Student Loans for Living Expenses
You may use both federal and private student loan funds to help cover many living expenses while in school. Qualifying expenses include many expenses that are factored in to your school’s cost of attendance (COA), and may differ from school to school.
These expenses may include:
- Tuition and fees
- Room and board (including off-campus housing)
- Books and supplies
- Transportation (cost of travel to/from school, but not for purchase of a vehicle)
- Miscellaneous personal expenses
- Cost of rental or purchase of required equipment, materials, and supplies
- Personal computer (if enrolled at least half-time)
- Dependent care expenses
- Disability-related expenses
- Loan fees
- Licensing and certification fees for students enrolled in programs requiring the student to obtain professional licensure or certification
- Reasonable costs associated with a study abroad program approved for credit at the student’s home institution
- Expenses associated with a cooperative education program
Student Loans for Housing and Living Expenses
Room and board costs can include one of four allowances, depending on where you live:
- On-campus in housing that is owned or operated by the college
- At home with parents (only applies to students without dependents)
- In housing on a military base or for which a basic housing allowance (BAH) is provided (allowance restricted to board; room is excluded because it is already paid for)
- Off-campus housing
If you are enrolled less than half-time, your room and board allowances may be limited.
How to Increase Your Expense Allowance
Your school determines how much to allow for each expense. However, if you can document higher costs than specified in the allowances, you can appeal to your school for a possible adjustment to the cost of attendance.
For example, you should keep receipts for all of your textbooks and supplies. If your actual costs are higher than what your school estimated, ask the financial aid office to increase the textbook and supplies allowance.
Some colleges don’t include certain allowances in the cost of attendance, but will add them if you document the expenses and make a formal request.
Expenses that may fall into this category include:
- Dependent care
- Disability-related expenses
- Computer and software related expenses
Computers and Software Limits
Some colleges may limit the purchase of a computer to just once during your educational program, unless there are extenuating circumstances (for example: theft, destroyed in a natural disaster, etc.). Many colleges will want to see a paid invoice for the purchase of a computer before they will add the expense to your cost of attendance. Colleges may increase the cost of attendance to cover the cost of required software, including operating system updates.
Health Fees
Your school might include a required health fee in the cost of attendance. It may not be clear if health insurance can be included in the cost of attendance. The cost of attendance for some colleges will include the cost of student health insurance, if it’s required by the school. Others do not. You should also ask your school if the cost of attendance can include ongoing medical expenses, such as expensive prescriptions.
Special Circumstances
If you have special circumstances, you should appeal to the college for an adjustment to your cost of attendance. Some colleges will make an adjustment to the cost of attendance to increase aid eligibility when your expected family contribution (EFC) is already zero.
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