Publication: Housing and the Cost of Living for Graduate Students 2007-08
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Many students find the cost of living in Princeton to be relatively high, so we recommend that you consider this in estimating your overall living expenses. In addition to your individual expenditures on books, clothes, housekeeping, laundry, and so forth, the following specific information may be useful in planning your budget.
Residents of the Graduate College are required to participate in one of the following meal plans:
Block Meal totals reset at the beginning of each semester. Contract meal plans include meals for the full academic year, excluding break periods. A complimentary (no cost) continental breakfast is served in Procter Hall to all contract members Monday through Friday, including most break periods. Full breakfast and lunch meals are offered in the undergraduate colleges, and a cash-credit option is available at the Frist Campus Center. Full details on these programs are available at the Department of Dining Services website at www.princeton.edu/food. The meal plan is available for graduate students at all residential dining locations on campus.
University Health Services (UHS) is a fully accredited health care facility that provides comprehensive health services to Princeton University undergraduate and graduate students and their dependents, Princeton University employees, and Princeton Theological Seminary students and their dependents 6 years of age or older.
University Health Services’ multidisciplinary staff, which includes physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, health educators, and administrative and technical personnel, provide a comprehensive array of services. UHS offers a wide range of medical and psychological services, including both inpatient and outpatient services, management of urgent problems, and referral to practitioners outside the University when necessary. Most services are provided at no direct cost to the student.
Every student is required to have health insurance coverage while enrolled at Princeton University. This health insurance covers off-campus specialty care and hospitalization not provided at UHS (for example, hospitalization, prescription drugs, MRIs, and referrals to consultants). All graduate students are automatically enrolled in the Princeton University Student Health Plan (SHP). Students may also elect to participate in optional vision and dental plans that provide benefits beyond those included in the Student Health Plan. You may enroll your eligible dependents in the plan, which includes services at McCosh Health Center for dependents age 6 and older at no additional charge, maternity benefits, and routine hospital care for newborns. Non-enrolled dependents and domestic partners can be seen at McCosh Health Center on a fee-for-service basis. In a separate mailing, students receive a medical history form and a verification form of required immunizations. These must be completed and returned to UHS. Students also will receive more information about health services and the SHP at registration, and may visit the UHS website at www.princeton.edu/uhs.
It can be useful to have a car while you are at Princeton. All cars must be registered with the TigerCard Office within 48 hours of your arrival at Princeton.
The Princeton community offers stores and services to satisfy most needs. In addition, the University sponsors a wide variety of cultural and sports events. Admission is charged to most of them. New York and Philadelphia are each about an hour away by train or bus.
In addition to regular monthly expenses, at least $1,500 is needed to furnish an apartment. Secondhand furniture is available; newspapers and notice boards may be consulted for offers. Students are advised to insure their possessions; the University does not cover the cost of theft, loss, or damage.
There are many private and cooperative nursery schools in the immediate Princeton area. Parents should visit the schools before making a decision. The average cost for enrollment ranges from $300 to $950 per month for a cooperative nursery school, and from $1,000 to $ 1,900 per month for a private one. Unless otherwise indicated, the schools listed below are located in Princeton.
Private:
Cooperative: