Understanding Your Costs

Cost of Attendance

Your Cost of Attendance (COA) is the federally defined estimate of what it costs to attend The Chicago School for one academic year. It includes both what you are billed by the university, and the living expenses you will manage on your own. Your COA is the number used to determine how much financial aid you are eligible to receive. You cannot receive more aid than your total COA, which makes it one of the most important figures to understand as you plan your finances.

COA estimates are provided for each program and vary depending on your entry point, and enrollment status, and whether you are a domestic or international student. If your actual costs exceed the standard estimate due to documented circumstances, such as disability-related expenses or dependent care, you may be able to request a COA adjustment.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are the direct costs billed to you by The Chicago School each term. Tuition rates vary by program and are charged either as a flat rate per term or per credit hour, depending on your program structure. Required fees are charged each term and support a wide range of student services including library access, academic advising, tutoring, counseling, and technology resources.

Special Rates

The Chicago School offers reduced tuition rates for students who qualify through specific programs or affiliations. These include discounts for military-connected students, international students, and students or employees of institutions with active memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with The Chicago School. Special rates are applied as tuition discounts and cannot be combined with other institutional scholarships or tuition discounts.

If you think you may qualify for a special rate, or if you’re not sure, this section will help you identify which programs apply to your situation and how to confirm your eligibility. In most cases, no separate application is required; eligibility is assessed automatically at the time of admission.

• Military and Veterans — Learn More
• International Students — Learn More
• MOUs / Partnerships — Learn More

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are the day-to-day living expenses you will incur while enrolled at The Chicago School that are not billed directly by the university. This includes things like housing, food, transportation, books, and supplies, and personal expenses. While these costs don’t appear on your student account, they are a real and significant part of what it costs to be a student, and they are included in your Cost of Attendance because they affect your financial aid eligibility.

Understanding your indirect costs helps you budget more accurately and ensures you are borrowing the right amount—not too much, not too little. Estimates are provided by program and are based on the national average for typical student expenses. Your actual costs may vary.

Costs Calculators

Not sure what your out-of-pocket costs will actually look like after financial aid? Our cost calculator lets you build a personalized estimate based on your program, enrollment status, and expected aid, so you can see a realistic picture of what you will need to plan for before you commit to borrowing or enrollment decisions.

It only takes a few minutes, and it is one of the most useful tools available to you as you weigh your options. We recommend using it alongside your financial aid notification for the clearest picture of your net costs.

Not Sure Where to Start?

If you are new to thinking through education costs, a good first step is reviewing your Cost of Attendance for your program, then looking at your Tuition & Fees schedule to understand what you will be billed each term. From there, the cost calculator can help you see how financial aid closes the gap. And if you have questions at any point, our financial aid team is always available to help you make sense of the numbers.