Which transportation cost is included in the Cost of Attendance (COA)?

Which transportation cost is included in the Cost of Attendance (COA)?

• A. Leasing a vehicle
• B. Operating and maintaining a vehicle
• C. Purchasing a vehicle
• D. Fuel for a vehicle

Answer: (B)

Transportation costs in the Cost of Attendance cover the ongoing, year‑to‑year expenses needed to actually use a vehicle for attending school. The category that fits this idea best is operating and maintaining a vehicle, because it reflects the regular, routine costs you incur while driving during the academic year—things like routine maintenance, repairs, tires, and other day‑to‑day upkeep that persist throughout the year. Buying or leasing a vehicle are upfront or financing decisions, not annual costs of attending school, so they aren’t counted as yearly COA expenses. Fuel is a variable cost tied to usage, but it’s considered part of the ongoing operating costs rather than a separate capital expense, so it’s not listed as its own category in this context.

Transportation costs in the Cost of Attendance cover the ongoing, year‑to‑year expenses needed to actually use a vehicle for attending school. The category that fits this idea best is operating and maintaining a vehicle, because it reflects the regular, routine costs you incur while driving during the academic year—things like routine maintenance, repairs, tires, and other day‑to‑day upkeep that persist throughout the year.

Buying or leasing a vehicle are upfront or financing decisions, not annual costs of attending school, so they aren’t counted as yearly COA expenses. Fuel is a variable cost tied to usage, but it’s considered part of the ongoing operating costs rather than a separate capital expense, so it’s not listed as its own category in this context.