Financial Aid

Cost of Attendance 

A standardized Cost of Attendance, or Student Budget, is calculated by each college every year as an estimate of a typical student's total educational and living costs. According to federal regulations, your financial aid award cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance.

At Butte College, the student budget includes enrollment fees (tuition) and student service fees, as well as books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses for the nine-month academic year (fall and spring semesters). Your estimated Cost of Attendance at Butte College will vary depending on:

• where you live - with parents /family or away
• whether you are a California resident or Non-Resident
• whether you are enrolled as full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, or less-than-half-time
• whether you are enrolled in regular semester-based program or programs based on clock hours

How is "Financial Need" Determined?

For financial aid purposes, "Financial Need" is the difference between your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and the Cost of Attendance. The EFC is calculated by the federal processor from the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). EFC is primarily a measure of a family's/student's financial ability to contribute to college expenses as compared to others on the basis of income, assets and household size.

You may be eligible for different types and amount of aid at different colleges because each college has its own Cost of Attendance.

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How To Determine Cost of Attendance

COA - EFC = Need

(Cost of Attendance minus Expected Family Contribution equals Financial Need)