Tuition and Costs

Your federal Financial Aid eligibility is based upon a number of factors, including the “cost of attendance” for your program of study. Cost of Attendance (COA or student budget) includes both direct costs and indirect costs. The federal COA is used primarily as a tool for computing eligibility for federal student aid. Your actual costs may vary, particularly your indirect costs. The costs used in the federal COA are for one academic year or the length of the entire program, whichever is less.

Direct Costs: Your direct costs include tuition, books, and supplies. These are billed to you by the school (less any payments you have made, estimated financial aid, or approved education loans).

Indirect Costs: Most of a student’s indirect costs are living expenses like housing, food, and transportation. Students would likely have these expenses whether they were attending school or not. Note: the school does NOT bill students for these costs; they are simply estimates to help students plan ahead. The standardized Cost of Attendance budgets at Western Technical College are calculated annually and can be obtained by contacting the Financial Aid Office. While most students will fall into one of the standardized budgets, your individual budget may be customized to meet your specific enrollment needs. Your individual COA budget will be provided to you in your award letter after completion of your financial aid application. If you have any questions, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 1-800-225-5984. We’ll be happy to help you!