Expenses & Financial Aid

No matter what your family’s financial circumstances are, you can find a way to manage college costs. It might not be easy, depending on your situation, but consider it an investment in your future. The average college graduate earns more than $1,000,000 more in a lifetime than a worker with only a high school diploma.

The Financial Aid Office at Illinois State helps thousands of students finance their education each year.

Your Budget

You must think about the costs of tuition, housing, books, and living expenses when deciding how much money you’ll need and what your budget should be. Illinois State offers a convenient payment plan so you can spread your tuition payments throughout the semester for a small fee.

Your tuition rate is frozen for four years even if you are a transfer student. That means you'll pay the same rate from transfer to graduation, as long as you don't exceed four years here. Some programs take five or six years to complete, so your freeze rate will extend an additional year or two. For a listing of those programs, see the 5 & 6 Year Major Listing.

The tuition, fees, and other costs listed on the right are estimated for a student from Illinois who lives in a residence hall and takes a classload of 30 credit hours each year. Additional information on calculating tuition is available from the Student Accounts web site.

Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid at Illinois State, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. The FAFSA is available starting on January 1 each year for the following academic year.

When you file your FAFSA, you'll need a Federal Student Aid PIN which you must request online ahead of time. If you are a dependent student, your parent or guardian must request one, too. Your PIN number allows you to electronically sign your FAFSA.

Be sure to file your FAFSA by March 1 for full consideration for all financial aid programs. If you do, you'll receive your award notice in early April. For additional information, please visit the Financial Aid Office.

Your 2012-2013 Budget

The chart below gives you a good idea of what it will cost to live and learn at Illinois State next year. These estimates are based on a student who takes 15 credit hours each semester and lives on campus.

Books, supplies, and other expenses are not paid directly to the University. Other expenses include average costs for transportation, clothing, personal items, and recreation.

Tuition and fees*

$13,080

Room and board

$9,726

Books and supplies

$1,150

Other expenses

$3,017

Estimated cost of attendance

$26,973

Tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $20,887.

For most students, tuition rates remain the same for four years.