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Cost of Attendance Calculator
Enter the annual tuition and the costs that sit around it. The calculator returns an annual total, a monthly equivalent and a full-program figure for the number of years you enter.
Tuition and fees are set by the institution and can change between years; living costs depend on the city and the months actually spent there. Replace the defaults with the figures in the offer letter and a local budget.
What belongs in the annual total
Tuition is the largest line but rarely the whole bill. Mandatory fees, rent and food for the months of the programme, books and equipment, health insurance and travel home all belong in the same total. Leaving one out makes the annual figure look manageable while the bank balance says otherwise.
Use the institution figures for tuition and fees, then build living costs from local prices for the city where the student will actually live. If the programme includes insurance or a meal plan, remove those lines to avoid counting them twice.
Why the monthly equivalent helps
An annual total is hard to compare with a monthly income or a monthly saving rate. Dividing it by twelve gives a figure that can sit next to rent, a salary or a family contribution and show immediately whether the plan closes.
The monthly figure is also a warning about cash flow. Costs arrive in lumps, especially in the first term, so a monthly average that looks comfortable can still hide a difficult first month.
Frequently asked questions
Is the full-programme total just the annual total times the years?
Only if tuition and living costs stay constant. Fees often rise, exchange rates move and programme length may include a placement or a final term. Treat the multiplication as a baseline and test a higher figure.
Should the institution estimate or a personal budget be used?
Use the institution estimate to check the visa or funding requirement, and personal prices for planning. The two numbers often differ, and the larger one is the safer budget.
Does the calculator include travel between terms?
Only the flights entered in the field. Add extra trips, visa renewals and travel for a placement separately if they apply.