Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · U.S. Code · Title 26 - INTERNAL REVENUE CODE · CHAPTER 1— NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES · Subchapter B— Computation of Taxable Income · § 117

§ 117. Qualified scholarships

3,130 words·~14 min read·/usc/title-26/section-117

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)General rule Gross income does not include any amount received as a qualified scholarship by an individual who is a candidate for a degree at an educational organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii).
(b)Qualified scholarship For purposes of this section—
(1)In general The term “qualified scholarship” means any amount received by an individual as a scholarship or fellowship grant to the extent the individual establishes that, in accordance with the conditions of the grant, such amount was used for qualified tuition and related expenses.
(2)Qualified tuition and related expenses For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “qualified tuition and related expenses” means—
(A)tuition and fees required for the enrollment or attendance of a student at an educational organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii), and
(B)fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses of instruction at such an educational organization.
(c)Limitation
(1)In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), subsections
(a)and
(d)shall not apply to that portion of any amount received which represents payment for teaching, research, or other services by the student required as a condition for receiving the qualified scholarship or qualified tuition reduction.
(2)Exceptions Paragraph
(1)shall not apply to any amount received by an individual under—
(A)the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program under section 338A(g)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act,
(B)the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance program under subchapter I of chapter 105 of title 10, United States Code, or
(C)a comprehensive student work-learning-service program (as defined in section 448(e) of the Higher Education Act of 1965) operated by a work college (as defined in such section).
(d)Qualified tuition reduction
(1)In general Gross income shall not include any qualified tuition reduction.
(2)Qualified tuition reduction For purposes of this subsection, the term “qualified tuition reduction” means the amount of any reduction in tuition provided to an employee of an organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) for the education (below the graduate level) at such organization (or another organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)) of—
(A)such employee, or
(B)any person treated as an employee (or whose use is treated as an employee use) under the rules of section 132(h).
(3)Reduction must not discriminate in favor of highly compensated, etc. Paragraph
(1)shall apply with respect to any qualified tuition reduction provided with respect to any highly compensated employee only if such reduction is available on substantially the same terms to each member of a group of employees which is defined under a reasonable classification set up by the employer which does not discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees (within the meaning of section 414(q)). For purposes of this paragraph, the term “highly compensated employee” has the meaning given such term by section 414(q).
[(4) Repealed. Pub. L. 101–140, title II, § 203(a)(1), (2), Nov. 8, 1989, 103 Stat. 830]
(5)Special rules for teaching and research assistants In the case of the education of an individual who is a graduate student at an educational organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) and who is engaged in teaching or research activities for such organization, paragraph
(2)shall be applied as if it did not contain the phrase “(below the graduate level)”.
(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 38; Pub. L. 87–256, § 110(a), Sept. 21, 1961, 75 Stat. 535; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1901(b)(8)(A), (c)(3), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1794, 1803; Pub. L. 96–541, § 5(a)(1), Dec. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 3205; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title V, § 532(a), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 887; Pub. L. 99–514, title I, § 123(a), title XI, §§ 1114(b)(2), 1151(g)(2), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2112, 2450, 2506; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1011B(a)(31)(B), title IV, § 4001(b)(2), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3488, 3643;
Pub. L. 101–140, title II, § 203(a)(1), (2), Nov. 8, 1989, 103 Stat. 830; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1703(n)(14), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1878; Pub. L. 107–16, title IV, § 413(a), June 7, 2001, 115 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title III, § 301(a), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3086.)
Connections74 cite this · traces to 14
Cited by 74 sections · top 30
statutes-at-large
Traces to 14 documents
89 references not yet in our index
  • Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736
  • 68A Stat. 38
  • Pub. L. 87–256, § 110(a)
  • 75 Stat. 535
  • Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1901(b)(8)(A)
  • 90 Stat. 1794
  • Pub. L. 96–541, § 5(a)(1)
  • 94 Stat. 3205
  • Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title V, § 532(a)
  • 98 Stat. 887
  • Pub. L. 99–514, title I, § 123(a)
  • 100 Stat. 2112
  • Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1011B(a)(31)(B)
  • 102 Stat. 3488
  • Pub. L. 101–140, title II, § 203(a)(1)
  • 103 Stat. 830
  • Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1703(n)(14)
  • 110 Stat. 1878
  • Pub. L. 107–16, title IV, § 413(a)
  • 115 Stat. 64
  • 129 Stat. 3086
  • Pub. L. 107–16
  • Pub. L. 104–188
  • Pub. L. 101–140, § 203(a)(2)
  • Pub. L. 100–647, § 1011B(a)(31)(B)
  • Pub. L. 101–140, § 203(a)(1)
  • Pub. L. 99–514, § 1151(g)(2)
  • Pub. L. 100–647, § 4001(b)(2)
  • Pub. L. 99–514, § 123(a)
  • Pub. L. 99–514, § 1114(b)(2)
  • Pub. L. 98–369
  • Pub. L. 96–541
  • Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(b)(8)(A)
  • Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(c)(3)
  • Pub. L. 87–256
  • Pub. L. 107–16, title IV, § 413(b)
  • Pub. L. 103–66
  • Pub. L. 101–140
  • section 1151 of Pub. L. 99–514
  • section 203(c) of Pub. L. 101–140
+ 49 more
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 117
Qualified scholarships
Stat.×62
Bills×6
U.S.C.×4
Pub. L.×2
ActAug. 16, 1954, ch. 736
Stat.68A Stat. 38
Pub. L.Pub. L. 87–256, § 110(a)
Cites 103 · showing 12Cited by 74 across 4 sources
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.