Ok, I'm actually sitting in Student Services right now typing this out. I have the regulation sitting in front of me. The information I was given yesterday is INCORRECT. The lady apologized to me as soon as I walked in today. Here are the actual rules:
These instructions and guidelines are effective for students with class start dates on or after 10/01/08.
-You are NOT required to stay at FAA Housing. However, if you stay ANYWHERE THAT ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS, you MUST forward your reservation information to
ATCStudenthousing@faa.gov. Student services will then contact the lodger and take care of the payment for lodging. You will not need a receipt since you will NOT be claiming these costs on your travel reimbursement vouchers. You will receive $30.60/day for meals and incidentals. You may submit your initial travel voucher 15 days after arriving at the Academy and monthly thereafter.
-If you elect to stay with family or friends you will ONLY RECEIVE $30.60/day.
EXCEPTIONS (These are the ways to get the full $80.40/day)
-Your lodging provider does NOT accept credit cards, then you will not be included in the credit card payment process. You will receive $80.40/day regardless of your lodging costs.
-Basically, don't tell them you are staying with family and friends. Have them type up some sort of payment that you made (the required info will be told to you here).
-If you rent a room out from craigslist, etc then you WILL RECEIVE $80.40/day.
So, in a nutshell, if you want to keep the per diem, find a room to rent or a place that doesn't accept credit cards. Right now, I stay in a big studio apartment that is $37/day and he doesn't CURRENTLY accept credit cards. I will talk with my landlord tomorrow to find out if he plans on changing that.
Also, they were talking about making students move into lodging that did accept credit cards, but that was shot down (that is directly from the Boss of the person in charge at Student Services).
Hope this clears up everything guys. Kinda shaddy deal, but the per diem wasn't set up for students to profit (seriously, don't say that word when dealing with student services), it is designed to help students pay for lodging and meals.