COVID-19's effect on tuition costs has been the subject of a great deal of debate in higher education circles this year, and it has even generated a number of lawsuits. For a variety of reasons, some students and their families feel that tuition costs should be reduced at schools that are going online, and some institutions are doing just that. However, other colleges and universities point out that their operating costs have remained the same or perhaps increased due to the sudden provisions they're making to adapt for COVID, and thus they are unable to lower tuition costs, even temporarily. (Read more about this issue on our sister site.) Students should check with their schools directly to determine how the pandemic is affecting tuition and living expenses, and to learn whether each school may be offering special discounts on lab fees, student services, and other charges.