Cost of Attendance

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is a figure determined by OSU and the College of Veterinary Medicine every year which consists of direct costs to the university (tuition and fees) as well as indirect costs of the university that are vital for attendance (housing, food, books & supplies, etc.). This information should be used for planning purposes, but it also acts as the yearly maximum that can be received in financial aid, meaning, students cannot receive any more than the year's COA in funding. The University Registrar's website has more information on the tuition and fees as well as an explanation of fees. Tuition and the non-resident fee for first year students typically increases by 2% each year.

Please note, the COA does not automatically include the cost of Student Health Insurance as it is commonly waived. If you are planning on using the university's health insurance, be sure to account for it in your personal budget. You may also choose to have this cost included in your overall COA by completing the Cost of Attendance Appeal form and submitting it to CVM-DVMfinancialaid@osu.edu.

* Enrollment for Ohio State's Columbus campus includes other university fees for services that cannot be waived (even if you do not plan on utilizing the service). More information on these fees can be seen on the University Registrar's website. These fees include the COTA Fee, General Fee, Recreational Fee, Student Activity Fee, and Student Union Facility Fee.

** 4^th year students attend and are charged for 3 semesters; because of the extra term of attendance, a larger tuition/ fee and living expense budget is included. 

*** Students who are not considered residents of the state of Ohio are charged a Non-Resident Tuition Surcharge during their first year; during years 2-4 the charge is instead $5 per term. If you are interested in gaining residency for tuition purposes during your first year, or during years 2-4 for other purposes, please work with our residency office. The $5 non-resident fee is ONLY applicable while in the DVM program. If you switch to a different program (such as a graduate program) and have not been approved for in-state residency, your non-resident surcharge will increase to that of a non-resident student. 

The COA also represents the MAXIMUM amount of financial aid (financial aid includes both scholarships and loans) that a student may use for the academic year.

Creating a Budget

When creating a personal budget, it is important to understand how the COA is built and how your spending choices influence the amount of financial aid you need. The Ohio State COA is comprised of two different types of expenses: direct expenses and indirect expenses.

• Direct Expenses are those which are paid to the college, such as tuition and fees. The student does not control or influence these.
• Indirect Expenses are those which the student incurs due to attending a specific program, such as books, supplies, and living expenses, but are not charged directly by the University. Students have a lot of control over these expenses based on their personal lifestyles.

Living expenses are highly influenced by the lifestyle with which you feel comfortable funding.  Ask yourself some questions:  Do you want to have a roommate or live alone?  Would you rather commute or live close to campus?  Will you need to purchase the University's health insurance, or will you be covered on an outside plan? You must compare your needs and wishes with how much you are willing to finance.

If you have questions about completing a personal spending plan or determine that your expenses are greater than what Ohio State has determined in the standard Cost of Attendance, please contact Emily Gonzalez at 614-247-8778 or CVM-DVMfinancialaid@osu.edu.