public-service · college cost disclosure rule
Required Student-Information Disclosures on Costs and Withdrawal
The cost, refund, withdrawal, and Title IV return-of-funds items listed in 34 CFR § 668.43(a).
In this article
Updated: Sources: 1
Start here
What matters now
- 34 CFR § 668.43(a) lists cost-of-attendance information, including tuition, fees, and stated estimates.
- Schools must publish their refund policy for unearned tuition, fees, and other refundable costs.
- Schools must disclose the requirements and procedures for officially withdrawing.
- The rule calls for a summary of the § 668.22 requirements for returning Title IV grant or loan assistance.
- The rule states what must be disclosed, not where it is posted or whether estimates match actual costs.
34 CFR § 668.43(a) requires an institution participating in Title IV programs to make specified information readily available to enrolled and prospective students. The listed topics include cost of attendance, refund policies, official-withdrawal requirements and procedures, and a summary of the Title IV return-of-funds requirements.
This original record-reading guide is a general reading aid, not cited evidence. It does not depict a source record; the article text and source links provide the facts.
Key points
- The cost item includes tuition and fees and stated estimates for books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and program-specific additional costs (34 CFR Part 668).
- The rule also lists a refund policy for unearned tuition, fees, or other refundable portions of costs (34 CFR Part 668).
- It lists official-withdrawal requirements and procedures (34 CFR Part 668).
- It calls for a summary of the § 668.22 requirements for return of Title IV grant or loan assistance (34 CFR Part 668).
Cost attendance disclosure
The regulation requires disclosure of:
“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 a student is enrolled or expresses a specific interest” — 34 CFR Part 668
Refund policy disclosure
The rule also lists:
“any refund policy with which the institution is required to comply for the return of unearned tuition and fees or other refundable portions of costs paid to the institution” — 34 CFR Part 668
What the withdrawal disclosure must cover
The listed withdrawal item is:
“the requirements and procedures for officially withdrawing from the institution” — 34 CFR Part 668
Title IV return summary
The Title IV item is:
“a summary of the requirements under § 668.22 for the return of title IV grant or loan assistance” — 34 CFR Part 668
What this article does not answer
This article reports only the listed items in § 668.43(a). It does not identify where a particular institution makes the information available, determine an individual’s actual costs, or assess a particular institution’s compliance.