FULL Time Student Rule Low Income

Amazingly, the Tax Credit low income housing program does NOT provide low income housing for FULL TIME STUDENTS. Please understand that this is ONLY for those students that go to school FULL TIME. Not in any way have I mentioned part time, just because if you’re a part time student, then the rules do not apply to you.

Let me define what a FULL time student is in regards to the tax credit rules. A FULL time student is one that attends a college or a school for at least 5 months of the year. The 5 months do NOT have to be consecutive (one after the other) in order for a student to be FULL time. For example, if you went to school for 4 months in the Spring Semester and then went to school for 4 months in the Fall semester, you may be considered a full time student. 

A family or a household that ONLY has FULL time students CANNOT live in a tax credit low income building in New York.  For Example:

A boyfriend and girlfriend live together but they BOTH go to school FULL TIME. This couple will NOT qualify for low income tax credit apartments regardless of their ages. They can be 50+ years old and still be rejected because of this rule.

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS:

You can apply for low income housing if:

1.       -The couple is married AND file taxes together (joint taxes) or if they are eligible to file taxes together.

2.       -A single mother or father that goes to school FULL time but has a child. The child has to be included in the single parents’ income tax in order to be eligible.

3.       -A household member has Welfare or has Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

4.       -A household member participates in a federal, state, or local job training program.

5.       -A household member was a participant in a Foster Care program.

These are the only exceptions!!! No, not even if you’re a Veteran you can qualify if you are also a FULL time student.

Please understand that these are STATE rules and not a management company’s rule. It cannot be changed regardless of your situation. If you are a FULL time student and do not apply to any of the 5 exceptions above, there is nothing that could be done. But beware, because SOME households can qualify if they have Full Time students with one of the exceptions above.

Please remember these tips if you are a Full Time student and want to apply for low income housing.

Please keep in mind that the above rules do not apply to moderate income households as more than likely the apartments are not governed by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.