Indirect Expenses for Students Often Outweigh Tuition, But Are Hard to Identify, Report Finds – NASFAA
College students incur additional and often unseen expenses beyond the typical price tag of tuition and fees. These indirect expenses can be difficult for students to identify and prepare for, making them a leading factor contributing to financial hardship among students.
A new report from uAspire, titled “Beyond the College Bill,” examines some of the most pressing expenses outside of tuition, arguing that students need more upfront information to properly calculate costs like housing, transportation, food, laptops, and other supplies.
Using data from more than 800 colleges and data and accounts from more than 150 students (including 105 from focus groups), the report outlined issues students often encounter when planning for costs associated with colleges, and laid out a framework for how financial aid offices can present clear and concise information to students up front so they have what is needed to make wise decisions about their academic career.