<p>First of all, I want to apologize if this question has been asked before. I used the search function but could not find anything relevant to my question. This is my second semester at cal, and am more than ready to move out of the dorms next year... I've applied to live in co-ops and have a groups of friends who are interested in getting and apartment. My concern is that my EFC was 0 this year and it will probably be the same next year. Would it still be cheaper for me to live off campus? I've look at the student budgest on the financial aid website, but i'm still confused as to what they mean. If off campus is 27 k, does it mean that UCB will give you financial aid to cover that amount of money? do you end up taking a lot more loans?
Could someone please explain to me how it works?
Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m in the same boat as you are… I’m only taking out 1k loan this semester since I’m doing living in a triple. I’ve tested by toggling my financial aid option to ‘off campus’ and Berkeley ended up taking away 3-4k. So if you can find a place for 400-500, you’ll still need to take out 1k-2k loan. If you can find a place for around 300, you’ll actually have 2k back (that would be for personal expenses, food, books, etc…). </p>
<p>Right now I’m thinking of doing a triple again since it’s only like 1k loan… + the convenient of the dining commons… I don’t know where to find another person who want to do triple next year since I dont want to be stuck with 2 freshmen or anyone who already paired up >_<!</p>
<p>[UC</a> Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships Office Cost of Attendance](<a href=“http://students.berkeley.edu/finaid/home/cost.htm]UC”>http://students.berkeley.edu/finaid/home/cost.htm) indicates that 2011-2012 cost of attendance budgets are lower for off-campus than on-campus by about $4,400.</p>
<p>For 2011-2012, academic year rates for the dorms are $12,174 to $17,419 ($14,169 for what is probably the most common). Berkeley Student Co-op rates for the room and board houses are $6,822 for the academic year, or $5,352 less than the cheapest dorm option and $7,347 less than the probably most common dorm option.</p>
<p>So moving into the Berkeley Student Co-op still saves money, even with the reduced financial aid award.</p>
<p>Ok this is old because I calculated this a few years ago, but I calculated that you will save money as long as your apartment/coop + food doesn’t cost over 800 dollars a month.</p>
<p>The Berkeley budget is greatly over estimated. You could spend less on a place off campus if you search well enough. Shopping at Trader Joe’s costed me about $50 per month in food.</p>
<p>$50?! What do you eat >_<</p>
<p>I would like to know as well. How the hell you feed yourself on $50 a month. Spaghetti only? and water?</p>
<p>Cereal, Chicken, Beef, Sandwiches, Oatmeal, Eggs. I ate pretty darn well. :)</p>
<p>I ate a bunch of other things too. I just can’t remember right now. My price range was between $50-$75 per month. I’m a bargain shopper…</p>
<p>Uh… any recipes…? Lol</p>