What standard expenses can be included in COA?
As stated in Question 6, required educational expenses can be added to the standard COA. When building budgets, however, remember that the cost(s) should be reflected in the year in which the expenses are incurred. This should be a factor in deciding when and by how much budgets are increased, and whether to increase over a two-year span. Exam costs: The cost of the exam is $975. Travel costs: Schools may choose to increase budgets on a case-by-case basis, adjusting the COA to reflect actual expenses. However, schools that expect most examinees to take the Step 2 CS at one CSEC may prefer to standardize the travel and hotel costs by allowing an average travel allowance and other associated costs and equally increasing every budget. Documenting the average travel expense to the nearest CSEC, one night’s stay in a modest hotel (or two nights, depending on CSEC location,) and appropriate per diem expenses along with standard budget-building methodology should be sufficient. Some campuses
