be incurred during (not after) a period of enrollment, even if the exam is after the end of that period).
Contact the Financial Aid Office to see if you qualify for a Cost of Attendance Adjustment.
