CTAP Student FAQs
What is CTAP?
The Cougar Textbook Access Program (CTAP) is a program that provides undergraduate students access to all required course materials before the first day of class for a flat, per-term fee.
General CTAP Questions
What is eligible to be covered by the CTAP fee?
The CTAP fee covers required course materials for undergraduate students. Course materials are defined as any item with an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) that is legally available for sale or distribution in the United States to the higher education market. This includes e-books, courseware, and clickers. Recommended materials are not included in the CTAP fee.
What is not covered by the CTAP fee?
Products and services that are not eligible for CTAP include but are not limited to web subscriptions such as Inchainge and Esri ArcGIS; software, survey, evaluation and assessment tools; and supplies such as goggles and science and art kits. In addition, recommended materials are not included in the CTAP fee.
How do I know if I’m eligible for CTAP?
All undergraduate students are automatically opted into CTAP upon registration. No separate action is required. Graduate programs are not part of CTAP at this time.
How much is the CTAP fee for Summer 2025?
Undergraduate students will be charged $180 plus $14.85 sales tax for the Summer 2025 term. CTAP fees are added to your student fee bill as a “Learning Material Fee” and "Learning Material Fee Tax", and financial aid and scholarships may be applied. You may opt out of CTAP on a semester-by-semester basis.
How much is the CTAP fee for Fall 2025?
Undergraduate students will be charged $339 plus $27.97 sales tax for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters*; and $199 plus $16.42 sales tax for the Summer 2026 term*. CTAP fees are added to your student fee bill as a “Learning Material Fee” and "Learning Material Fee Tax", and financial aid and scholarships may be applied. You may opt out of CTAP on a semester-by-semester basis.
*Pending Board approval.
Are CTAP fees subject to sales tax?
Yes, CTAP fees are subject to the 8.25% Texas state sales tax. This equates to $14.85 for the Summer 2025 term, $27.97 for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters*, and $16.42 for the Summer 2026 term*.
*Pending Board approval.
Can I use financial aid to pay for CTAP fees?
If you have been awarded financial aid and your award surpasses the cost of tuition and fees, the CTAP cost can be covered by the aid you have already been awarded. Please contact the Student Financial Aid Office for questions related to your specific situation at sfa@central.uh.edu.
Are part-time students included in CTAP?
Yes, all undergraduate students, both full time and part time, are included in CTAP.
Are graduate students eligible for CTAP?
Currently, graduate students are not eligible for CTAP. The University will monitor graduate courses for possible future expansion.
How do I contact someone if I have questions?
For general questions regarding the CTAP program, opt in/opt out, or fees, please contact ctapuh@central.uh.edu. For questions related to course materials (digital or physical) or access issues, please contact ctap@follett.com.Opting In and Out
How do I opt in to CTAP?
All undergraduate students are automatically opted in to CTAP upon registering for classes each term. No separate action is required.Can I opt out of CTAP?
Yes, you may opt out of CTAP on a semester-by-semester basis. *Please note if that if you opt out of CTAP, you will be responsible for procuring course materials on your own.
How do I opt out?
To opt out of CTAP, simply access your student account and click on the “Finances” icon. Click on “CTAP Opt Out” in the left-hand column, then click the "Opt Out" button. Click here to view a brief video illustrating how to go through the opt-out process.
I opted out but want to opt back in. Can I?
Yes, you may opt back in any time up through Official Reporting Day (ORD) for 'Regular Session 1' each semester. To opt back in, access your student account and click on the “Finances” icon. Click on “CTAP Opt Out” in the left-hand column, then click the “Opt In” button.
If I choose to opt out of CTAP, will I be refunded the fee?
If you opt out of CTAP prior to the deadline, Official Reporting Day (ORD) for 'Regular Session 1' as reflected in the academic calendar, you will receive a credit on your student fee bill for 100% of your CTAP fee. Credits are typically available within one business day. The CTAP fee is non-refundable after the opt-out deadline. Please contact the Office of Student Business Services for questions related to refunds at bursar@uh.edu.
When will the opt-out window open?
The opt out window will open in alignment with student fee bills being posted each term. The opt out window will remain open until Official Reporting Day (ORD) for 'Regular Session 1'. The Summer 2025 opt out window will be open on or around April 27 and will remain open until June 5, 2025. The Fall 2025 opt out window will open on or around July 16 and will remain open until September 10, 2025.
What is the last day to opt out?
The opt out deadline for CTAP is Official Reporting Day (ORD) for 'Regular Session 1' for each term, which is the last day you may add a class. For Summer 2025, the opt-out deadline is June 5, 2025. For Fall 2025, the opt-out deadline is September 10, 2025. *Please note that if you opt out of CTAP, you will be responsible for procuring course materials on your own.
If I withdraw from the University, will I be refunded the CTAP fees?
If you withdraw from the University prior to the CTAP opt out deadline for that semester, you will receive a credit on your student fee bill for 100% of your CTAP fee. The CTAP fee is non-refundable after the opt out deadline.Digital Course Materials
How do I access the digital course materials?
