Cost of Attendance

Understanding Your Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is our estimate of the total cost for attending Florida Atlantic University (FAU) for one academic year. It’s an important number because:

• It’s the maximum amount of financial aid you may receive from all sources, including federal, state, institutional and private aid.
• It includes both direct costs (billed to your student account) and indirect costs (everyday expenses you’ll have while you’re a student).

This page will help you understand what goes into your cost estimate and how it affects your financial aid offer.

What's Included in Your Cost of Attendance

These are the main expenses you can expect for the academic year.

• Direct Costs
  These are expenses paid directly to Florida Atlantic University:

• Tuition and fees
• On-campus housing and meal plans (if applicable)

• Indirect Costs
  These are estimated expenses you’ll have while you’re in college, but that aren’t billed by Florida Atlantic.

• Off-campus housing and food
• Books and supplies
• Transportation
• Personal and miscellaneous expenses

Since actual expenses are different for every student, your personal costs may be lower or higher than the estimated amounts.

How Cost of Attendance Affects Your Financial Aid

Your financial aid offer is built using your cost of attendance and the information you share on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Financial aid can’t add up to more than your estimated cost for the year. If your situation changes, like taking fewer classes than planned, your cost estimate and financial aid may be updated to match.

How FAU Estimates Student Costs

We use estimated budgets to show the typical costs students can expect for the year. These estimates are based on things like whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, where you live and whether you’re a Florida resident.

These numbers are estimates, not bills , and your actual costs may be higher or lower.

Common budget categories include:

• Tuition and fees – Based on how many credits you take and residency
  
• Housing – Estimated cost of living on campus, off campus or with family
  
• Books and supplies – Course materials and academic supplies
  
• Transportation – Getting to and from campus and around town
  
• Personal expenses – Everyday costs not billed by the university
  

To see official cost figures by year and student category, view the Florida Atlantic cost tables.

Florida Residents

Estimated nine-month budgets for full-time Florida Resident students used in 2026-2027 are listed below (Tuition and fees are calculated based on the average tuition and fees for students enrolled full-time in Fall and Spring for the specified level and residency status):

Undergraduate Students

Student Type	On Campus	Off Campus	With Parents
Tuition & Fees	$5,984*	$5,984*	$5,984*
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment	$1,368	$1,368	$1,368
Living Expenses - Housing	$10,524*	$12,198	$1,586
Living Expenses - Food	$5,308*	$5,498	$4,926
Transportation	$3,090	$3,562	$3,562
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$4,756	$4,756	$4,756
Estimated Direct Costs: Payable to FAU and reflected on student's bill (* Items)	$21,816	$5,984	$5,984
Estimated Indirect Costs:	$9,214	$27,382	$16,198
TOTAL	$31,030	$33,366	$22,182

 

Undergraduate Students - Wilkes Honors College

Student Type	On Campus	Off Campus	With Parents
Tuition & Fees	$5,984*	$5,984*	$5,984*
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment	$1,368	$1,368	$1,368
Living Expenses - Housing	$10,420*	$12,074	$1,586
Living Expenses - Food	$5,606*	$5,498	$4,926
Transportation	$3,090	$3,562	$3,562
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$4,756	$4,756	$4,756
Estimated Direct Costs: Payable to FAU and reflected on student's bill (* Items)	$22,010	$5,984	$5,984
Estimated Indirect Costs:	$9,214	$27,258	$16,198
TOTAL	$31,224	$33,242	$22,182

Graduate Students

Student Type	On Campus	Off Campus	With Parents
Tuition & Fees	$7,704*	$7,704*	$7,704*
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment	$1,368	$1,368	$1,368
Living Expenses - Housing	$10,524*	$12,198	$1,586
Living Expenses - Food	$5,308*	$5,498	$4,926
Transportation	$3,090	$3,562	$3,562
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$4,756	$4,756	$4,756
Estimated Direct Costs: Payable to FAU and reflected on student's bill (* Items)	$23,536	$7,704	$7,704
Estimated Indirect Costs:	$9,214	$27,382	$16,198
TOTAL	$32,750	$35,086	$23,902

Non Florida Resident

Estimated nine-month budgets for full-time Non-Florida Resident students used in 2026-2027 are listed below (Tuition and fees are calculated based on the average tuition and fees for students enrolled full-time in Fall and Spring for the specified level and residency status):

Undergraduate Students

Student Type	On Campus	Off Campus	With Parents
Tuition & Fees	$22,888*	$22,888*	$22,888*
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment	$1,368	$1,368	$1,368
Living Expenses - Housing	$10,524*	$12,198	$1,586
LIVING EXPENSES - FOOD	$5,308*	$5,498	$4,926
TRANSPORTATION	$3,090	$3,562	$3,562
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$4,756	$4,756	$4,756
Estimated Direct Costs: Payable to FAU and reflected on student's bill (* Items)	$38,720	$22,888	$22,888
Estimated Indirect Costs:	$9,214	$27,382	$16,198
TOTAL	$47,934	$50,270	$39,086

