Cost of Attendance Definitions
A school’s cost of attendance is an estimated amount for students carrying the same academic workload as determined by the institution. Expenses are estimated for one year and include tuition & fees, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, housing, meals, transportation, personal expenses, federal loan fees, professional licensing & certifications, and other such expenses as determined by the Department of Education. A school’s estimated COA is used to determine each student’s eligibility for financial aid, such as grants, scholarships, and loans from all sources. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for any questions regarding DBU’s estimated cost of attendance at finaid@dbu.edu.
If you believe you have a special circumstance that may increase your cost of attendance, you may file a change of circumstance appeal.
Cost of Attendance Component Listing for DBU
Dallas Baptist University wants to make financial planning and attending college as easy as possible. We believe understanding the true cost of attending college is an important first step for all students and their families. Below you will find a listing of all the components that may make up a student’s cost of attendance at DBU.
- Tuition & Fees – An amount normally assessed to a student carrying the same academic workload, as determined by the institution.
- Books, Course Materials, Supplies and Equipment – An allowance for books, course materials, and equipment, which must include all such costs required of all students in the same course of study, including a reasonable allowance for the rental or upfront purchase of a personal computer, as determined by the institution.
- Living Expense (Housing) – Housing allowances for students residing in institutionally owned or operated housing with or without dependents must be based on the average or median amount assessed to such residents for housing charges, whichever is greater.
- Living Expense (Meals) – A standard food allowance that provides the equivalent of three meals each day, regardless of whether a student chooses institutionally owned or operated food services (i.e., board or meal plans).
- Transportation – An allowance, as determined by the institution, which may include transportation between campus, residences, and place of work.
- Miscellaneous Personal Expenses – An allowance, as determined by the institution, for a student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis.
- Loan Fees (Federal) – An allowance for the cost of any Federal student loan fee, origination fee, or insurance premium charged to the student or the parent of the student.
- Professional licensure, certification, or a first professional credential—An allowance for the costs associated with obtaining a license, certification, or a first professional credential, for a student in a program that prepares them to enter a profession that requires such a qualification.
- *Dependent care—An allowance based on the estimated actual expenses incurred for dependent care, based on the number and age of such dependents.
- *Disability-related expenses—An allowance, as determined by the institution, for expenses associated with a student’s disability, including special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and supplies that are reasonably incurred and not provided for by other agencies.
- *Study abroad expenses—An allowance for reasonable costs, as determined by the institution, for a student in a study abroad program approved for credit by the home institution.
- **Cooperative education costs—An allowance for reasonable costs, as determined by the institution, associated with such employment for a student engaged in a work experience under a cooperative education program.
- **Online or Study by correspondence – must include tuition and fees and, if required, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment. A school may also include an allowance for travel, housing, and food costs incurred specifically for a period of residential training.
- **Confined or incarcerated students – may only include tuition & fees, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, the cost of obtaining a license, certification, or a first professional credential.
- **Less than half-time – Must include any components (tuition and fees; books, course materials, supplies, and equipment; and transportation) normally applied to students who are enrolled less than half-time, along with any other components (disability expenses, etc.) that are not expressly prohibited for less than half-time students (e.g., miscellaneous personal expenses). May also include an allowance for living expenses, including food and housing costs, for up to three semesters, or the equivalent, with no more than two semesters being consecutive.
- **Military Housing (BAH) – Students living in housing on a military base or for which they receive a basic allowance under section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, institutions must include a reasonable allowance for food on-campus or off-campus but cannot include housing costs.
Cost of attendance components marked by asterisks (* or **) may be added to a student’s budget by request and by completing a change of circumstance appeal. Please note that an appeal requires specific documentation in support of the request.
Tuition is the price you pay for classes. Along with tuition, you'll probably have to pay some other fees when you enroll. For a full-time undergraduate student, the cost is based on the full academic year (fall and spring semesters) enrolling in at least 12-18 credit hours per semester and does not include course-specific fees.
Refer to our official Cost of Attendance Page or the University Catalog for more information.
Tuition and fees are subject to change by action of the Board of Trustees.
