Is the Cost of Attendance For Correspondence Study Restricted To Only Certain Costs For Periods Of Residential Training?

Scenario: A student has technology and/or dissertation costs for correspondence study. Can we include those costs in the cost of attendance (COA)?

Answer: It is our understanding that correspondence study programs (as defined by the U.S. Department of Education in 34 CFR 600.2 in relation to their definition of distance education, also in 600.2) rarely have required "technology costs" beyond the purchase of a personal computer. If the program in question is correspondence study according to ED's definitions, then the only "technology costs" related to correspondence study which may be included in the COA is that of a personal computer which can only be included under either the tuition and fees or the books, course materials, supplies, and equipment component of the COA; otherwise the "technology costs" cannot be included in the COA.

Dissertation research costs can only be included if those costs are considered by the school to fit under either tuition, fees, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, or living expenses, including housing and food, (for periods of residential training); otherwise, dissertation research costs cannot be included in the COA. Conference attendance is not an allowable educational cost and cannot be included in a student's COA (correspondence or otherwise). If the program meets ED's definition of distance education, "technology costs" and dissertation research costs may be included in the COA only if required by all students in that program.

Note: Effective with the 2023-24 award year, the COA component for “room and board” has been renamed "living expenses." "Room" has been renamed "housing" and "board" has been renamed "food," and “books and supplies” has been renamed “books, course materials, supplies, and equipment.” In addition, also effective with the 2023-24 award year, the COA components for “living expenses,” for “books, course materials, supplies, and equipment,” for “transportation,” and for “miscellaneous” are now separate cost components. See Section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, [20 USC 1087LL]. 

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