UT4Less: Making your UT Austin education more affordable!

Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance is the estimated dollar amount to attend UT Austin for a year. We also refer to it as a "budget." This amount includes the cost of tuition and fees, books, room and board, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. Our office evaluates the cost of attendance each year; we then use this dollar amount to award you a MAXIMUM amount of financial aid for a year at UT Austin.

Even though we award you the maximum amount of financial aid possible, including loans, your expenses may differ from our estimated averages and may be even LESS. If you can spend less than the average UT Austin student, you won’t need to borrow the full amount of loans awarded to you. It is advisable to borrow only the amount you anticipate needing for the year.

This section explains the categories and amounts we budget for eligible education and living expenses and where we see opportunities to SAVE or avoid borrowing everything you have been offered in loans. If you choose not to borrow the maximum amount of loans you have been awarded at the beginning of the semester, it may be possible to reinstate the remaining amount if you later decide you need the funds.

Save on Tuition

Tuition and fee amounts vary between colleges. Exact amounts appear on What I Owe.

UT students that graduate within four years borrow substantially less than students that graduate in five or six years. On average, students taking five years to graduate borrow 29% more than their four-year counterparts -- and students that graduate in six years borrow 67% more!

Graduating in four years will save you money. Flat rate tuition allows you to take 12 or more hours at the same price. If you need 120 hours to graduate, you can take 15 hours per semester (Fall and Spring) to graduate within four years.

Graduating in four years may also allow you to get a $1000 tuition reimbursement. Find out if you are eligible for Tuition Rebates.

Summer school can be a good thing if you can make meaningful progress towards your degree, but don’t hang around Austin for summer classes unless you have a beneficial reason for doing so; chances are you’ll need to borrow more. The summer may provide a good opportunity to work full-time and save money for Fall and Spring, which can offset the amount of loans you may need to borrow.

Cut Living Expenses

We budget $5,473 per semester for room and board expenses. If living on campus, the amount will appear on What I Owe. If living off campus, you are responsible for paying your housing provider.

Room and board costs include housing, utilities, and food. This budget allows for about $800 for rent and utilities per month and $415 for food per month.

Find a Roommate! It’s a good option to offset the cost of room and board. It’s also helpful to live in an apartment community located on the UT Shuttle or Capital Metro bus routes, since bus services are free for students.

Don’t let a rental agent talk you into an apartment that is more extravagant (and more expensive) than you need! You can further save money by looking for housing with modest amenities and by cooking at home. If you’re living off-campus, consider paying your rent for the whole semester up front with your housing provider, so you won’t run out of money for rent towards the end of the semester.

Slash Book Costs

Cost of attendance includes $452 per semester for books for 12 hours of enrollment. You are responsible for purchasing books.

Attend the first day of class before buying your books. Some books may not be required, only recommended, or the required books may have changed. You may also choose to drop a class after attending the first day.

Try to purchase or rent your books through online outlets. Shop around for books to make sure you get the best deal possible.

Discuss with your professor how much of the book is necessary. Is it possible to share the book with a classmate or check the book out from the library?

Travel Smartly

Cost of attendance allows for $621 per semester in travel expenses. This amount is included in your budget, but will not appear on What I Owe.

Leave the car at home! In Austin, you can get almost anywhere you need to go for free on the UT Shuttle or Capital Metro bus routes. Keep in mind that parking spaces are limited and expensive on and around the UT Austin campus.

The travel budget is not intended for car payments, car insurance or car maintenance. It is meant to cover the cost of returning home a few times per semester.

Want to leave for the weekend and you left your car at home? Take The Texas Express shuttle! For $40-$55 roundtrip, you can travel to Dallas, Houston or San Antonio. The shuttle leaves late Friday afternoon and returns Sunday evening.

Need a car to get somewhere that the shuttle can’t take you? Consider borrowing a car through Car Sharing programs like ZipCar at UT. It’s fast, convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly.

Plan Ahead

We budget $1255 per year for miscellaneous expenses. This amount is included in your budget, but will not appear on What I Owe.

Plan ahead for miscellaneous expenses! Miscellaneous expenses are estimates for basic needs like toiletries, basic clothing, laundry, cleaning supplies, etc. You may have provisions for this or ways to save. Don't borrow a loan if you anticipate that your parents will buy these necessary supplies for you.

Miscellaneous expenses can also be entertainment related, and it's best not to borrow loans to pay for entertainment. Instead, look around Austin and surrounding areas for free and inexpensive ideas of fun things to do.

Here are some ideas:
Austin City Limits Studio
Austin Convention and Visitors Center - free guided historic walking tours
Blanton Museum
Bright Leaf Preserve
City of Austin BMX and Skate Park
Congress Avenue bats
Free swimming at Barton Springs swimming pool and other Texas swimming holes.
Free yoga at Ruta Maya Coffee House
Harry Ransom Center
Hike and Bike Trails
Lady Bird Lake
Moonlight Prowl on campus
Mount Bonnell
Movies in the Park at Republic Square
Star Gazing at RLM and Painter Hall
Texas Memorial Museum
Texas Military Forces Museum
Texas State Capitol
Texas State History Museum
Unplugged at The Grove presented by KGSR
Zilker Botanical Gardens
Zilker Hillside Theatre
Zilker Park