* Also listed on the Housing Cost page.

**Costs will vary based on personal needs, spending habits, and living accommodations and may not be reflected in your actual expenses.

*** You will not be charged any extra tuition for this program. During the academic year (fall, winter, spring), your standard campus tuition payment covers your quarter in D.C. instead of your classes on campus. For the summer program, paying tuition is optional and only required if you wish to receive internship units.

Program Costs

Tuition & Fees

For the academic year program, university tuition & fees for the Washington Program are the same as a regular quarter on campus.

For the summer program, you will only need to pay tuition and fees only if you desire to receive academic credit for your internship. The cost of tuition and fees are outlined on the UCDC website. 

Housing Costs

All students accepted to the Washington Program must pay the UCDC housing cost. The Washington Center is a great home for UC students participating in the Washington Program! Housing includes fully furnished shared apartments within the UCDC Center, a fully-equipped kitchen, and other accommodations. For more information, please see the Housing page.

Housing costs are divided up into three payments which begin in the month of arrival and are due on the 15th of each subsequent month (e.g. if a student is participating in the summer program, the first housing payment will be due on June 15th, July 15th, and August 15th).

For financial aid students, any housing cost not covered fully by your packaged financial aid will be due prior to arrival in Washington DC.

Airfare

Roundtrip airfare to Washington DC varies widely dependent upon a variety of factors such as how soon you book travel, which airline you select, and the airports you travel to and from. Accepted students should buy their tickets as soon as they are able to ensure better pricing options. Check out Google Flight Finder, Travelocity, Hotwire, and Expedia for easy flight searching. Preferred arrival airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

Expect to spend around $40-80 on an Uber/Lyft/taxi traveling to the UCDC Center from the airport.

Local Transportation

The UC Washington Center provides a metro card for students to use to get around D.C.! However, also consider the costs of whatever special trips you want to take while in DC (taxi, bus, train, etc). 

Personal Expenses

Washington DC has an endless supply of restaurants, bars, shows, and more! While some of these options are more expensive than others, there are many fun things to do on a budget. Keep an eye out for fun and inexpensive things to do around the city (festivals, talks, museum exhibits, etc). Also, carry your student ID with you so you can take advantage of student discounts offered by theaters, museums, and other DC organizations.

Health Insurance

You may maintain usage of your current health insurance provided your insurance covers out of state/network care. Please check with your health insurance providers for details. Students enrolled in the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) may continue to use it while participating in the UCDC program. 

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Visit the Financial Aid and or the Scholarships & Fellowships pages for more information.