Regardless of where you enroll, your expenses include both direct educational expenses and living expenses and usually consist of five parts:

• tuition fees
• books and supplies
• room and board
• personal expenses
• transportation

Paying for tuition, books and other school supplies may be your biggest expense category, but certainly not the only one.

Many students have additional expenses not covered under any of the above categories, such as costs arising from medical care or a disability. Be sure to include these extra expenses in estimating the costs of attending the particular university/college you are considering.

Friends, fun and financial expenses are what first-year students should expect to encounter during the first few weeks of university before they get serious about schoolwork. Most students look forward to the friends and fun, but they tend not to anticipate the expenses that come with their new life.

Come Fall, the bills don't stop once the cheques covering tuition and residence fees are written. Here are the kinds of expenses students--and parents--should be prepared for:

• A variety of supplementary fees, often added to the bill for tuition, can bump up this expense dramatically. Count on approximately an additional $100 to $200.

• Because you'll no longer be sharing the family bathroom, you'll need your own toothpaste, soap, shampoo and so on. Each of these items is relatively inexpensive on its own, but the total adds up quickly. Budget about $50 for toiletries to get you started.

• Most students know they will have to buy books, but they often underestimate what these will add up to, even if some of them are bought used. Although $400 should be enough, books for some courses are much more expensive.

• School supplies, such as binders, paper, pens, a calculator, knapsack and so on, are necessary to keep your academic life organized. Count on spending at least $80.

• If you want to join a club or participate in intramural sports, expect to pay a fee.

• You'll want a telephone to stay in touch with your friends--and call home occasionally. Count on an installation fee of approximately $30 to $40.

• Taking the above things into consideration, in the Fall, then, you may need as much as $1500 in cash to cover basic expenses over and above tuition and residence fees.

• When budgeting for accommodation expenses, don't forget that utilities such as water, electricity and gas often have a one-time installation fee or a month's charge in advance.

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