How do (up to "full ride") scholarships work with grants?

[hoosiermom]

<p>Thanks bthomp, now I get it. And really I wasn’t trying to scare you!</p>

[kkkong]

<p>Does anyone know, for certain, that expenses for room and board were qualified education expenses in 2008-2009 for a Midwest Disaster Area college - when the student was living at home with his parents? I seem to find a different answer to this where ever I look, and IRS pubs are not definitive. Thanks.</p>

[swimcatsmom]

<p>Page 3 of the 2009 IRS 970 contains the following:</p>

<p>

Students in Midwestern disaster areas. The definition of qualified education expenses is expanded for students in these areas. In addition to tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution, qualified education expenses for students in Midwestern disaster areas include the following.

1. Books, supplies, and equipment required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution.
2. For a special needs student, expenses that are necessary for that person’s enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution.
3. For a student who is at least a half-time student, the reasonable costs of room and board, but only to the extent that the costs are not more than the greater of the following two amounts.
   a. The allowance for room and board, as determined by the eligible educational institution, that was included in the cost of attendance (for federal financial aid purposes) for a particular academic period and living arrangement of the student.
   b. The actual amount charged if the student is residing in housing owned or operated by the eligible educational institution.

</p>

<p>So you can claim what is included on the school’s COA for room and board for a student living at home with parents. If there is no seperate COA for students with different living arrangements (my son’s school had more than one COA, my daughter’s does not) then you should be fine claiming the room and board amount allowed on the school’s standard COA.</p>

<p>My daughter lives off-campus (in an apartment) so that is what we do for determining room and board expenses for tax purposes.</p>

[humannature]

<p>Hi, I just came across this thread, and I know it’s a little late to mention this, but it didn’t look like anyone else had. Washington University is one of the schools that promises loan-free financial aid packages to students from families with under $60,000.</p>

<p>Like I said, I know it’s late (today is the deadline), but thought I’d share that in case she did end up applying there.</p>