What Is an Eligible Educational Institution for Tax Purposes?

Any college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student loan program administered by the Department of Education qualifies as an eligible education institution, including virtually all accredited public, nonprofit, and proprietary postsecondary institutions.

For the Student Loan Interest Deduction, eligible educational institutions also include institutions conducting an internship or residency program that leads to a degree or certificate from an institution of higher learning, a hospital, or healthcare facility.

Note that certain educational institutions located outside the U.S. also participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs.

The school itself should be able to tell you if it qualifies as an eligible educational institution.

The expenses of attending an eligible educational institution - including tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies, and equipment, and other necessary expenses - count toward education-related credits and deductions such as the American Opportunity Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and the Tuition and Fees Deduction.