Since We Must Publish COA Information On Our Websites, Does the Same Apply To Our Printed Materials?

Award Year: 2023-24 KA-36463 Helpfulness Rating 403 page views

This guidance is specific to the 2023-24 award year and later.

Generally yes, but the requirements are different.

The new requirement under Section 472(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, [20 USC 1087LL(c)] states, "Each institution shall make publicly available on the institution's website a list of all the elements of cost of attendance described in paragraphs (1) through (14) of subsection (a), and shall disclose such elements on any portion of the website describing tuition and fees of the institution." Dear Colleague Letter GEN-22-15 expands on this, stating, "As noted, institutions must make publicly available on their website a list of their COA elements and on any webpage discussing tuition and fees." Therefore, you follow the statute and Dear Colleague Letter related to websites. See also AskRegs Knowledgebase Q&A, Does a School Have To Publish Its Cost Of Attendance On Its Website? (Award Year: 2023-24)

But, remember, 34 CFR 668.43(a) still applies to printed materials as well as website postings:

"(a) Institutional information that the institution must make readily available to enrolled and prospective students under this subpart includes, but is not limited to—
(1) The cost of attending the institution, including—
(i) Tuition and fees charged to full-time and part-time students;
(ii) Estimates of costs for necessary books and supplies;
(iii) Estimates of typical charges for room and board;
(iv) Estimates of transportation costs for students; and
(v) Any additional cost of a program in which the student is enrolled or expresses a specific interest;"

You will note that the regulatory requirement is more general in nature than the statute, so the school might have slightly different information on its website than in its printed materials. Just make sure any duplicated information is consistent.

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