Im wondering, when it asks for the total invoice for tuition for my daughters college, should I include housing and should I only look at 1st simester that's in 2019?

[DawnC]

No, don't include room and board expenses with tuition.  There is a separate line item to report housing on.   You can claim expenses paid for an academic period that starts during the tax year or the first three months of the next tax year.  Academic periods can be semesters, trimesters, quarters or any other period of study such as a summer school session. Academic periods are determined by the school. For schools that use clock or credit hours and do not have academic terms, the payment period may be treated as an academic period.