Can I claim my college student as a dependent?

Many people know claiming dependents on taxes can help trim their total tax bill. However, keeping track of the latest Internal Revenue Service rules can make claiming student dependents confusing. For example, if your child doesn’t live under your roof all year and is a young adult, many parents aren’t sure if they can claim a college student as a dependent on my taxes. Read along as we outline the rules for tax-dependent college students and claiming dependents on taxes.

Does my college student qualify as a tax dependent?

Generally, a parent can claim their college student children as dependents on their income tax return. However, some tests must be met to claim a college student as a dependent qualifying child or qualifying relative on your taxes. To be your qualifying child, your college student must:

• Be one of the these:
  • United States citizen
  • United States resident
  • United States national
  • Resident of Canada or Mexico
• Be related to you in one of the following ways:
  • Child (including a legally adopted child)
  • Stepchild
  • Foster child placed by a licensed agency or court
  • Sibling, step-sibling, or a descendent of any of these, like a niece or nephew
• Be younger than you (or your spouse if Married Filing Jointly) and:
  • Be under age 19, or
  • Under age 24 and a full-time student for at least five months of the year, or
  • Be any age and totally and permanently disabled.
• Have lived with you for more than half the tax year. There are exceptions for temporary absences during the tax year, such as when the student is away at school.
• Not provide more than half of their own support. Here are some guidelines:
  • Support includes expenses like:
    • Food
    • Clothing
    • Lodging
    • Dental or medical expenses (out of pocket)
    • Education expenses
  • College student loans count as support by the person responsible for the loan repayment. Nontaxable scholarships generally don’t count as support by the student.
  • As long as the student didn’t pay more than half of these expenses, you meet the support test. It’s not necessary that you paid these types of expenses if the student didn’t.
• Not file a joint return unless:
  • They’re only filing to claim a refund of taxes.
  • They’re not claiming any credits.
  • There would be no tax liability for either the student or the student’s spouse if they were filing separate returns.

The good news is: If they meet all these tests, you can claim your college student as a dependent.

Can I claim my college student as a dependent if they don’t meet the above tests?

If you’re still interested in claiming dependents, but your college student doesn’t meet these tests, your college student can still be your dependent qualifying relative if the following are true:

• You provide more than half of their support.
• Their gross income (income that’s not exempt from tax) is less than $5,200 in 2025 or $5,050 in 2024.
• They are not a qualifying child of any other taxpayer.

For instance, if your college student is 24 or older or doesn’t live with you more than half the year, they might still be your qualifying relative if these tests are met. In this case, the amount of your child’s income and the amount of financial support or monthly payments you provide is important for tax purposes.

Take note of these student tax credits

If you’re a college student who isn’t a tax dependent of someone else—or you’re a custodial parent with qualifying college-aged dependents—there are potential student tax credits you can take to lower your taxable income. The college student tax credits include the:

• American Opportunity Tax Credit
• Lifetime Learning Credit

Visit our Income Tax Guide for College Students and find out about student IRS tax form options that can be of benefit and filed for free.

Related: College student budgeting guide

Get help filing taxes and claiming your college student

State and federal taxes can get tricky—especially when dependents (and student tax credits) are involved. Thankfully, H&R Block is here to help. Whether you make an appointment with one of our knowledgeable tax pros or choose one of our online tax filing products, you can count on H&R Block to help you—and your student—get the tax credits and tax deductions deserved.