Am I a full time student?

[Kettlepaper]

Hi! 

I was wondering if I was considered a full-time student in the year 2022.

From January 1, 2022 - April 21, 2022, I was enrolled full-time at my local Community college. I then walked the stage for graduation that May. I decided to go back to school in the fall but by then I had a job that requires me to work 40 hours a week. So, when I applied for classes I was only eligible to take 3 classes, a total of 7 credits for that semester; 6-8 credits being considered half-time for my college. I feel like I'm answering my own question here but since I didn't have the "at least 5 months enrolled" requirement to be considered full-time then, I wouldn't be considered full-time for tax purposes. 

[DawnC]

Correct.  A full-time student is a student who is enrolled for the number of hours or courses that the school considers to be full-time attendance.   To qualify as a student, the person must be, during some part of each of any five calendar months of the year:

1. A full-time student at a school that has a regular teaching staff, course of study, and a regularly enrolled student body at the school, or
2. A student taking a full-time, on-farm training course given by a school described in (1), or by a state, county, or local government agency.

The five calendar months do not have to be consecutive.   This information is found in the Personal Exemptions and Dependents chapter of Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax.

[Hal_Al]

It actually depends on why do you care whether you were a full time student or not.

The biggest reason for wanting to be a FT student is so you can still be claimed as a dependent by your parents.  If that's not your goal, it (most likely) really doesn't matter.  You are eligible for the tuition credits, either way.

There are some other FT student quirks in the tax code (e. g. dependent care credit, retirement contribution credit).

That said, there is some disagreement in this forum about what constitutes "enrolled". I'm of the opinion that walking the stage, in May, means you meet the 5 month rule for 2022.