Can mandatory fees which aren't included on a 1098-T be used as a college expense to reduce a scholarship? How can they be treated?

[wilrene374]

My son's college has mandatory fees that don't show up on his 1098-T, such as a "Transportation fee" (charged to those who attend class on the campus to support campus shuttles), a "Athletic fee" (charged to all undergraduates to support the teams) and a Health fee (supports the health center). Can I count these somehow, even if the college doesn't treat them as "qualified expenses"? Can I reduce the amount of a scholarship with them, so the taxable amount of the scholarship is less? Even if I can't add them in the "Tuition and Enrollment Fees" section of TT, I'm wondering where they might go.

[Vanessa · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can claim these mandatory fees to help reduce the taxable amount of scholarship income.  These would be entered in the Tuition and Enrollment Fees Section under Books and materials required to be purchased from the school.

[wilrene374]

My Son's college also charges "voluntary fees" ("Arts fee", "Alumni fee", and "Sustainability fee"). I'm not sure that we can actually opt out of paying these. Can these be claimed, along with the mandatory fees, in the "Books and materials required to be purchased from the the school" entry?