Money Matters
Paying for college can be confusing. The University of Louisiana Monroe’s Financial
Aid counselors are here to help you apply for financial aid, make wise financial decisions,
and ultimately help you figure out how much college will cost and how to pay for it.
So how much is college really going to cost?
There is no short answer to this question because your college expenses depend on
a variety of factors unique to you. This could include, but is not limited to, major,
scholarship eligibility, grant possibilities and more. The State and Federal governing
bodies, along with the Department of Education, determine a “cost of attendance amount”
for each institution based upon how much it should cost each student type to attend
an institution of their choosing. This amount varies each academic year. Currently
it can cost between $5,500- $11,000 for an in-state, undergraduate student to attend
ULM depending on if they choose to live on campus or not. To more accurately budget
your individual cost of attendance, consider taking a look at our Fee Bill Worksheet to get a better understanding of what it may cost you to attend ULM. Feel free to
reach out to our office if you have any questions.
This is what will cost money during college:
Tuition
This is a cost directly related to the number of courses you take. For full-time undergraduate
students, tuition cost $2,893.76 in the Fall 24 semester. Comparing to other institutions,
ULM has a significantly lower tuition cost than most. Click here to view the most updated breakdown by credit hour for tuition and fees.
Fees
These are miscellaneous costs that students may need to pay depending on a variety
of factors. Some fees are fixed and are on every student's fee bill, like technology
fees or facilities fees. Other fees may include laboratory fees associated with specific
courses or out-of-state fees for students who are not from Louisiana, though many
non-residents are eligible for out-of-state fee waivers. The average fee cost per semester for a first-time, full-time freshman is between
$1,700 and $1,900. Click here to view the most updated breakdown by credit hour for tuition and fees.
Books
Books can be difficult to budget because some courses require more books than other
courses. Because of this, ULM in conjunction with Barnes & Noble offers the Warhawk Bundle, a course materials fulfillment program. The Warhawk Bundle costs $25 per credit
hour and includes all books, lab manuals, access codes, and digital textbooks. This
program results in a 35% to 50% reduction in book costs to students. You may choose
to opt out of the Warhawk Bundle program if you prefer to buy your books on your own.
Room and Board
This is a cost that will fluctuate based on what dorm you choose to live in. We recommend
that all full-time, first-time freshmen live on campus because you are more likely
to graduate when you are plugged into the campus community. Students who are not from
Bienville, Caldwell, Catahoula, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln,
Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, West Carroll, or Winn parishes
must live on campus their freshman year, unless an exemption is approved. There are
a variety of residential hall options that cost from $1,685 to $3,174 per semester.
Some students live in off-campus housing or live with their families close to campus.
If you choose to live off campus, remember to budget for rent, utilities, and gas
for commuting to campus. Click here to explore ULM residential hall options.
Food
You need to eat! ULM offers multiple meal plan options for both on-campus students
and commuters. Meal plans range from $170 to $2,480 per semester. Some meal plans
ensure you have 3 meals a day, every day of the semester, while other meal plans give
you flexibility for a commuter's schedule. If you are not required to have a meal
plan and choose not to utilize one of our many options, make sure you budget for your
meals. Click here to explore on-campus meal plans and click here to explore off-campus meal plans.
Miscellaneous Costs
This will vary based on your student type (on-campus, off-campus, with parent, in-state,
out-of-state). When making your budget, think about how much money you will spend
on things like transportation and personal expenses such as cell phone bills, groceries,
car insurance, clothes, gifts, social activities, hobbies, and travel.
What can help me pay for college?
ULM Academic Scholarships
The ULM Scholarship Office offers generous scholarships to help pay for college. Academic
Scholarships are merit-based scholarships and are awarded based on GPA and ACT or
SAT scores. Academic Scholarships can include a general scholarship award for tuition
and fees, a housing award for on-campus housing, and out-of-state fee waivers for
non-Louisiana residents. We never hide our scholarship amounts, so you can view how much you could be eligible for here. Your application to ULM doubles as your Academic Scholarship application, so there
is no need to fill out additional forms. Be sure to apply by the priority scholarship
deadline to ensure your award.
