Hi! I graduated from college and went to grad school in 2016 but took a gap year a few months after my program started. How should I describe my enrollment status?

[judysmilingeyes]

Also I received partial refund of my tuition - how should I go about the amount paid to my graduate school and the aid I received?

[SeanE1 · Accepted solution]

If you attend the college or university full-time for 5 out of 12 months in a given year, you are considered a full-time student.  So if you attended January through May 2016, and took the year from June, 2016 through June 2017, and plan on resuming in July-August 2017, you would be considered a full-time student for both 2016 and 2017.

If you received a scholarship and paid tuition in 2016, you should have received a 1098-T.  You would include the 1098-T on your 2016 tax return and let Turbotax figure out any taxable income and/or education credit that you would be receiving for the year.

[judysmilingeyes]

Hi Sean - thanks very much for the answer. For some reason I never received any 1098-T form, what would you suggest doing in this case?

[SeanE1]

Judy, I would contact the Bursar's office at your college or university and request one so that you can accurately complete your education credit.

[judysmilingeyes]

Sean, I saw on Turbotax that I could be considered an "exception" because I did not receive any 1098-T form. Also, what happened was that I took my year off around 1 month into my program and I received partial refund for my tuition - should I contact my graduate school for 1098-T information as well?

[SeanE1]

Hi Judy!  Yes, I would contact the Bursar's Office at your graduate university and request a 1098-T.  That way you can recognize any potential income from 2016.