The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines COA components for all federal student aid programs. These components include direct costs, such as tuition and fees, and indirect costs, like food and housing. COA can be adjusted annually to reflect changes to these cost components.
Cost of attendance will vary depending on your program of study, credit hour enrollment, and housing status. Students are not allowed to receive aid that exceeds their cost of attendance. It is important to budget wisely and make responsible borrowing decisions.
| Cost Component | Off Campus | With Military Housing or Parent |
| Standard Tuition (24 credit hours) | 8,400 | 8,400 |
| Housing & Food | 8,792 | 4,400 |
| Books, Supplies & Course Materials1 | 0 | 0 |
| Personal2 | 2,768 | 2,768 |
| Transportation3 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 19,960 | 15,568 |
1 Ebooks are provided at no cost for all undergraduate, doctoral, and Preferred Military Rate-eligible graduate-level students. A hard-copy textbook is provided at no cost if an ebook is not available.
2 Students with less than half time enrollment do not have cost allowance for personal expenses.
3 APUS does not have a standard transportation/travel cost component but will consider requests for special circumstance professional judgment.
| Cost Component | Off Campus | With Military Housing or Parent |
| Tuition (24 credit hours) | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Housing & Food | 8,792 | 4,400 |
| Books, Supplies & Course Materials1 | 0 | 0 |
| Personal2 | 2,768 | 2,768 |
| Transportation3 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 17,560 |
13,168 |
1 Ebooks are provided at no cost for all undergraduate, doctoral, and Preferred Military Rate-eligible graduate-level students. A hard-copy textbook is provided at no cost if an ebook is not available.
2 Students with less than half time enrollment do not have cost allowance for personal expenses.
3 APUS does not have a standard transportation/travel cost component but will consider requests for special circumstance professional judgment.
| Cost Component | Off Campus | With Military Housing or Parent |
| Tuition (12 credit hours) | 5,100 | 5,100 |
| Fees | 340 | 340 |
| Housing & Food | 8,792 | 4,400 |
| Books, Supplies & Course Materials2 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Personal3 | 2,768 | 2.768 |
| Transportation4 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 18,000 | 13,608 |
1There may be additional fees or a higher tech fee depending on a student’s program of study.
2 The cost allowance for master’s or graduate certificate materials is $250 per course or $0 for all active-duty military students, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents.
3 Students with less than half time enrollment do not have cost allowance for personal expenses.
4 APUS does not have a standard transportation/travel cost component but will consider requests for special circumstance professional judgment.
| Cost Component | Off Campus | With Military Housing or Parent |
| Tuition (12 credit hours) | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Fees (12 credit hours)1 | 340 | 340 |
| Housing & Food | 8,792 | 4,400 |
| Books, Supplies & Course Materials2 | 0 | 0 |
| Personal3 | 2,768 | 2,768 |
| Transportation4 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 14,900 |
10,508 |
1 There may be additional fees or a higher tech fee depending on a student's program of study.
2 The cost allowance for master’s or graduate certificate materials is $0 for all active-duty military students, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents.
3 Students with less than half time enrollment do not have cost allowance for personal expenses.
4APUS does not have a standard transportation/travel cost component but will consider requests for special circumstance professional judgment.
Our doctoral programs are offered in fixed-term cohorts. Costs are based on each program year in the cohort and may span more than one academic year.
Doctoral of Global Security
- Program Year One: $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674) includes residency housing & food. Transportation/Travel: $500 for residency held in Washington DC metro area.
- Program Year Two: $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674). Residency-International Experience: $4,000 to complete an international experience as approved by your Program Director.
- Program Year Three: $10,010 (2 terms x $5,005) includes residency housing & food. Transportation/Travel: $500 for residency held in Washington DC metro area.
- Dissertation phase: $863 per one credit term until the dissertation is defended and all graduation requirements are complete.
- Course materials: Textbooks and/or ebooks provided free of charge.
For students starting their program in the January 2018 or May 2018 Cohorts
- Program Year One: $24,021 (3 terms x $8,007) includes residency housing & food. Transportation/Travel: $500 for residency held in Washington DC metro area.
- Program Year Two: $24,021 (3 terms x $8,007) residency costs are included.
- Program Year Three: $12,012 (2 terms x $6,006) includes residency housing & food. Transportation/Travel: $500 for residency held in Washington DC metro area.
- Dissertation phase: $863 per one credit term until the dissertation is defended and all graduation requirements are complete.
- Course materials: Textbooks and/or ebooks provided free of charge.
Doctoral of Strategic Intelligence
- Program Year One: $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674) includes residency housing & food. Transportation/Travel: $500 for residency held in Washington DC metro area.
- Program Year Two: $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674). Residency-Conference Presentation: $1,500 to present at an academic conference as approved by your Program Director.
- Program Year Three: $10,010 (2 terms x $5,005) includes residency housing & food. Transportation/Travel: $500 for residency held in Washington DC metro area.
- Dissertation phase: $863 per one credit term until the dissertation is defended and all graduation requirements are complete.
- Course materials: Textbooks and/or ebooks provided free of charge.
Standard Tuition
- $350 per undergraduate credit hour
- $455 per master's or graduate certificate credit hour
- $100 per credit hour for audit courses
Preferred Military Rate
- $250 per undergraduate and $290 for master's or graduate certificate credit hour
- $100 per credit hour for audit courses
Fees
- $85 Technology Fee per master's or graduate level course (There may be additional fees or a higher tech fee depending on a student’s program of study).
All tuition and fees are subject to change by action of the Board of Trustees.
Direct Cost and Fees reflected here are effective April 23, 2024.
- Off-campus housing & food: $8,792
- Military or with parent housing & food: $4,400
- Personal expenses: $2,768 (excluded for students with less than half-time enrollment)
- Transportation: $0 (APUS will consider professional judgment requests for education related transportation costs)
- Books: Ebooks are provided at no cost for all undergraduate, doctoral and Preferred Military-Rate eligible graduate-level students, earning credit. A hard-copy textbook is provided at no cost if an ebook is not available. The cost allowance for graduate-level course materials is $250 per course.
- Off-campus housing & food: $8,128
- Military or with parent housing & food: $4,072
- Personal expenses: $2,552 (excluded for students with less than half-time enrollment)
- Books, Supplies & Course Materials:
Ebooks are provided at no cost for all undergraduate, doctoral, and Freedom Grant/military tuition grant-eligible master’s-level students. A hard-copy textbook is provided at no cost if an ebook is not available.
The cost allowance for master’s or graduate certificate materials is $250 per course or $0 for all active-duty military students, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents.
Tuition and fees: An amount normally assessed a student carrying the same academic workload, as determined by the institution.
Living expenses (Housing & Food): An allowance for food and housing costs, as determined by the institution, to be incurred by the student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis.
Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment—An allowance for books, course materials, and equipment, which must include all such costs required of all students in the same course of study, including a reasonable allowance for the rental or upfront purchase of a personal computer, as determined by the institution.
Miscellaneous personal expenses: An allowance, as determined by the institution, for a student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis.
Computer Expense: Educational technology that may include a computer and peripherals.
Transportation: An allowance, as determined by the institution, which may include transportation between campus, residences, and place of work.
Federal student loan fees: An allowance for the cost of any Federal student loan fee, origination fee, or insurance premium charged to the student or the parent of the student. The allowance—
- May be actual or average costs, as appropriate; and
- May not include the cost associated with non-Federal loans.
Dependent care: An allowance based on the estimated actual expenses incurred for dependent care, based on the number and age of such dependents. The period for which dependent care is required includes, but is not limited to, class-time, study-time, field work, internships, and commuting time.
Disability-related expenses: An allowance, as determined by the institution, for expenses associated with a student’s disability, including special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and supplies that are reasonably incurred and not provided for by other agencies.
Professional licensure, certification, or a first professional credential: An allowance for the costs associated with obtaining a license, certification, or a first professional credential, for a student in a program that prepares them to enter a profession that requires such a qualification.
Federal Student Aid regulations allow financial aid administrators to use professional judgment, on a case-by-case basis and with supporting documentation, to adjust a student’s Cost of Attendance (COA). Adjustments must be deemed reasonable and related to special circumstances under which the student incurs costs beyond those allowed in the student budget. Cost components for which a special circumstance professional judgment may be made are as follows:
- Transportation Expenses
- Computer Expenses
- Books, Supplies, and Course Materials
- Dependent Care
- Disability-Related Expenses
- Professional licensure, certification, or a first professional credential
To Request a Professional Judgment:
To request an appeal contact Financial Aid Advising by email at [email protected] or by calling 877-755-2787 (Mon – Thurs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET; Fri 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET)
More information on professional judgment may be found at: https://www.amu.apus.edu/tuition-and-financing/paying-for-school/fsa/.