Living Expenses

Category: General

Can I borrow money for my living expenses? How much?

Yes, you can borrow money for your college living expenses! Loans can cover more than just tuition; they can also be used for books, housing, meals, transportation, and other personal expenses.

You can determine the specific amount allocated for living expenses in your Cost of Attendance by visiting Self Serve and viewing the "Offer" tab. Housing payments will only be billed through the Office of Student Accounts if you reside in a UP residence hall or a UP rental house.

Most off-campus students reside in privately owned rentals where each tenant pays their portion of rent directly to the landlord on a monthly basis. Students using loans to cover rent must carefully calculate their rent expenses for the semester and ensure they borrow sufficient loan funds to receive a refund after their billed charges are paid. It is the student's responsibility to budget their refund throughout the semester to pay rent on time each month. Additionally, leases are usually signed for 12 months at a time (oftentimes May to May). Financial aid awards, however, only cover the nine months a student is enrolled in fall and spring semester classes. If you have questions about your budget for off-campus living, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

To abide by federal regulations, the Office of Student Accounts is unable to start the refund process until after classes begin. This means that refunds do not occur until early September for fall semester and mid-January for spring semester. Please keep this in mind when budgeting. You can contact Student Accounts by emailing stu-acct@up.edu or by calling 503-943-7347.