- Joined
- Oct 10, 2006
- Messages
- 449
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Hi folks,
The past two semesters abroad have hit a few of us international students fairly hard with regards to living on financial aid allowances and conversion rates (sinking US dollar and rising AU dollar )
So I'm trying to get a bit of research together to see where we sit compared to other schools in hopes that we may be able to get a bit more aid (aka debt) so we aren't having to work through school.
Here's our cost breakdown for our year (listed in AUD)
Tuition/Fees: $34,500
Books/Supplies: $1000
Living Costs: $12000
Travel & Transport: $5000
Medical & Ins: $349
Realistically after conversion from USD we get $6,000 or $1000/mo to live off of. By the time Aid gets paid out it ends up more like $750/mo as we get our aid every 8-ish months.
If you wouldn't mind I'd also be curious to know some basic comparisons of realistic expenses for cost of living comparisons.
Rent: $430/mo (share-house this is my portion)
Food/Groceries: $400/mo
Internet: $45/mo (my share)
Water: $10/mo
Electric: $40/mo
Phone: $50-$100/mo (Mobile $30-$80/mo + VoIP $20/mo)
Car Ins: $41/mo
Car Reg: $25/mo
Gas for Car: $80/mo
Books: $83/mo ($500/sem)
School Supplies: $33/mo
Total monthly expenses: $1237-$1287/mo
Anyone else enjoy their credit cards as much as I have been? ;x
The past two semesters abroad have hit a few of us international students fairly hard with regards to living on financial aid allowances and conversion rates (sinking US dollar and rising AU dollar )
So I'm trying to get a bit of research together to see where we sit compared to other schools in hopes that we may be able to get a bit more aid (aka debt) so we aren't having to work through school.
Here's our cost breakdown for our year (listed in AUD)
Tuition/Fees: $34,500
Books/Supplies: $1000
Living Costs: $12000
Travel & Transport: $5000
Medical & Ins: $349
Realistically after conversion from USD we get $6,000 or $1000/mo to live off of. By the time Aid gets paid out it ends up more like $750/mo as we get our aid every 8-ish months.
If you wouldn't mind I'd also be curious to know some basic comparisons of realistic expenses for cost of living comparisons.
Rent: $430/mo (share-house this is my portion)
Food/Groceries: $400/mo
Internet: $45/mo (my share)
Water: $10/mo
Electric: $40/mo
Phone: $50-$100/mo (Mobile $30-$80/mo + VoIP $20/mo)
Car Ins: $41/mo
Car Reg: $25/mo
Gas for Car: $80/mo
Books: $83/mo ($500/sem)
School Supplies: $33/mo
Total monthly expenses: $1237-$1287/mo
Anyone else enjoy their credit cards as much as I have been? ;x