Is this financial support enough?

[maa]

I have received a financial support package from NCSU. It is $14040. I have to run the expense of living, books, travels and an extra cost of $1500 with this amount. Can anybody tell me if this amount is enough?

[Ladylish]

Really, this depends on your situation. First, rent...depends on if you want to live alone or have roommates. Best thing is to look in the local newspaper online and see what you come up with an average for the living space you require. Next, you have to figure in tuition and books...in state or out of state or do you get a waiver and only have to pay fees? Books also depend on your classes...look at the bookstores listing for this semester to get an idea. Then any debts you have (car payment, credit cards etc)...then you have to figure food, gas, electric, etc.

[maa]

Well I am an international student of Computer Science. They have waived my out-state tuition fee and will cover my health insurance. I am particularly concerned about my living cost (food and housing). Since I do not know the living cost at NC, I just want an idea about how much living cost may take.

[cherrifaery]

I'm a UNC student, so I live in the same (general) area. NCSU is in Raleigh, so you should be able to find some affordable housing nearby. I know other people who are getting by with similarly small stipends. I would strongly recommend finding a roommate to cut your cost of living, and getting used to shopping at food lion. But, its entirely doable (especially if you don't have a car you have to worry about paying for--theres pretty good public transit). There are tons of students living on very small stipends in the area (Duke, UNC, and NCSU are all in pretty much the same area), so you won't be entirely alone.

Where I live rent (for a 2 bedroom apt) is ~700 a month, and I spend about $200 a month on groceries. Utilities add on another hundred or so (we're in a severe drought here, so I'm a little afraid the price of water is going to increase... luckily its included in my rent).

Is your stipend for year round work, or are you allowed to have a job over the summers? If you can work on the side, you can probably pick up a few thousand during summers etc. Since its the triangle, we have alot of companies that would hire CS students (SAS is a big one).

[XtraTuf]

I don't know the cost of living in NC. I currently live in an expensive area of Alaska. I get about $18k a year (the school year portion is about $10k), my tuition is waived and I get health insurance. I share an apartment. It's enough to get by on but my budget is fairly tight.

[eastside00_99]

I go to NCSU and it takes only 8,000 a year for me to live. I do not have a car, cell-phone, or buy things at all in general. But, I do have a roommate which actually helps with both rent/appliances and food costs. It seems strange but coordinating with other people about food and cooking not only means you eat better but also that food prices are cheaper. BTW, the cheapest apartments I know of are The Raleigh Apartments on west peace street (you get about 1000 sqft) but they are only for two people (rent $$=310 per person). It is a mile and a half from campus and 1/4th of a mile from Harris Teeter. So, with a bike and a roommate you could have close to 6,000 dollars every year for yourself.

[xnormajeanx]

I go to NCSU and it takes only 8,000 a year for me to live. I do not have a car, cell-phone, or buy things at all in general. But, I do have a roommate which actually helps with both rent/appliances and food costs. It seems strange but coordinating with other people about food and cooking not only means you eat better but also that food prices are cheaper. BTW, the cheapest apartments I know of are The Raleigh Apartments on west peace street (you get about 1000 sqft) but they are only for two people (rent $$=310 per person). It is a mile and a half from campus and 1/4th of a mile from Harris Teeter. So, with a bike and a roommate you could have close to 6,000 dollars every year for yourself.

harris teeter is really expensive! i hate it! shop at a different grocery store (food lion? walmart?), suffer a little more indignity, and you can cut down your grocery expenses by like 1/3!