Expenses paid for classes starting in 2025 is frequently paid the year before. The IRS allows you to claim expenses for 2024 and the first 3 months of the next year on your 2024 return.
The caution is that AOTC can only be claimed 4 times and the average college kid spans 6 tax years. If you have $4k in qualified expenses and qualify for the credit, then claim it. You cannot claim the credit if your MAGI is over $90,000 ($180,000 for joint filers).
You mentioned scholarships, you need to determine if any of those are restricted to tuition use or can be used for anything the student needs.
Ideally:
you would enter the 1098-T with $4k in box 1 and the rest blank and claim the AOTC.
The student would enter the 1098-T but take $4k out of box 1 (since you took it).
If you have scholarship restrictions, see if those can be worked into the student's amount of tuition. The IRS has a great brochure that explains how scholarships and tax credits interact.
Reference: What You Need to Know about AOTC and LLC
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