Tuition Payment Plan
In the United Kingdom, degrees may only be awarded by institutions that have degree-awarding powers recognised by the UK authorities . Some institutions do not have degree-awarding powers but provide complete courses leading to recognised UK degrees that are validated by institutions which have degree-awarding powers. The UK authorities recognise those institutions which have been granted degree-awarding powers by either a Royal charter, an Act of Parliament or the Privy Council. Other than occasional articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education, the threat of diploma mills has been largely ignored by most colleges and universities42 . It has also facilitated the proliferation of diploma or degree mills - those operations that award "degrees" for little or no academic work. Current estimates are that over 300 active diploma mills constitute a billion-dollar industry4. However, same-year contributions can be made to both a Qualified Tuition Program and a Coverdell ESA for