Summer language immersion program - qualified expense?

[skunselman]

I'm hoping someone can help me figure out if I can use my daughter's 529 savings to pay for an 8-week language immersion experience at a liberal arts college in VT. She is a freshman at PSU majoring in a language and really wants to attend the summer program this year. An application fee/process is required and the student has to be accepted. When she finishes, she will get what sounds like 12 credits, but I'm not sure if they are transferable to PSU or not, or if they are regarded the same as earned college credits. I am not sure how or if they are graded. Including room and board for the 8 weeks, the program costs over $13K which we cannot afford unless we can tap into her 529. I have emailed the program directors to ask this question, but I want to be sure I get the correct answer. Thank you for your help!

[dcandmc]

Is the summer program at Middlebury College? Middlebury is an eligible educational institution, but I don't know if this designation applies to their summer immersion language programs. Do you know if a program participant can apply for a federal direct loan for program expenses? That might provide a clue about the program being a qualified 529 expense, and so would finding out whether or not she can earn PSU credit. Will the program consider her to be enrolled as at least a half-time student while attending the program? If no, that ends any discussion on room and board for the summer program being a 529 qualified expense. Finally, you can use the 529 money for anything you want, so if it comes to needing the money to pay for the language program, you can do it. Just know that if the program is not a 529 qualified expense, there will be tax owed on the earnings part of a 529 distribution used to pay for the program, plus a 10% penalty (unless an exception to the penalty applies).

[skunselman]

Yes, that's it! According to their website and what my daughter is telling me, she will earn 12 college credits in 8 weeks of intensive study. Other students in her program at PSU have gone there and they say the credits are transferable towards her major. She is confirming that with her advisor tomorrow. She will have classroom instruction at least 4 hours per day, five days a week, for 8 weeks. I would hope that would be considered a full time student for room and board purposes, but we will definitely ask that question. I don't see anything on their website about the ability to apply for federal direct loans for this program. Thank you for your info - it's very helpful! I'm hoping the school will respond to the email I sent them today. I will let everyone know if I get more information. This can't be the first time someone has a child applying for a program like this at the last minute!

[dcandmc]

I was terrible as a foreign language student, so a program like this definitely wouldn't be for me, but there aren't many places better than Vermont to spend a summer. Plus the Middlebury summer language program is very highly regarded.

Good luck to you and your daughter.

[skunselman]

Thank you again for your help and input on the program. Appreciated!!

[Volney]

I know this post was long ago but did the OP ever find out if Middlebury was OK to use 528 funds? My daughter is attending this summer.