Student Budget (2021-22)

Cost of Attendance

Estimate Your Cost to Attend UCSF

The tuition and student services fees are currently approved amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by increases or reductions in State funding, or other developments. Accordingly, final approved amounts (and thus your final balance due) may differ from the amounts shown below.

Note: The figures show a separate total for California non-residents, which includes the non-resident supplemental tuition amount for the applicable program.

2021-22 Cost of Attendance

Exceptions to the Standard Student Budget

Below are examples of some allowable add-ons to the student budget. Students are encouraged to discuss their specific situations with Student Financial Services staff before submitting a request. Budget exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and subject to approval. Expenses must be under the student's name and incurred during the current school year. Complete the Student Budget Appeal Form for consideration and provide applicable documentation to be considered.

Complete Student Budget Appeal Form

• Additional Housing Allowance
  Students who pay more for rent and utilities than the standard off-campus housing allowance, may request a budget increase, but must present a compelling reason as to why less costly housing is not an option. Students should speak with an advisor before submitting a request. Please note that if approved, a budget increase for housing costs may be temporary. The amount of an approved additional housing allowance will all be determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Child Care
  Students may request financial aid to cover reasonable child care costs up to $1,700/month per child, with a maximum of $3,400/month for two or more children age 12 and younger during periods when the student is enrolled. It is expected that no child care expenses are needed for a student who has a spouse that is not working or in school.
• Medical and Dental Expenses
  Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) provides primary health care, basic hospital, and major medical expense coverage through premiums included with registration fees. Expenses not covered by SHCS, including some psychotherapy, can sometimes be added to a student's financial aid budget and funded with additional Federal Direct (Stafford and/or Grad PLUS) Loan funds. Costs must be reasonable and for medically necessary treatment. Financial aid cannot cover cosmetic work, elective procedures deemed not medically necessary or treatment that can reasonably be postponed until after graduation (for example, elective orthodontic work). When submitting the Budget Appeal, include a letter from the health care provider, which indicates an estimate or actual cost of care and states that costs are not covered by insurance.
• Computer Purchases
  Students may receive loan funds to a maximum of $2,500 during all of their UCSF enrollment. Printers and software are included in this maximum.
• Licensure Expenses
  Dental, pharmacy, or physical therapy students can apply for additional loan money to cover no more than one licensure exam cost for their first professional license or certification. That includes WREB for dental students, NAPLEX for pharmacy students, and NPTE for physical therapy students. Proof of payment is required.
• Residency Interview Expenses
  Medical students in their final year may receive loan funds for some of the costs associated with residency interviews in a single disbursement. Allowable costs include application fees, transportation, and lodging. Receipts may be requested after the fact for verification purposes or if an additional request for funding is made.
• Commute Expenses
  Educational commute related expenses can be added to a student's budget. Not all programs qualify. Transportation cost estimates applicable to each school, curriculum and level are built into the budgets.

Monthly Cost of Living Allowance

Student Financial Services establishes a modest, yet adequate cost of living allowance to determine financial aid eligibility each school year. This allowance includes housing and utilities, food, transportation, personal and miscellaneous, and medical expenses. The off-campus allowance assumes shared housing costs.

As required by federal law, budgets used to determine financial aid eligibility can only include the student's costs; spouse and/or children's expenses cannot be included.

^*Utilities portion is $141. For more information, see Typical Housing Costs Near UC Campuses.

Housing Circumstances

• Living with a Spouse and Children
  Living costs of family members must be covered by student and spouse earnings and/or assets. Financial aid, however, can help cover reasonable child care costs for children age 12 and younger for periods when the student is enrolled and the spouse is employed or in school.
• Living as a Single Parent
  Single parents are normally expected to support their children through earnings, savings, child support, and other existing resources. If sufficient funds are not available from these sources, an exception will be considered to include dependent care costs in the student's budget. Single parents must provide information and documentation of all expenses. They may wish to seek assistance from public assistance programs and other housing and food security solutions.
• Living with a Parent or Relative
  Students living with a parent or other relative will have a lower cost of living than indicated in the standard student budgets. The monthly cost of living is $1,130 (excluding fees, tuition, books and supplies) for students living with a parent or other relatives. Budgets may be adjusted once housing situations are finalized. This is a great cost saving measure which will reduce total debt after graduation.
• Living in University-Owned Housing
  Most students living in University-owned apartments will usually have a lower monthly cost of living than indicated in the standard student budgets. The monthly cost of living will depend on the monthly rent, which varies for these apartments. Students whose rent for university owned housing exceeds $1,679 will have the standard $2,950 off-campus monthly cost of living allowance.