Digital course materials will be available to students in Canvas, the Learning Management System for the University.Digital eBooks/Digital Coded Courseware/Brytewave
Some materials will be available to you from our partner Brytewave. If you receive an email from 'donotreply@redshelf.com' – don’t delete it! The email contains important information about items that have been added to your digital bookshelf.
You may access your digital bookshelf in Canvas. If you see a ‘Brytewave Course Materials’ link located in the navigation panel, it will take you to your digital bookshelf, which will have all your eBooks and coded courseware for the term (and, in some cases, you may see lifetime books from past terms). An example of a coded courseware is Pearson MyLab. These codes have a quick copy to clipboard function to help you paste them on instructor- provided URLs.
Additional information regarding using Brytewave:
Bypass Courseware
Some courseware is accessible from links that your professor(s) and publishers input into Canvas. Please note that you may be required to set up an account with the publisher in order to access the materials.
All students will have access to this type of courseware until the term’s drop/add deadline, even if you opted out of CTAP. Should you decide to opt out of CTAP, you will no longer have access to the materials once the drop/add deadline has passed. Students who opt out will see a paywall go up after the deadline, in which case you will need to purchase the code(s) and enter it to regain access to the materials. Examples are McGraw Hill Connect and Cengage MindTap codes.
If I opt out of CTAP, will I lose access to my CTAP-provided materials?
Students that opt out of CTAP will lose access to their CTAP-provided digital course materials between 1 and 14 days after they opt out (longer in some cases.) At that point, those students will need to pay via the paywall to regain access to those materials.Will I have access to the digital materials in my CTAP course after the semester is finished?
Digital materials are available through the entire semester.
Can I get a printed copy of digital materials?
Digital formatted materials help keep the price of CTAP affordable. However, printed loose-leaf materials may be available upon request on a case-by-case basis for an additional fee. Please contact the Campus Store at ctap@follett.com.
If I register as an undergraduate student after the semester has already started, when can I expect to have access to the digital materials?
Access to your digital materials should be made available within 24 hours of registration.
I received an incomplete as a grade for one or more of my classes. Will I continue to have access to digital materials in future semesters so I may complete the class(es)?
The CTAP fee provides you with a digital subscription to course materials only for the semesters that you are opted into CTAP. If you receive an incomplete grade for one or more classes but are enrolled in future semesters and are opted into the CTAP fee in those future semesters, you may receive continued access to materials from the class(es) where you received an incomplete grade. Please contact ctap@follett.com so the Follett Access team may assist you. If you are opted out of the CTAP fee in future semesters, you will need to purchase course materials for any class(es) for which you received an incomplete grade.Physical Course Materials
Are there physical course materials included in CTAP?
Most course materials will be in digital format. However, some classes may have physical course materials as part of CTAP.When and how will I know my physical course materials are available?
You will receive an email from Your UH Campus Store when your items are available. Be sure to look for an email from sender name customerservice@efollett.com. Make sure you have your Cougar Card or State ID for pick up.What if I need my physical course materials shipped?
Physical materials may be shipped to you for an additional flat fee of $10.- Go to uhcampusstore.com webpage to purchase the CTAP Shipping Fee.
- Add the shipping fee to your bag and proceed to checkout.
- Sign in to your shopping account, or check out as a guest by entering an email address
to receive notifications and click Proceed to Delivery Method. - Choose ‘Ship to an Address’ and enter the address for where you need your items shipped.
- (This is an important step!) Check the box next to ‘Any Special Instructions?’
- Provide us with you the following information:
- Type into the field ‘CTAP Student’
- Provide us your Student ID
- Provide us with you the following information:
- Proceed to the payment method.
- Please note that you will see two shipping fees on your bill, but one will be
removed from the order when the store team is processing your CTAP shipping
request. *You will not be charged twice for shipping*
- Please note that you will see two shipping fees on your bill, but one will be
- Once the product has shipped out, you will receive an email with tracking information.
If you opt out of CTAP or drop a course after you have received physical course materials, you must return the physical course materials to Your UH Campus Store.Do I need to return physical course materials at the end of the semester?
No. Physical course materials are yours to keep in the CTAP program.
Can I sell my physical course materials during buyback?
Yes, physical course materials are eligible for buyback from Your UH Campus Store. Click here for information on in-store sell back.
If I already received physical course materials but later opted out of CTAP, dropped a course, or withdrew from the University; what happens if I don’t return the physical course materials to my UH Campus Store?
If you have physical course materials that need to be returned to Your UH Campus Store because you opted out, dropped a course, or withdrew from the University, and you do not return the materials to Your UH Campus Store by the appropriate deadline, the CTAP fee will be charged in full to your student account.
How long do I have to pick up physical course materials?
Students should make every effort to pick up physical course materials no later than two weeks into a semester.
Are lab materials such as goggles, science kits and art kits included in the CTAP fee?
No. Only digital and print course materials and clickers are included in the CTAP fee.