College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form (CATEF)

The Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) is seeking a renewed three-year clearance for the College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form (CATEF) data collection. The collection of information through CATEF is required by 132 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1015a. CATEF collects follow-up information from institutions that appear on the tuition and fees and/or net price increase College Affordability and Transparency Center (CATC) Lists for being in the five percent of institutions in their institutional sector that have the highest increases, expressed as a percentage change, over the three-year time period for which the most recent data are available. The information collected through CATEF is used to write a summary report for Congress which is also posted on the CATC website (accessible through the College Navigator). The Department will continue to use two CATEF forms: (1) Net Price and (2) Tuition and Fees.

The latest form for College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form (CATEF) expires 2027-07-31 and can be found here.