Cost of Attendance Component Glossary

Tuition & Fees

An amount normally assessed a student carrying the same academic workload. Including activity fees, lab fees, course fees, or field trips, and graduation fees.

Average Housing & Food

An allowance for food and housing costs to be incurred by the student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis. Including rent, meals, groceries, electric and utilities, and internet access.

• For a student electing institutionally owned or operated food services (e.g. meal plans), a standard food allowance that provides the equivalent of three meals each day. For a student not electing institutionally owned or operated food services, a standard allowance for purchasing food off campus that provides the equivalent of three meals each day.
• Housing allowances for students residing in institutionally owned or operated housing with or without dependents based on the average or median amount assessed to such residents for housing charges, whichever is greater.
• Housing allowances for students living off campus including rent or other housing costs.
• For dependent students living at home with parents, a reasonable standard allowance for living expenses that is not zero.
• For students living in housing on a military base or for which they receive a basic allowance under section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, a reasonable allowance for food on-campus or off-campus but cannot include housing costs.
• For all other students, a reasonable allowance based on expenses incurred by such students for housing and food.
• For students attending less than half-time, a reasonable allowance for living expenses may be included for up to three semesters (or the equivalent) with no more than two semesters being consecutive

Books & Supplies

An allowance for books, course materials, and equipment for students in the same course of study. Including the documented reasonable allowance for the rental or purchase of a personal computer, notebooks, pens, and paper.

Personal computer allowance not restricted to half-time study. Computer may be purchased in the summer for upcoming period of enrollment.

Personal & Miscellaneous

An allowance for a student attending the institution on at least a half-time basis. Including personal items (e.g., toiletries, laundry and cleaning, personal hygiene and grooming supplies), mobile phone plan, recreation/entertainment, uninsured health care costs (e.g. copays, prescriptions, over the counter medicines, contact lenses, and eyeglasses).

Parking & Transportation

An allowance which may include transportation between campus, residences, and place of work. Including vehicle operation and maintenance costs (e.g., gas, oil, license, insurance, and repair), parking and tolls, public transit costs (e.g., bus passes), airplane tickets between student’s home and school.

Not including cost for purchase or lease of a vehicle.

Federal Loan Fees

An allowance for the cost of any Federal student loan fee, origination fee, or insurance premium charged to the student or the parent of the student.

• May be actual or average loan fees.
• May not include the cost associated with non-Federal loans.

Study Abroad expenses

An allowance for reasonable costs for a student in a study abroad program approved for credit by the home institution. Including travel documents (e.g. passport and visa), required vaccinations, additional transportation costs, and surcharges or administrative fees.

• Program coursework must be approved for credit by LMU.
• The study abroad program Does not need to be required for student’s academic program.

Cooperative Education expenses

An allowance for reasonable costs associated with a work experience under a cooperative education program. Including uniforms, tools and special equipment, commuting or transportation costs, meals away from home, and other costs incurred because of the work experience.

Cooperative education is a structured form of experiential learning in which students earn academic credit for part-time or full-time employment.

Dependent Care expenses

An allowance based on the estimated actual expenses incurred for dependent care, based on the number and age of such dependents. Such allowance must not exceed the reasonable cost in the community in which such student resides for the kind of care provided. The period for which dependent care is required includes, but is not limited to, class-time, study-time, field work, internships, and commuting time.

• A “dependent” may include persons other than children (such as elderly dependent parents).
• Includes expenses incurred for dependent children, spouse, and/or elderly parents living with the student who need special care.
• The allowance may include the maintenance expenses of dependents when the family’s income is insufficient to cover basic subsistence costs (e.g., food and housing):
  • Income less than the income protection allowance (IPA) in the formula used to calculate the expected family contribution (EFC) is an indicator the family’s income is insufficient to cover basic subsistence costs

Disability-related expenses

An allowance for expenses associated with a student’s disability, including special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and supplies that are reasonably incurred and not provided by other agencies (e.g., special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and supplies).

• A student is considered to have a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, such as if the student is deaf, has a mental disability, is hard of hearing, has a speech or language impairment, is visually disabled, is seriously emotionally disturbed, orthopedically impaired, autistic, has a traumatic brain injury, is otherwise health-impaired, or has specific learning disabilities that require special education and related services.
• Disability-related expenses paid by another organization may not be included in the COA.