What is PA Act 69 of 2024?
Known as The College Affordability and Transparency Act, this law was created to help students and families better understand the true cost of attending college in Pennsylvania through more comprehensive reporting and mandatory exit counseling:
- Student Fee Transparency- Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) must publish all mandatory fees online before the start of the academic term and include them in tuition bills. The purpose of each fee, how the funds will be used, and when the fee will be assessed must be explained.
- Higher Education Cost Transparency- IHE must provide an estimated total Cost of Attendance (COA) and a breakdown of both the direct and indirect costs. An estimate of financial aid offered and net cost after scholarships and grants are applied must also be provided. In order to help families plan ahead, a history of the previous academic year’s tuition and fees and resources to help predict future tuition and fees is listed online.
- Exit Counseling- Colleges must offer exit counseling to students at the end of their final academic term. Counseling must include a list of all available Federal and State loan programs, known repayment options, and information on when loan payments will begin. Federal Loan Exit Counseling does not supplant this requirement.