Cost of Attendance

• Cost of Attendance – 2013--14  

Direct Cost of Attendance (standard fees for which the student is billed)* 
        Tuition and Student Activity Fees $46,094
        Room and Board $11,568 
        Total Direct Charges $57,662
Indirect Costs (estimated additional expenses that vary for each student) 
        Books $1,050 
        Personal Expenses $1,550** 
        Total Indirect Costs $2,600
Total Cost of Attendance $60,262

**Students who are not covered under a U.S. health insurance policy also will be billed for student health insurance (estimated to be $1,500 for 2013-14).
**An additional allowance for travel expenses is estimated for families living outside of the mid-Atlantic region. The allowance is based upon distance from Dickinson College.

• Financial Aid Eligibility  

A student’s financial-aid eligibility is the difference between the expected family contribution (EFC) and the Cost of Attendance (COA). The expected family contribution is calculated from information that the family submits on the CSS PROFILE application. Eligibility, then, is determined as follows: COA minus EFC equals Eligibility (“financial need”).

Sample Financial Aid Awards

Example 1. Kyle's estimated family contribution is $6,400. His financial-aid eligibility is determined by subtracting $6,400 from the Cost of Attendance.

Eligibility Determination:
Cost of Attendance ($60,262) Minus Contribution ($6,400) equals Financial-Aid Eligibility ($53,862)

Financial-Aid Award: 
    Dickinson Grant $45,862 
    Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized) $3,500 
    Federal Perkins Loan $2,000 
    Federal Work Study Capacity $2,500 
    Total Financial-Aid Award $53,862


Example 2. Elena’s estimated family contribution is $20,000. Her financial eligibility is determined by subtracting $20,000 from the Cost of Attendance. Elena has also been awarded a merit scholarship, which is a part of her financial-aid award.

Eligibility Determination: 
Cost of Attendance ($60,262) Minus Contribution ($20,000) Financial-Aid Eligibility ($40,262).

Financial Aid Award: 
    John Dickinson Scholarship $20,000 
    Dickinson Grant $14,262
    Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized) $3,500 
    Federal Work Study Capacity $2,500 
    Total Financial-Aid Award $40,262

Kyle and Elena may also consider all or a combination of the following non-need-based resources to assist in meeting their family contributions: an additional $ 2,000 Unsubsidized Direct Loan; a PLUS (parent) loan; and/or a monthly payment plan (to divide semi-annual payments into smaller monthly amounts). These resources may be used to cover all or a portion of the family contribution.

• Billing Policies   

Students are billed for tuition, fees, room and board (and health insurance, if applicable). Amounts for books and supplies are estimates since these amounts will vary depending upon whether or not the student purchases used books, the courses selected, and the student’s personal expenditures. To learn more about student billing, please visit Student Accounts.
Grants and loans are subtracted from the student’s billed charges, but potential work-study earnings are not. Instead, students are paid every two weeks for the work they have performed and may use these funds to assist with payment for books or other educational expenses.

Example: Elena is billed for the following direct costs:

 Fall Semester Billed charges     Tuition and Fees $23,047 and Room and Board $5,784
Total Charges $28,831.

Minus Financial Aid Credits Fall Semester 
    John Dickinson Scholarship $10,000 
    Dickinson Grant $7131
    First Year deposit $500
    Federal Direct Loan $1,732.50 (net proceeds after 1% origination fee) 

Total credits $19,363.50  

Amount due by beginning of August $9467.50 for fall semester

 Spring Semester Billed charges     Tuition and Fees $23,047 and Room and Board $5,784
Total Charges $28,831

Minus Financial Aid Credits Spring Semester 
    John Dickinson Scholarship $10,000 
    Dickinson Grant $7,131
    Federal Direct Loan $1,732.50(net proceeds after 1% origination fee)
Total credits $18,863.50

Amount due by beginning of January $9,967.50 for spring semester

Elena can use the $2,500 in earnings from her work study job to help with her expenses. She also has the option of taking out an additional $2,000 in Unsubsidized Direct Loan; her parents may apply for a PLUS loan and/or use the monthly payment plan to meet the remaining amount due and to assist with books, personal, and travel expenses.

First-time students who paid a $500 enrollment deposit will have $500 subtracted from their fall semester charges. First-time students will also be billed a one-time transcript fee of $25.00)