Costs of Attendance for International Students

Tuition and fees at community colleges like Shoreline cost 50%-70% less, on average, than public and private universities.

All F-1 international students are required to demonstrate adequate financial resources to live and study in the U.S. Although you only need to provide financial documentation for the first year, it is important that there be adequate funding available for the entire duration of your program. You may be asked to provide this information when you apply for a visa at the U.S. consulate or embassy.

Expenses of living and studying in the United States vary from student to student. However, the following is a list of the minimum expenses that you can expect. Extra expenses for travel, entertainment, and recreation are not included in this list.

Students that are completing courses online from their home country are only required to pay for academic expenses and are not expected to pay any living expenses listed below.

Estimated Academic Expenses 1 Quarter Academic Year (3 Quarters)
Tuition (15 credit hours1) $3,510 $10,530
Fees2 $215 $645
Books (estimated) $130 $390
TOTAL                                                                                          $3,855 $11,565
Estimated Living Expenses3  1 Quarter Academic Year (3 Quarters)
Room and Board4 $3,225 $9,675
Health Insurance5 $383 $1,149
Other6 $350 $1,050
TOTAL $3,958 $11,874
     
Total estimated cost for one academic year (9 months):  

$23,439

1 The tuition expenses above are based on 15 credits per quarter. For a breakdown of tuition cost per credit, visit Tuition & Fees page and see the rates under Non-US citizen. 

2 Fees are mandatory for students and cover costs associated with a variety of items including an International Student Fee and supplemental fees (student union building renovation fee, sustainable commuter options fee, student technology fee, and student completion fee). This does not include specific course fees. 

3 The estimated living expenses above are only intended to be an approximate amount of costs that students can expect to incur at a minimum during the course of an academic year (9 months).

4 Room and board estimates are based on average homestay costs. Students living on-campus housing or renting own apartments should expect higher expenses.

5 Health insurance is added to your tuition bill, and can be paid together with tuition each quarter.

6 Other estimated expenses include miscellaneous expenses and spending money. Individual students' expenses may vary depending on students' lifestyles and situations. Students may incur additional expenses if they purchase a bus pass. Shoreline students are eligible for a bus pass discount.


The U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires that international applicants to all colleges and universities in the U.S. demonstrate that they have access to sufficient funds to cover the entire cost of their academic and living expenses for at least one year. Therefore, evidence of this type of financial ability is part of Shoreline's admission requirements.

Your proof of financial ability and support will be met by submitting the completed and signed “Statement of Financial Support” (on the international student application), as well as the materials listed in one of the following four categories:

An official letter from your parent's bank indicating that there is a minimum balance of $23,439 on the account. This letter should be in English and should be no more than 6 months old. Instead of the letter from the bank, you can also provide a recent official statement that they may regularly receive from the bank that shows available funds.

An official letter from your bank indicating that there is a minimum balance of $23,439 on the account. This letter should be in English and should be no more than 6 months old. Instead of the letter from the bank, you can also provide a recent official document that you may regularly receive from the bank that shows available funds.

  • An official letter from your sponsor's bank indicating that there is a minimum balance of $23,439 on the account. This letter should be in English and should be no more than 6 months old. Instead of the letter from the bank, you can also provide a recent official statement that they may regularly receive from the bank that shows available funds. 
  • Your sponsor needs to submit an Affidavit of Support form indicating the amount of annual contribution that they are willing to provide. Please note that if your sponsor is not paying for all of your expenses, we will need an explanation from you of how your remaining costs will be met.

An original scholarship or authorization letter from the sponsoring agency listing the amount of support, length of time authorized, and any special conditions of sponsorship. This letter should be in English.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Providing financial documents from persons only for the purpose of obtaining admission and an I-20 document if that person has no intention of supporting a student will be considered as submission of fraudulent documentation by our office.