Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE)

Formed in the mid-1970s, the Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE) is an unincorporated, voluntary, institutionally-supported organization of thirty-one highly selective, private liberal arts colleges and universities.

The Consortium’s data collection, research, and policy analysis focus on matters pertaining to access, affordability, and assessment, particularly as they relate to undergraduate education, admissions, financial aid, and the financing of higher education. All data supplied to, compiled by, and shared among the Consortium are subject to strict confidentiality guidelines.

In collaboration with member institution personnel, the COFHE staff conducts a range of routine, episodic, and ad hoc research activities to inform and support institutional decision-making. In addition, over the past three decades, COFHE has crafted a Suite of Surveys that allows for a systematic and robust examination of the undergraduate experience.

The Consortium also maintains an office in Washington, DC which primarily exists to track the legislative issues pertaining to financial aid, tax policy, and other topics affecting college attendance and the cost of college.

COFHE's member schools readily acknowledge the many excellent non-member peer schools that have much in common with COFHE colleges and universities. The small size of COFHE has long facilitated productive in-person meetings and information-sharing. Therefore, growth in membership size has not been viewed as desirable. Membership discussions do take place every five years.

COFHE is primarily a research "think tank" for its member schools, rather than an organization that represents its schools directly to public policy leaders. To the extent that COFHE's Government Relations staff members serve in this role, they typically work in concert with established associations, such as NAICU, ACE, AAU and others that represent the interests of the member schools.