Financial Aid
For Undergraduate Students
Education That’s Affordable, Meaningful, and Transformative
At UWest, we believe education is more than just earning a degree—it’s a transformative journey. Rooted in Buddhist wisdom and values, we provide a whole-person education that empowers students with character, compassion, and community while ensuring that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of personal and academic growth.
How UWest’s Costs Compare
Estimated Annual Tuition & Housing – Undergraduate
Tuition and fees: $15,788 (based on 24 units)
Tuition and fees with Housing: $22,922
Scholarships & Financial Aid Opportunities
UWest is committed to making education accessible through scholarships, grants, and work-study opportunities. Our generous financial aid packages help students graduate with less debt while focusing on their academic and personal growth.
Merit-Based Scholarships
Recognizing academic excellence and leadership potential.
Lotus Scholarship – $6,000/year
Metta Scholarship –$6,000/year
Dream Scholarship –$10,000/year
President’s Scholarship –Full tuition (up to 15 units/semester)
Dean’s Scholarship –Partial tuition (up to 7.5 units/semester)
UWest Scholarship –Up to $1,000/semester
AJ Wang Foundation Scholarship –$2,000/year (Freshman) $4,000/year (Transfer)
IBEF Scholarship (for Religious Studies/Buddhist Chaplaincy majors) -$3,500–$4,500/semester
IBEF Monastic Fellowship (for monastics in relevant majors) -$2,000–$3,000/semester
Golden Benefactor Awards –Varies (based on financial need)
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The cost of attendance is an estimate of what it will cost to attend University of the West for an academic year. There are two types of expenses that make up a student’s cost of attendance. Direct expenses include tuition, mandatory fees, as well as food and housing (if you live on campus). Indirect expenses include off-campus food and housing expenses (living expenses), books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.
The cost of attendance is used to determine the maximum amount of financial aid a student may receive. A student cannot receive more than the cost of attendance from any combination of federal, state, institutional or private funding source. University of the West can allow certain expenses as the basis for increasing the student’s cost of attendance. Expenses that may be considered include reasonable childcare expenses, computer purchase, and high medical/dental expenses that are not covered by insurance.
Each student’s award letter includes the cost of attendance that was used to determine award eligibility. Should you have questions regarding how your own cost of attendance was calculated, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
Undergraduate Full-time (12 units / semester) – All Programs
| On Campus | Off Campus | With Parents/Relatives | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition ($593/per unit) | $7,116 | $7,116 | $7,116 |
| Mandatory Fees | $607 | $607 | $607 |
| Housing – On Campus | $3,342 | — | — |
| Direct Costs | $11,065 | $7,723 | $7,723 |
| Food | $3,780 | ||
| Food & Housing – Off Campus | — | $11,043 | $5,747 |
| Books & Supplies | $531 | $531 | $531 |
| Transportation | $617 | $981 | $896 |
| Student Loan Fees | $200 | $200 | $200 |
| Miscellaneous | $1,607 | $2,484 | $2,030 |
| Indirect Costs | $6,735 | $15,239 | $9,404 |
| Semester Totals | $17,800 | $22,962 | $17,127 |
| Annual COA | $35,600 | $45,924 | $34,254 |
IEP/ESL Spring or Fall (16 Weeks Session)
| Cost | Triple |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $4,851 |
| Mandatory Fees | $607 |
| Housing — On Campus | $3,342 |
| Direct Costs | $8,800 |
| Food | $3,780 |
| Books & Supplies | $531 |
| Transportation | $617 |
| Miscellaneous | $1,607 |
| Indirect Costs | $6,535 |
| Semester Totals | $15,335 |
| Annual COA | $30,670 |
- Direct Costs are paid to UWest. These include tuition, fees and on-campus housing.
- Indirect Costs are not charged by UWest. They are additional expenses that students need to consider in their budgeting and financial planning. These include books, supplies, transportation, miscellaneous expenses, and off-campus food and housing.
- Housing – On Campus included in the Cost of Attendance is the average cost of available options.
- All tuition and fees should be considered as estimates and are current at the time of publication. Tuition and fees are subject to change without prio
Need Help? Contact the Financial Aid Office
Director of Financial Aid: Lezli Fang
Email: lezliyf@uwest.edu