Living on campus at DBU means quality surroundings, and endless opportunities to get involved and make friends. DBU on-campus housing aims to cultivate the holistic development of the student academically, socially, physically, and spiritually.
To learn more, visit the cost of attendance webpage and click on the University Housing tab for costs per semester for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years for the various living arrangements at DBU.
Dining Services offers a variety of meal plans and options located throughout campus for students, faculty, staff, and guests to enjoy a sit-down meal, a sandwich on the go, or a cup of coffee on the way to class.
Learn about DBU Meal Plan costs and learn even more about hours and location information for all our campus dining options at Dining Services.
A cost of attendance budget allowance for books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, which must include all such costs required of all students in the same course of study, including a reasonable allowance for the rental or upfront purchase of a personal computer, as determined by the institution. Currently, DBU budgets for the estimated cost of books, course materials, supplies, and equipment to be $1,926 annually.
*As of 2023-24 the allowance for the rental or purchase of a computer is no longer limited to students enrolled at least half-time.
Transportation is a part of the estimated cost of attendance. DBU estimates travel expenses of $884 annually, which may include transportation between home, campus, and your place of work. If you believe your cost will be greater, you may request a change of circumstance appeal. With adequate documentation, a change could be made to your cost of attendance at the discretion of the DBU Financial Aid Office.
Miscellaneous personal expenses are a part of the estimated cost of attendance. DBU estimates personal expenses of $1,000 annually, for a student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis. If you believe your cost will be greater, you may request a change of circumstance appeal. With adequate documentation, a change could be made to your cost of attendance at the discretion of the DBU Financial Aid Office.
Loan fees are a part of the estimated cost of attendance if you have taken out federal loans. DBU estimates loan origination fees of $70 annually for a student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis. If you believe your cost will be greater, you may request a change of circumstance appeal. With adequate documentation, a change could be made to your cost of attendance at the discretion of the DBU Financial Aid Office.
Learn more about federal loans, interest rates, and fees.
The cost of obtaining a professional license, certification, or first professional credential is a part of the estimated cost of attendance. HSU estimates such fees based on specific programs and costs of the regulatory body who grants the license. Students who are in programs leading to a license, certification or first professional credential will have this specific component added to the cost of attendance by the DBU Financial Aid Office. If you believe your cost will be greater, you may request a change of circumstance appeal. With adequate documentation, a change could be made to your cost of attendance at the discretion of the DBU Financial Aid Office.
*Students requiring corrections to their cost of attendance for any of the items below may request a correction by submitting a change of circumstance appeal.
**Students who fit into one of these categories of student will have their cost of attendance adjusted during DBU’s
financial aid audit, prior to aid disbursement.
*Dependent care—An allowance based on the estimated actual expenses incurred for dependent care, based on the number and age of such dependents.
*Disability-related expenses—An allowance, as determined by the institution, for expenses associated with a student’s disability, including special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and supplies that are reasonably incurred and not provided for by other agencies.
*Study abroad expenses—An allowance for reasonable costs, as determined by the institution, for a student in a study abroad program approved for credit by the home institution.
**Cooperative education costs—An allowance for reasonable costs, as determined by the institution, associated with such employment for a student engaged in a work experience under a cooperative education program.
**Online or Study by correspondence – must include tuition and fees and, if required, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment. A school may also include an allowance for travel, housing, and food costs incurred specifically for a period of residential training.
**Confined or incarcerated students– may only include tuition & fees, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, the cost of obtaining a license, certification, or a first professional credential.
**Less than half-time – Must include any components (tuition and fees; books, course materials, supplies, and equipment; and transportation) normally applied to students who are enrolled less than half-time, along with any other components (disability expenses, etc.) that are not expressly prohibited for less than half-time students (e.g., miscellaneous personal expenses). May also include an allowance for living expenses, including food and housing costs, for up to three semesters, or the equivalent, with no more than two semesters being consecutive.
**Military Housing (BAH) – Students living in housing on a military base or for which they receive a basic allowance under section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, institutions must include a reasonable allowance for food on-campus or off-campus but cannot include housing costs.