Financial aid can factor disability costs
Accessible College CEO Annie Tulkin shared that federal law allows financial aid officers to factor disability‑related expenses into need calculations — a practical funding pathway for students with documented accommodations. That point is being amplified as campuses reconcile accessibility upgrades with student affordability pressures.
The Higher Education Act’s cost‑of‑attendance statute (20 U.S.C. §1087ll) sets) the legal framework for COA categories that institutions must use when calculating financial aid eligibility. The Federal Student Aid Handbook explicitly) lists an allowance for “expenses related to the student’s disability,” citing examples such as special services, personal assistance, transportation, equipment, and supplies. Financial aid administrators can use professional judgment (PJ) to adjust a student’s COA and the Student Aid Index on a case‑by‑case basis under Department of Education guidance issued in DCL GEN‑22‑15 explaining) FAFSA Simplification changes. NASFAA guidance and Departmental materials require) institutions to inform students publicly that PJ adjustments are available, while campus financial‑aid policies show how to request appeals and what documentation is needed. Colleges already posting COA cost‑adjustment policies include Georgia Tech’s financial aid office noting) disability‑related costs as an appealable COA component, and several private institutions publish disability‑allowance procedures similar to the example at Charter College policy). The Department of Justice’s Title II digital‑accessibility rule, which generally takes effect April 24, 2026, sets) a compliance deadline that has accelerated campus spending plans and been cited by vendors and legal firms as a driver of remediation budgets.
