OSCA Costs and Savings on Dining & Housing for 2017-2018

OSCA offers significant savings over regular campus dining and housing. At the end of each financial year, any leftover money is refunded to the membership.

In 2017-2018, to dine in a co-op costs $3,750 a year ($3,980 less than campus dining service). Living in a co-op double and dining in a co-op costs $8,500 ($6,712 less than living in a campus dorm and dining in campus dining service); living in a co-op single and dining in a co-op costs $9,542 for the year ($6,092 less).

The labor that members put into their co-op results in the savings. Co-opers work an average of 4 to 5 hours a week. Job hours are flexible, fun, and a good way to meet people. The type of work co-opers do ranges from cooking or baking bread to being a representative to the board of directors or keeping track of co-op finances. Most larger co-ops have “Time Aid” programs that allows members who also have jobs outside the co-op to reduce their hours to sometimes as little as 1 or 2 hours a week. Members are also invited to apply for an OSCA scholarship, which covers $500 or $1,000 of a member's semesterly board bill. (Application forms can be found online at the OSCA home page: http://oberlin.edu/osca.)

OSCA bills are issued on August 10 and January 10 and are due within 30 days. If you are unable to pay by the due date, OSCA payment plans are available. Please visit the OSCA Office.