College of Charleston

Undergraduate tuition* is $12,518 (resident) and $32,848 (non-resident). Tuition includes the fall and spring semesters. Average tech and library fees are $425.

Room and board costs include expenses for housing and food. For on-campus and off-campus students the weighted average room and board cost is $11,815, which includes $8,200 for room (housing) and $3,615 for board (food). For students that indicated on the FAFSA living with parents, there is no room allowance, just the surveyed average off-campus board amount of $2,853.

*Tuition includes the fall and spring semesters and are estimated based on the student taking at least 12 hours per semester. All figures are subject to change without notice. Please see the Treasurer's office website for a complete list of charges.

The College of Charleston recognizes that a college education is a major expense in most family budgets. It is important to know that there are many federal, state, local and institutional sources available to help students meet those expenses. The Office of Financial Assistance and Veterans Affairs administers scholarships, grants, loans, work study and Veterans benefits. Please explore our website for information about those programs.

Trying to describe why Charleston's vibe resonates is like trying to explain why your favorite song rocks. It just does. Downtown Charleston is 20 minutes from some of the best beaches in the Southeast and our year-round temperate weather makes the Charleston area ideal for surfing, kayaking, climbing, hiking and camping.

It seems like there's always something going on in Charleston. The annual Spoleto Festival USA is the premier arts festival in the country. The Cooper River Bridge Run has been called the best 10-K race in the world. And every March, top chefs and fashion designers flock to the Lowcountry for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival and Charleston Fashion Week.

The College of Charleston campus is smack dab in the middle of one of the most lovingly preserved historic districts in America (look both ways for horse-drawn carriages). It's like going to school in a postcard. The College of Charleston was chosen as America's Most Beautiful College Campus by Travel + Leisure Magazine.

The College of Charleston is inseparable from the city of Charleston, and you'll feel like a local no matter where you're from. Charleston is the perfect sized city for the perfect sized college. It's big enough to support a vibrant cultural life – huge concerts and small clubs, dance troupes and opera, historic sites and professional sports – and small enough for students to feel right at home from their very first day

The Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library is the region's top research library. This modern facility has a holding capacity of one million volumes, seats 1,400 people and has 300+ computers.

The library is also the prime study spot on campus. A huge draw is Rivers Green, a large, inviting lawn and patio area behind the library that's equipped with tables, chairs and high-speed WiFi. Another "perk" is Starbucks, Addlestone's tasty refueling station for marathon study sessions.

TD Arena, a 5,000-seat, state-of-the-art athletic facility that serves as home to the Cougars men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball teams.

Patriots Point, a 35-acre athletic complex, home to the Cougar soccer, softball and baseball programs.

Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, Part museum, part research facility, the center plays a central role in Charleston's black community through research opportunities and outreach programs.

The Center for Entrepreneurship directs its resources and energies to providing experiential activities that assist students in developing an entrepreneurial mindset. It helps connect students to the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem encapsulating guest speakers, mentors, judges, etc. This focus ties directly into the College's strategic plan to provide enhanced "opportunities for experiential learning" and "contribute to the well-being of the region."

Environmental Campus on the Stono River is a majestic 881-acre property along the Stono River and the Intercoastal Waterway. The myriad ecosystems include long-leaf pine forests, wetlands, savannahs, tidal marshes, as well as brackish, saltwater and fresh-water ponds. College of Charleston students and faculty of multiple disciplines – from marine biology to forest management and historic preservation - utilize this vibrant living laboratory. This property enables the College of Charleston to educate its students in an unparalleled natural setting; inspire collaboration across campus, industry and governmental agencies; and prepare students and faculty to be leaders in today's environmentally volatile, global society.

Established in 1955, Grice Marine Laboratory is a core facility in support of the undergraduate and the graduate degree programs in marine and environmental sciences at the College of Charleston. The lab supports research in marine sciences conducted by faculty members and students.

Part of the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is the public face of artistic life at the College. In addition to exhibiting some of the finest contemporary art in the Southeast, HICA sponsors lectures, film series and publications, and serves as an inspiring living laboratory for undergraduate art students.

Harbor Walk, this 45,000-square-foot contemporary complex consists of classrooms, faculty offices and laboratories. Home to the Department of Computer Science and the Computer Science Student Innovation Center, this facility is immediately adjacent to Charleston Harbor.

The Sustainability Literacy Institute (SLI) is the physical, pedagogical, virtual and institutional hub for sustainability literacy efforts at the College. The purpose of SLI is to foster positive social, economic and environmental change by way of a sustainably literate campus community.

Business is booming in Charleston with an explosion of technology startups, a multi-billion-dollar tourism industry and a thriving biomedical community.

The Port of Charleston is a vibrant economic engine, offering a gateway to more than 150 countries and countless internship opportunities.

The city is a true living/learning laboratory for College of Charleston students:

• Hospitality and tourism majors are right in the middle of the number one travel destination in the U.S. (according to Travel + Leisure).
• Marine biology majors study at the Ft. Johnson Marine Science Center, a world-class research facility surrounded by a variety of marine ecosystems on nearby James Island.
• Arts management majors are immersed in a vibrant arts community.
• Computer Science majors work alongside technology business leaders at our Harbor Walk facility

Seventy-four percent of incoming students choose the College of Charleston because of the rich diversity and depth of its study abroad programs. With over 85 study abroad programs to choose from, we encourage students to get out and explore the world. We offer programs led by our own faculty to a broad swath of places. You could study global environmental changes in Panama, volcanos and glaciers in Iceland or culture and art in Costa Rica. Whether for a summer, a semester or a full year, there are so many opportunities to see and explore, and gain a global perspective.