Course Materials Allowance (CMA)

In accordance with regulatory provisions for books and supplies, in order to academically succeed in a program, a student must be provided a means to purchase books and supplies at the beginning of the academic period. 

Therefore, by the seventh day of a payment period, a school must provide a way for a student who is eligible for Federal Student Aid to obtain or purchase the books and supplies required for the payment period if:

• ten days before the beginning of the payment period, the school could have disbursed FSA funds to the student; and
  
• disbursement of those funds would have created an FSA credit balance.

A school must consider all the FSA funds a student is eligible to receive at the time it makes the determination, but the school need not consider aid from non-FSA sources. A school that includes the costs of books and supplies in the tuition charged and provides all of those materials to the student at the start of his or her classes meets the requirements of these regulations.  

Our University book grant provides ebooks at no cost, to all credit-earning graduate, undergraduate, and doctoral students.  A hard-copy textbook is provided at no cost if an ebook is not available. However, there are some exceptions in terms of software and material requirements for courses in programs such as, but not limited to, our Electrical Engineering, Healthcare Administration, Information Technology, Natural Sciences, Nursing, Public Health, and Sociology programs. These materials are not provided through the University book grant and need to be purchased by the student. Students should review course material requirements on their course description page for more information.  

APUS provides the timely books/supplies allowance through an advanced check for the lesser of the presumed FSA credit balance or cost of required course materials. 

APUS will notify students who qualify for the Course Materials Allowance (CMA) provision by email and provide them with resources to obtain their required course materials prior to the seventh day of their course. The email notification also provides the option to opt-out of the advance. Students can opt-out by:  

• Selecting the Opt-out option (link) provided in the email   
• Not cashing the check.  
• Contacting the financial aid office prior to the check being issued.  

Any student who does not respond or opt-out, will receive their eligible advanced funds.