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. Full-time enrollment is defined as 12+ credit hours for undergraduate students, or 9+ credit hours for graduate students. The Financial Aid Office 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 rather an estimate of educational expenses for the period of enrollment.

The following are the COA budgets for the 2025-2026  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. You can contact the Financial Aid Office for 2024-2025 COA budget information.

Cost of Attendance Adjustment Request

Students may have unusual educational 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 documented additional expenses.  Expenses include:

• Child Care: Expenses must be incurred during the period of enrollment
• Health Insurance: If student is covered under a family policy, the cost of attendance increase will only be for the student's portion of the policy.
• Computer Allowance:  Beginning with 2024/2025, the computer allowance is automatically added to the Cost of Attendance budget for new undergraduate and graduate students; Continuing students can request the allowance, if it's been 3+ years since they last received the adjustment.
• Emergency Car Repair: Repair cannot be for general maintenance. It must be for an emergency repair that occurred during period of enrollment, and paid receipts must be submitted with request.
• Professional Licensing Fees: Allowance is already included in the Cost of Attendance for students enrolled in the courses that lead to professional licensure exams. Fees required for the board exam for professional licensure, certification, or credentialing for employment in the student's field of study must be incurred during (not after) a period of enrollment, even if the exam occurs after the end of that period.
• Course-Related Travel Expenses: Expenses may include requirements of the major, residency/internship, or observation. Additional costs per semester above the mileage allowance provided in the original Cost of Attendance will be considered. 
• Housing Costs: Housing allowance is determined by on-campus housing costs. However, if you live off campus, you can request a review of your actual cost via a Cost of Attendance Adjustment form. A student's Cost of Attendance can only reflect the cost for the student to attend WCU and is not intended to reflect all of the student's non-educational living expenses. 

Please note, not all appeals are approved. Approved appeals also may not result in additional financial aid eligibility. 

Contact the Financial Aid Office to see if you qualify for a Cost of Attendance Adjustment.