Qualified Educational Expenses

Qualified Educational Expenses
Updated May 29, 2020
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Each Scholar’s financial aid package is unique, and we encourage Scholars to connect early with their institution’s financial aid office to understand their financial aid package and the institution’s process for distributing scholarship funds. Scholars can also reach directly to KC Scholars for questions specific to their KC Scholars funding.

Generally, the first cost covered by aid is the cost of tuition and fees at the institution of enrollment. If remaining funds are available after tuition and fees are covered, KC Scholars funding may be used to pay for additional Qualified Educational Expenses.

KC Scholars funding must be charged by April 1 of the academic year. Any expenses made after April 1 cannot be charged to KC Scholars funding (with exception of KC Scholars approval of summer enrollment requests).

Ultimately, Scholars should be good stewards of the funds they receive. Any unused funds at the end of an academic year may be rolled over to use for summer courses directly related to the declared program of study (with pre-approval from KC Scholars) and after summer, any unused KC Scholars funding from that academic year will be refunded to KC Scholars.

Note: When inquiring about an expense not explicitly listed on this document (and in KCS Program Guidelines), Scholars are required to inquire of KCS and should not assume that the expense is approved or would be approved by KCS. KCS reserves the right to apply professional judgement regarding use of scholarship funds. 

Per KC Scholars Program Guidelines, KC Scholars funds must be used for: 

1. College credits that lead to a credit-bearing credential or degree. KCS will not pay for non- credit-bearing courses.
2. Qualified educational expenses as defined by each individual institution and as may be limited by IRS regulations of items that Institutions often include within their definitions of qualified educational expenses to include tuition, fees, educational supplies, course books, residence hall living costs, food plan, campus-based child care and computers for use in school.In the event that KCS scholarship support combined with other institutional, state and federal aid exceeds Total Cost of Attendance as defined by the institution of enrollment, KCS encourages each institution to consider (a) carrying the balance over to the next succeeding term (or for summer) so that the awardee may pay for eligible expenses in that term, (b) allowing the student to utilize the funds at qualified locations on campus to purchase items that would be considered qualified educational expenses for the duration of that semester or (c) providing a voucher for purchasing of items that would be considered qualified educational expenses. If the Institution is unable to do any of the above, or if the awardee has reached the limit on his/her eligibility term with KCS, the Institution will refund the excess funding to KCS.
3. Qualified educational expenses at one of the institutions in the KCS Postsecondary Network. Funds may not be used for institutions outside the KCS Postsecondary Network unless exceptional circumstances have led KCS to grant an exception to this attendance requirement.

Examples of items that KCS funding can be used for (these must be purchased through the student account as KCS funding is sent directly to a Scholar’s institution):

• Tuition for credit-bearing courses that go towards your credit-bearing credential or degree
• Student Fees
• On-campus housing
• On-campus housing and enrollment contracts/fees
• On-campus meal plans
• Textbooks required for Scholar’s courses
• Technology
  • One laptop/desktop computer/tablet throughout the 5-year scholarship eligibility period
  • Required accessories for laptop/desktop computer/tablet (does not include cases)
  • Software (if required for course work and listed on the course syllabus)
• Basic school supplies in reasonable amounts (pens, pencils, notebooks, notecards, etc.) for the Scholar’s courses
• Supplies and tools specific to your major and required for the course as listed on the syllabus
• On-campus childcare
• Parking pass (one per academic year)
• Graduation fees (that may include cap and gown)

Per KC Scholars Program Guidelines, KC Scholars funds cannot be used for: 

1. Dual credit or any other college courses taken during high
2. Previous institutional
3. Refund to the student. At no time may KCS funds be refunded directly to the student, just as they are not paid directly to the awardee but rather to the postsecondary institution of enrollment.
4. Any expenses outside those defined by the IRS as qualified educational
5. Earning of multiple credit-bearing credentials or associate’s degrees or bachelor’s degrees. A Scholar is required to move from one credential to the next progressive and related credential as KCS supports progressive completion of a single credit-bearing credential, then a related associate’s degree, and then a bachelor’s degree (if the awardee remains eligible from year to year, wishes to pursue the next related credential, and time remains on the five years of eligibility). KCS will not fund credits toward multiple credit-bearing credentials or associate’s degrees or bachelor’s

6. Graduate level coursework unless an awardee is enrolled in an approved program that combines undergraduate and graduate level programs in one course of

Examples of items that KCS funding cannot be used for:

• Any purchases made off-campus or via third party online purchases
• Athletic passes (outside of student fees)
• Clothing
• Excessive amounts of qualified educational expenses
• Gift cards
• Graduation invitations and diploma frames (see above for details regarding graduation fees)
• Gym memberships (outside of student fees)
• Headphones
• Laptop/Tablet cases
• Late fees
• Medical insurance (outside of student fees)
• Non-credit bearing courses (except developmental courses that are pre-requisites)
• Parking tickets
• Printer or printer ink
• Standardized or credential-related tests (e.g. PRAXIS, CLEP, GRE, and LSAT)