Undergraduate Students - Wilkes Honors College

Student Type	On Campus	Off Campus	With Parents
Tuition & Fees	$22,888*	$22,888*	$22,888*
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment	$1,368	$1,368	$1,368
Living Expenses - Housing	$10,420*	$12,074	$1,586
LIVING EXPENSES - FOOD	$5,606*	$5,498	$4,926
TRANSPORTATION	$3,090	$3,562	$3,562
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$4,756	$4,756	$4,756
Estimated Direct Costs: Payable to FAU and reflected on student's bill (* Items)	$38,914	$22,888	$22,888
Estimated Indirect Costs:	$9,214	$27,258	$16,198
TOTAL	$48,128	$50,146	$39,086

Graduate Students

Student Type	On Campus	Off Campus	With Parents
Tuition & Fees	$20,712*	$20,712*	$20,712*
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment	$1,368	$1,368	$1,368
Living Expenses - Housing	$10,524*	$12,198	$1,586
LIVING EXPENSES - FOOD	$5,308*	$5,498	$4,926
TRANSPORTATION	$3,090	$3,562	$3,562
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$4,756	$4,756	$4,756
Estimated Direct Costs: Payable to FAU and reflected on student's bill (* Items)	$36,544	$20,712	$20,712
Estimated Indirect Costs:	$9,214	$27,382	$16,198
TOTAL	$45,758	$48,094	$36,910

Cost of Attendance Components Defined

License, certification, or first professional credential costs will be included in the cost of attendance for applicable majors if such expenses will be incurred while the student is enrolled. These costs vary and will increase the cost of attendance for the academic year in which the cost is typically incurred.

Tuition and Fee estimates are based on the average combined Fall and Spring FAU enrollment of students attending FAU full time in both Fall and Spring semesters, multiplied by the projected cost per credit hour. The estimate also includes the Transportation Access Fee which students are assessed at the time of registration. More information on the transportation access fee can be found here. 

Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment estimates are based on the national average for 4-year public institutions listed in the most recent College Board Trends in College Pricing publication, adjusted for inflation.

On-campus Housing and Food estimates are based on a weighted average of all available residence hall accommodation types. When calculating the on-campus dining estimates, the projected 19 Meal Plan rate was adjusted to reflect 21 Meal Plan - equivalent of three meals each day. It assumed for accommodations which requires meal plan subscription and the off-campus dining estimate (see below) was assumed for accommodations which do not require meal plan subscription.    Click links to view FAU's current cost of meal plans per semester or FAU's current Living Expenses - Housing rates per semester.

Off-campus Housing estimates are based on an average of rates obtained in an annual survey of local apartment complexes. An allowance for housing expenses (household operations, supplies, furnishings and equipment) and utilities (power, water, cable, internet, phone) is included in the estimate.  Estimates are based on double occupancy.

Off-campus Food estimates are based on the Cost of Food at Home data published by the United States Department of Agriculture, adjusted for the regional Cost of Living Index and inflation.

With Parents Housing estimates include an allowance for housing expenses (household operations, supplies, furnishings and equipment) and utilities (power, water, cable, internet, phone). 

With Parents Food estimates are based on the Cost of Food at Home data published by the United States Department of Agriculture, adjusted for the regional Cost of Living Index and inflation.

Off-campus Transportation Fee estimates are based on the monthly vehicle operating costs for the Dade and Broward county region as listed in the IRS Local Transportation Standards publication.

On-campus transportation is calculated as a prorated portion of the off-campus calculation to reflect reduced variable costs.

Personal Expense estimates are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure data for the Miami Area, adjusted for inflation.

Federal Student Loan fees are added as an additional allowance for students paying federal loan fees. Budgets and financial aid offers for less than full time students will be reduced based on actual enrollment.

Period Based Budgeting

Every student receiving financial aid is assigned a cost of attendance based on the following:

• Classification = Undergraduate or Graduate
• Residency = Florida or Non-Florida
• Enrollment Status = Full-Time, ¾ time, half-time or less than half-time
• Living Expenses - Housing Status = On-campus, off-campus or with parents

Your Housing Status is initially determined based on the status you reported on your Admissions application or your previous housing situation. After the add/drop week, any student who indicated they are living on campus but does not have housing charges will be assigned a “With Parent” budget. Students can update their housing status annually through myFAU under Money Matters.

Your financial aid offer is initially based on an enrollment status of full time (12 credit hours for undergraduates fall, spring, and summer or 9 credit hours for graduates fall, spring and 6 credit hours for summer). If your enrollment is less than full time expect your cost of attendance to be reduced,  this may also impact and reduce the amount of aid you were initially offered.

Florida Prepaid, Tuition Waivers, and Scholarships are considered resources and used to calculate aid eligibility.

Billing Statements:  For questions regarding your Billing Statement, please go to the  FAU Controller's Fees Defined website.