Cost of Attendance

There is more to the cost of education than just tuition and fees. Whether you are planning to attend Brooklyn College as a half-time or full-time student, you can approximate your own expenses for the academic year by considering the items below. Your cost of attendance includes the budget below in addition to tuition and fees.

Cost of Attendance (9-month Budget)

Students Living at Home or with Relatives

Item 2024-2025 2025-2026
Books and Supplies $1,500 $1,500
Transportation $1,188 $1,188
Meals $4,332 $4,392
Personal Expenses $2,005 $2,039
Housing $6,610 $6,840
Total costs before tuition and fees $15,635 $15,959

Students Living Away from Home

Item 2024-2025 2025-2026
Books and Supplies $1,500 $1,500
Transportation $1,188 $1,188
Meals $4,332 $4,392
Personal Expenses $2,768 $2,842
Medical Expenses $2,260 $2,271
Housing $17,928 $18,630
Total costs before tuition and fees. $29,975 $30,805

Exceptions

Cost of Attendance for Summer (3-Month Budget)

Students Living at Home or with Relatives

Item 2024-2025 2025-2026
Books and Supplies $500 $500
Transportation $396 $396
Meals $1,444 $1,464
Personal Expenses $668 $680
Housing $2,203 $2,280
Total costs before tuition and fees. $5,211 $5,320

Students Living Away from Home

Item 2024-2025 2025-2026
Books and Supplies $500 $500
Transportation $396 $396
Meals $1,444 $1,464
Personal Expenses $923 $941
Medical Expenses $753 $757
Housing $5,976 $6,210
Total costs before tuition and fees. $9,992 $10,268

Understanding Financial Need and Net Price

What is Financial Need?

Your financial need determines eligibility for federal campus-based aid programs like Federal Work-Study and subsidized loans federal direct loans.

  • In the 2024-2025 academic year, financial need is the difference between the cost of attendance and your Student Aid Index (SAI).

How to Calculate Financial Need

Use the index number generated when you filed your FAFSA (called SAI). Subtract your EFC from your COA to calculate your financial need (COA – SAI = Financial Need).

Understanding Net Price and Estimating Aid

The CUNY Net Price Calculator provides you and your family with an early estimate of the undergraduate financial aid for which you might qualify.

A net price is an estimate of the actual cost you and your family need to pay in a year to cover education expenses for you to attend college. It is the cost of attendance minus any grants and scholarships for which you may be eligible.

More Information

The Cost of Attendance (COA) represents the estimated total cost of attending the college. Federal law requires that the college provide you an estimate for the expense categories outlined in the charts below.

To determine your financial need, you need the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number generated when you filed your FAFSA. Then you can subtract your EFC from your COA to figure out your financial need (COA – EFC = Financial Need).

Your COA can change based on the semester (summer, fall, winter, spring), enrollment status, loan fees, and other expenses, including, but not limited to, child care, study abroad, and disability-related expenses.

If you have costs that exceed the estimated amounts indicated below or an expense that is not listed below, you may be eligible for a Special Circumstance Cost of Attendance Expense Adjustment.

COA for Students Enrolled in Six or More Credits

Fall/Spring COA

These estimates represent the approximate costs to attend Brooklyn College for a nine-month period (the fall and spring semesters combined), assuming you attend at least half-time (six credits). To determine the single-semester amount for fall or spring, simply divide the numbers below in two.

If you live with your parents:

Item Cost
Books and Supplies $1,364
Transportation (MetroCard) $1,122
Lunch $1,700
Personal Expenses $1,928
Housing $5,080
Basic Cost $11,194

Basic Cost + Tuition and Fees = Cost of Attendance

If you live away from your parents:

Item Cost
Books and Supplies $1,364
Transportation (MetroCard) $1,122
Lunch $1,700
Personal Expenses $2,646
Medical Expenses $2,381
Housing $17,604
Food (at home) $2,484
Basic Cost $29,301

Basic Cost + Tuition and Fees = Cost of Attendance

*To determine the single semester amount for fall or spring, simply divide the Basic Cost in half.

Summer COA

The summer is considered a nonstandard three-month term. Because the summer term is shorter than the fall and spring terms, the summer has prorated expense amounts.

If you live with your parents:

Item Cost
Books and Supplies $455
Transportation (MetroCard) $396
Lunch $567
Personal Expenses $643
Housing $1,693
Basic Cost $3,754

Basic Cost + Tuition and Fees = Cost of Attendance

If you live away from your parents:

Item Cost
Books and Supplies $455
Transportation (MetroCard) $396
Lunch $567
Personal Expenses $882
Medical Expenses $794
Housing $5,868
Food (at home) $828
Basic Cost $9,789

Basic Cost + Tuition and Fees = Cost of Attendance

COA for Students Enrolled in Fewer Than Six Credits

Fall/Spring COA

According to the federal COA guidelines, if you enroll in fewer than six credits you will have a lower cost of attendance due to exclusions of certain expense categories. This lower COA includes allowances for books, supplies, and transportation.

Item Cost
Part-time COA for nine months $1,150

Summer COA

The summer is considered a nonstandard three-month term. Because the summer term is shorter than the fall and spring terms, the summer has prorated expense amounts.

According to the federal COA guidelines, if you are enrolled part-time (fewer than six credits) you will have a lower cost of attendance. This lower COA includes allowances for books, supplies, and transportation. The amount for summer is $383 (books, supplies, and transportation) + child care ($1,020 if applicable) + Tuition and Fees.

Item Cost
Part-time COA for three months $383

You can view more detailed COA information by logging into CUNYfirst to review your financial aid package.

You may also review the CUNYfirst Student Financial Aid Guide.

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