Andy
05-31-2006, 03:09 PM
Kelvin asked this question and I think it will be useful if we can get all the important data in one place. Incoming students, specially those from abroad will find this extremely helpful to plan their finance.
Tuition per semester: $3200+fee for NYC resident (those who live in NYC for more than 1 year prior to the start of the program) and $6000+fee for other students (it doesn't matter if you are from California or India, you pay the same price). The whole program is three semesters long, so just multiply those tuition accordingly. This is on top of the refresher courses this summer that range from up to $2000 if you take all four courses.
Housing cost: this is the most expensive thing for some people. Depending on your housing arrangement, the cost may range from couple of hundred dollars to over one thousand dollars a month. Read other topics on housing for more information. The general rule is to find housing ASAP.
Transportation: if you have a car, the monthly cost is very high. Here I will cover only public transportation as it pertains to most students. The monthly NYC public fare is $76. This will give you unlimited ride on MTA bus, subway for 30 days. This is the best thing regarding public transportation in NYC. If you travel from nearby area (NJ,CT, upstate NY) then extra cost is added.
Food: it depends on your life style and the kind of food you favor. In general, home cooking is more cost effective than eating out even though it will take more time to prepare. The great thing about living in NYC is that you can buy any kind of ethnic food. If you plan to eat out a lot, it could run north of $20 per day. A meal at McDonald's will cost you $3-$6. Chinese food take out will cost around the same.
Clothing: Unless you bring enough clothes for the next 2 years, you will spend several hundred dollars a year on clothing. There are so much sale, discount throughout the year that if you are inclined, you can find clothes at a very cheap price. Laundry should cost less than $10 each time.
Cell phone,Internet,TV,phone card: this varies widely. You may share an apt that comes with Internet, TV. Cell phone service should cost $30-$60/month depends on your plan, how many minutes, extra feature,etc. DSL Internet should cost $20/m and Cable should cost around $50/m.
Health care:I don't think health insurance is mandatory for CUNY international students as it is for SUNY international students. It's a good idea to purchase insurance from an international company that is valid in the US. You may find several health package for international students when you arrive. You may find that not all Americans have health insurance. It's specially true for CUNY students in general. Only those who are employed fulltime with benefits are insured through they company. The rest will either buy their own health insurance at premium or pay out of their pocket when they seek health care. A basic care plan will cost around $300 for a single person for 6 months. A dental checkup will cost from $30 to over $100.
Other unplanned cost: movies tickets+flowers+chocolate+candle dinner,etc if you happen to find your love here. If you are a guy, these costs will be devastating :-
This list is just a snapshot of the cost of living in NYC. This is intended to be an example, not a blueprint to plan your budget upon. Your actual cost will be different and I shall not be hold responsible for any financial shortcoming.
Kidding aside, I welcome any comment, question and I'll try my best to answer.
Tuition per semester: $3200+fee for NYC resident (those who live in NYC for more than 1 year prior to the start of the program) and $6000+fee for other students (it doesn't matter if you are from California or India, you pay the same price). The whole program is three semesters long, so just multiply those tuition accordingly. This is on top of the refresher courses this summer that range from up to $2000 if you take all four courses.
Housing cost: this is the most expensive thing for some people. Depending on your housing arrangement, the cost may range from couple of hundred dollars to over one thousand dollars a month. Read other topics on housing for more information. The general rule is to find housing ASAP.
Transportation: if you have a car, the monthly cost is very high. Here I will cover only public transportation as it pertains to most students. The monthly NYC public fare is $76. This will give you unlimited ride on MTA bus, subway for 30 days. This is the best thing regarding public transportation in NYC. If you travel from nearby area (NJ,CT, upstate NY) then extra cost is added.
Food: it depends on your life style and the kind of food you favor. In general, home cooking is more cost effective than eating out even though it will take more time to prepare. The great thing about living in NYC is that you can buy any kind of ethnic food. If you plan to eat out a lot, it could run north of $20 per day. A meal at McDonald's will cost you $3-$6. Chinese food take out will cost around the same.
Clothing: Unless you bring enough clothes for the next 2 years, you will spend several hundred dollars a year on clothing. There are so much sale, discount throughout the year that if you are inclined, you can find clothes at a very cheap price. Laundry should cost less than $10 each time.
Cell phone,Internet,TV,phone card: this varies widely. You may share an apt that comes with Internet, TV. Cell phone service should cost $30-$60/month depends on your plan, how many minutes, extra feature,etc. DSL Internet should cost $20/m and Cable should cost around $50/m.
Health care:I don't think health insurance is mandatory for CUNY international students as it is for SUNY international students. It's a good idea to purchase insurance from an international company that is valid in the US. You may find several health package for international students when you arrive. You may find that not all Americans have health insurance. It's specially true for CUNY students in general. Only those who are employed fulltime with benefits are insured through they company. The rest will either buy their own health insurance at premium or pay out of their pocket when they seek health care. A basic care plan will cost around $300 for a single person for 6 months. A dental checkup will cost from $30 to over $100.
Other unplanned cost: movies tickets+flowers+chocolate+candle dinner,etc if you happen to find your love here. If you are a guy, these costs will be devastating :-
This list is just a snapshot of the cost of living in NYC. This is intended to be an example, not a blueprint to plan your budget upon. Your actual cost will be different and I shall not be hold responsible for any financial shortcoming.
Kidding aside, I welcome any comment, question and I'll try my best to answer.