ULM Foundation Scholarships
The ULM Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that supports ULM and its students. The ULM
Foundation awards scholarships based on donor criteria like the student’s major, hometown,
or involvement. You can apply to Foundation Scholarships during the month of February
only. The scholarships you receive from the ULM Foundation are added on top of any
Academic Scholarships you may receive. Click here to explore ULM Foundation scholarships.
Private Scholarships
We encourage you to research private scholarships from your local high school and
area nonprofits, in addition to private scholarships from large national entities
like Coca-Cola, The Gates Foundation, Miss America, and more.
ULM Talent Grants
Do you love participating in your high school’s band, choir, or dance ensemble? If
so, you may be eligible for a ULM Talent Grant. All ULM full-time students in good
standing who audition and are selected for ULM bands, choral ensembles, and dance
repertoire are eligible for Talent Grants. These awards are open to students of all
majors. Certain visual art students may also be eligible for Talent Grants. Talent
Grants range from $250 - $2500 per semester. For details on auditions, click here.
ULM Spirit Scholarships
All members of spirit squads, including Cheerleading, Hawkline dance team, and Ace
the Mascot receive Spirit Scholarships. Click here for details on try-outs for Cheerleading, Hawkline, and Ace the Mascot. Some students may also earn money for holding certain leadership positions in organizations
like the Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board, or Miss ULM.
Federal Financial Aid
Completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is always a good idea! You never know what you possibly could be eligible for through
the federal government or when you may need your student loans in a time of emergency.
We recommend you have one on file each year. All full-time, first-time freshmen who
are TOPS recipients are required to submit a FAFSA their first academic year. It’s
always a good idea to apply to ULM before you complete your FAFSA. This will help streamline your award letter in the
coming months.
When completing the FAFSA, it is common to have questions. ULM is here to help. We
have multiple options to assist you with FAFSA completion. Call, email, or come by and we will be happy to put your mind at ease when it comes to FAFSA
completion. After submitting the FAFSA, you should immediately receive a confirmation
and what you could possible eligibility amounts for the academic year. The FAFSA can
take up to two weeks to come to ULM electronically, and ULM's Financial Aid Office
begins pulling information in February. First-time freshmen should receive an estimated
award letter in the mail soon after this time.
After you submit the FAFSA, you may be eligible for three types of federal financial
aid:
Grants
If eligible, multiple grants are available from the federal government. These grants
do not have to be repaid if you remain in good standing with the Financial Aid Office.
Work-Study Jobs
You may be eligible to work at ULM through a work-study job. You’ll earn at least the minimum wage per hour.
Loans
You may be eligible for a loan, which is money that is offered to you that you must
pay back with interest. The Financial Aid Office is required to offer your loans to
you. However, you are only required to accept your terms and conditions. You are not
required to accept loans that are offered to you. If you need advice about whether
or not accepting a loan is the best financial decision for you, ULM’s financial aid counselors are here to help.
TOPS
If you live in Louisiana, you may be eligible for the Taylor Opportunity Program for
Students (TOPS), awarded through the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA). To receive TOPS, you must meet TOPS requirements and complete a FAFSA at least your first academic year. ULM posts all initial TOPS
awards as an estimated amount for incoming freshmen. This is based upon the information
we have in our system reflecting the student is eligible for a TOPS award. It is important
to set up a student hub with LOSFA and stay in contact with them. They will need all
updated ACT scores and a final high school transcript for your TOPS Estimate to change
to an actual TOPS award when it is time to apply the amount to the fee bill in July.
Military Education Benefits
If you are a veteran, a dependent of a veteran or an active military personnel, or
a member of the ROTC, you may be eligible for benefits. Contact our Veterans Affairs representatives for more information.
On-Campus Job
Hundreds of students work on ULM’s campus every day! See what campus jobs are available here.
Off-Campus Job or Internship
Some students choose to work off-campus or land prestigious paid internships during
their semesters and summers. ULM is here to help you expand your network so that you
can get work experience and money to help pay for school. Contact the Career Development Office for details on internships.
Who can I talk to?
Ace's Place
You have questions. We have answers! Talk to a real person at Ace's Place to get in
touch with the right person.
Ace's Place hours:
Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Phone: 318.342.7777
Email: askace@ulm.edu
