Becoming a Priest

The diocese the seminarian lives in pays for all 8 years of seminary school where I'm from.

Is your character entering as a diocesan, or is he seeking orders in one of the orders, such as, Dominican, Franciscan, Benedictine?

A diocesan seminarian pays his own way. It's really a college degree with a degree in theology. The man pays for his vestments, chalice, paten, ciborium, and cope. Depending on the richness of these, the cost may be very high. Often the family or a patron pays or contributes to buying these.

In a monastery, it's bit different.

Ora et labore
C

Often a church parish will support a parish member who attends seminary, too. My parish put several young men through seminary.