An eligible student must be enrolled in a program that leads to a degree or certificate. An eligible student must not have a felony conviction for possessing or distributing a controlled substance. An eligible student for the Hope credit must be in the first or second year of attendance regardless of freshman or sophomore standing. The Hope credit is only available for two tax years for any student. After that you are only eligible for the lifetime learning credit, even though the third tax year includes part of sophomore year.
Limit is per tax return rather than per student.
No limit on the number of years for each student. Not limited to first two years of school. Available for graduate-level work. Available even if taking only one class. If you have questions about this topic or any other tax topic, please post a message on my Forum for an answer from me or another visitor.