I was looking at my financial aid package and was curious as to what the college itself bills at the start of each semester? Just the tuition, registration fees, and room/board? In specific, are travel/books/personal expenses billed at the start of the year or only when you need them as be?
Travel is never billed. If you can find a cheap way to get you and your stuff to your dorm- do it.
Books are never billed. You need to actually register for your classes and then figure out what books you need to buy, and you can buy them the cheapest way possible- ebay, second hand, borrowed from someone who took the class last year, share with a friend or use the copy in the library.
Personal expenses- ditto. Some people buy store brand shampoo, other people like a fancy brand. That’s on you.
Health insurance or a fee to use the student health services will be billed. Once you register, there might be lab fees if you’re taking a class requiring special equipment. There may be a student activity fee. If you lose your ID, key, library book- all of these will get posted to your account and billed once you start your classes.
Some schools do allow students to charge books (and other things) at the bookstore and put those on the bill. Some scholarships do cover books and if those are purchased through the bookstore, those could be charged and then bills.
Usually, the schools just bill tuition, fees (all kinds of fees), room and board, and some optional things like insurance, parking, football tickets.