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Did you know?
- You can use your GET units at any university, technical school, or vocational school that accepts federal financial aid.
You can use your GET units at nearly any public or private college, university or vocational school in the United States and selected colleges in other countries. A college is eligible if it participates in federal financial aid programs through the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of participating schools, visit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Web site.
- You can request distributions and reimbursements by logging into your account online.
When it's time for college, you'll need to complete two steps in the following order: Complete an Intent to Enroll form at the beginning of each academic year (even if your student is attending the same school) or if your student changes schools mid-year. Choose your payment option. To have GET send a payment directly to the school, complete a Direct Payment Request form for each term your student will attend. Or pay the school yourself and request reimbursement by completing a Reimbursement Request form.
You can complete all of these forms by logging in to your GET account.
- Your GET account is guaranteed by the state of Washington.
The state guarantees that if you buy 100 units today, your 100 units will equal the actual cost of one academic year of resident undergraduate tuition and state-mandated fees at the most expensive Washington public university when your child enrolls in college, regardless of how much tuition has increased over time.
- Anyone can contribute to your GET account.
Anyone can contribute to your GET account. Buying units is a great gift idea for grandparents, other family members, and friends. All gift payments to your account belong to you, the account owner.
- You can open a GET account even before you have a child.
In fact, GET units make great baby shower gifts. Beginning September 15, 2009 you can open an account for a child from birth to 12 months at anytime during the year. If you would like to open an account before the baby is born, you can do so during an annual enrollment period (September 15 through March 31). Just list yourself as both the account owner and the student beneficiary. After the baby is born and has a Social Security number, simply fill out a Change of Student Beneficiary form to add your child to the account.
- That the GET unit is not the same as a credit hour.
GET units are not the same as credit hours at a college, university, or vocational school. One hundred GET units are equal to one academic year of resident undergraduate tuition and state-mandated fees at the most expensive Washington public university. One GET unit is equal to 1/100 of that amount.
- That you can add a Custom Monthly plan to an existing Lump Sum plan.
You may add a Custom Monthly Plan to your existing Lump Sum Plan account for the same student ONLY during the annual enrollment period (September 15 through March 31). Your Custom Monthly Plan will be based on the rates of the current enrollment year and will include a fixed 7.5 percent finance charge. You don't have to pay an additional enrollment fee.
- That you have options even if your student decides not to attend college.
As the account owner, you have four options:
Wait and do nothing immediately. Your student has up to 10 years from the time he or she can access the units to use the funds. .
Transfer the funds to another family member with an existing account by completing a Transfer Request form.
Change the student beneficiary to another family member by completing a Change of Student Beneficiary form.
Request a refund by completing a Refund/Cancellation Request form. This form must be notarized. Review our Cancellation and Refund Policy to learn more.
- That students attending part-time can still use GET.
You can use your GET units if your student attends school part-time. The value of your GET units will still be based on the resident undergraduate tuition and state-mandated fees at the most expensive public university in Washington.
- That a student can still use GET even if they receive a scholarship or other financial aid.
You have four options: 1) Use your GET units to pay for room and board, books, and other qualified higher education expenses if your child's scholarship covers tuition and fees. 2) Hold your units for use in the future - your child has up to 10 years to use their units. 3) Transfer the account to a family member. 4) Request a refund. Please review our Cancellation and Refund Policy for details.
- That GET funds can be used at more than Washington schools alone.
The state guarantees that if you buy 100 units today, your 100 units will equal the actual cost of one academic year of resident undergraduate tuition and state-mandated fees at the most expensive Washington public university when your child enrolls in college, regardless of how much tuition has increased over time.
- That the GET account owner has full control over the account.
As the account owner, you maintain total control of your account and are the only one who can request account changes, distributions or a refund. The student beneficiary does not have any control over the account, unless he or she is also the account owner.
- That you can still maintain a GET account even if you move out of the state of Washington.
If you move out-of-state after opening your GET account, you can still make regular contributions and use your units for qualified higher education expenses. The value of your account will still be based on resident undergraduate tuition and state-mandated fees at the most expensive Washington public university at the time you use your units, regardless of where your child attends college.
- That the student OR account owner have to be a resident in Washington in order to establish a GET account.
You can open an account for anyone -- your child, grandchild, niece or nephew, friend or even yourself. The only requirement is that either the student beneficiary OR the account owner be a Washington resident at the time of enrollment. Children of military personnel who claim Washington as their home of record also are eligible to participate in GET too. Simply submit documentation of Washington residency when you enroll.
- That having a GET account has little impact on a student's eligibility for financial aid.
A GET account is now considered an asset of the account owner. If the parent is the account owner, the GET account is considered an asset of the parent and treated like any other parental asset in determining a family's eligibility for federal financial aid. Consequently, a GET account has significantly less impact on the student's eligibility for financial aid, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
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