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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 140 − Program that provides for obtaining a secondary school diploma or the equivalent  Used for or identified (earmarked) by the institution, school, program or other grantor for the following allowable expenses: − Tuition − Mandatory school fees, including the rental or purchase of any equipment, materials and supplies related to the pursuit of the course of study involved − Books − Supplies − Transportation − Student’s miscellaneous personal expenses, other than normal living expenses, incidental to attending a school, institution or program − Dependent care • Note: Any portion of education assistance for dependent care costs excluded as income cannot also be counted when determining a household’s dependent care deduction (see Section 12.4, Dependent Care Deduction). − Origination fees and insurance premiums on educational loans Normal living expenses, which are room and board, are not excludable. Exclusions of allowable educational expenses earmarked by the institution, program or other grantor must be incurred or anticipated for the period the educational income is intended to cover, regardless of when the educational income is received. If a student uses other income sources to pay for allowable educational expenses in the months before they receive the educational income, the exclusions to cover the expenses will be allowed when the educational income is received. When the amounts used for allowable expenses are more than the amounts earmarked by the institution, school, program or other grantor, an exclusion will be allowed for the amounts used over the earmarked amounts. A student’s total educational income exclusions granted under the provisions cannot exceed the student’s total educational income. Except for federal work study, which is always excluded, educational assistance that has a work requirement (e.g. state-funded work study, assistantship, fellowship) in excess of the amount excluded (as described in this section) is counted as earned income.

Legal Authority Educational assistance (federal): SNAP: 7 CFR §§ 273.9(c)(3), 273.9(b)(1)(vi) Return