The Student Budget for one year at Stanford:
The standard student budget applies to the typical Stanford undergraduate student:
unmarried
financially dependent on parents
living in a residence hall or off-campus
attending full-time for Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters
The budget is based on the actual cost of tuition, plus an allowance for other fees that students are typically charged, a standard amount for housing and a meal plan, and allowances for the typical costs of books and supplies, personal expenses, and transportation to and from campus. Tuition, fees, housing and food are all charged quarterly on the university bill.
Books, supplies, personal expenses and transportation costs are estimates of your actual expenses and included for the purpose of determining the full cost of attendance and eligibility for aid, and typically are not charged on the university bill. The amounts are based on a survey of current students and adjusted for inflation. If your actual expenses are significantly higher than the allowances, you can submit documentation of your costs to the Financial Aid Office; we may be able to adjust your budget and increase your financial aid eligibility.
Most students do not actually pay this full cost! Prospective students and parents can use our Net Price Calculator to obtain estimates of eligibility for need-based financial aid from Stanford.
Student Budget at Stanford:
Budget Item
2023-2024 Academic Year
Tuition
$61,731
Housing and Food
$19,922
Student Fees Allowance
$2,205
Books and Supplies Allowance
$825
Personal Expenses Allowance
$3,150
Travel
Varies
Total
$87,833
3100.00 dollars for “personal expenses” for a 9 month school year? $10.00 per day on “personal expenses!
Hell, I don’t spend that much in a week - food and drink excluded!