tmsrtt2007- For income tax purposes, reimbursement is still a gift or repayment of a loan. There is no income tax consequence. if you want to call it a loan, to avoid filing a gift tax return, you will probably be OK; it depends on the details and time interval.
SweetieJean - The parents were allowed to claim the tuition credit or deduction, because he was their dependent at the time., even it there had been a formal loan agreement between the parents and student. If a student paid tuition with a student loan, from a bank, the parents could still claim the tuition credit. In a personal loan, the parent is essentially a 'co-signer", since they will have to eat it, if the student doesn't pay it back.
