OSCA Costs and Savings on Dining & Housing for 2018-2019

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 2018-2019, to dine in a co-op costs $3,900 a year ($4,330 less than campus dining service). Living in a co-op double and dining in a co-op costs $8,730 ($7,608 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 $9,900 for the year ($6,438 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.

OSCA also offers a number of scholarships through the OSCA Foundation, including the Financial Need Scholarship (which covers $500 or $1,000 of a member's semester board bill) and the Emergency Need Scholarship (which is open to all Oberlin students). Information on these and other scholarships will be made available in late August.

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 Financial Office (Wilder Room 402) for more information.