Expenses to learn a new trade or job or to qualify for a new career aren't deductible.
To be deductible, your expenses must be for education that either maintains or improves your job skills, or is required by your employer or by law to keep your salary, status or job.
However, if it is a requirement of your educational curriculum, it is deductible along with your other educational expenses.
(Content added, 03/13/2017, 12:45 pm EST)
My daughter has paid for several certification tests in 2020. You must pass the tests and get recommended by the college when complete. The education program wants this done before graduation although some won't do it and New York State requires a teacher to have their certifications. These are costly tests.
My daughter did receive a voucher for one of the tests.
Are any of these deductible?