Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Feb 27, 2025 1:17:33 PM

Is a student in paramedic school unaffiliated with a college considered a full-time student?

Is a paramedic course hosted through a private company that awards college credits (but is not hosted by a college/university) eligible for full-time student status? The student in question was a full-time student, but I am uncertain if paramedic school qualifies for the status.

0 2 440
2 Replies
Employee Tax Expert
Feb 27, 2025 1:25:11 PM

Education credits are only available for tuition paid to an eligible educational institution. You can see more information in the IRS link below to see if the paramedic school qualifies. 

 

What is an eligible educational institution?

Level 15
Feb 27, 2025 1:55:08 PM

Q.  Is a student in paramedic school unaffiliated with a college considered a full-time student?

A. Yes, if the paramedic school considers him/her to be full time.  A paramedic school, and pretty much any school,  qualifies for the status.

 

According to IRS publication 17, 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.

 

For the purpose of being claimed as a dependent, under the "Qualifying Child" rules, the school does not have to be an eligible institution, under the rules ,  for  the tuition credit.