Did you know?
  1. You can use your GET units at any college, university or technical 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) website.

  2. 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: Log in to your GET account and choose "Using Units." Complete the Intent to Enroll, which is done at the beginning of each academic year (even if your student is attending the same school) or if your student changes schools mid-year. Then choose your payment option. To have GET send a payment directly to the school, select Direct Payment. Or if you choose to pay the school yourself you may select Reimbursement Request.  If you are using paper forms, the Intent to Enroll information is now included in these forms available to download from our Web site: Direct Payment Request form  and Reimbursement Request form.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. You can enroll a child from birth to 12 months of age year-round
    You may enroll a child from birth to 12 months of age at any time during the year, even when regular enrollment is closed. You will need to provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate (hospital certificate accepted), and complete a paper enrollment form.

  6. You can open a GET account even before you have a child.
    In fact, GET units make great baby shower gifts. If you would like to open an account before the baby is born, you can do so during an annual enrollment period. 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.

  7. A 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. Credit hours represent the academic value of a particular class. (For example, your child might earn 4 credit hours for completeing English 101 at his college.)

    On the other hand, GET units are a financial measure and represent a way to pay for college. 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.

  8. 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. 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.

  9. You have several options even if your student decides not to attend college.
     As the account owner, you have four options:
    Wait to see if your student decides to attend later on.  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. (The lifetime maximum for any beneficiary is 500 units.)
    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.

  10. 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.

  11. Students can 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 only 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.

  12. GET funds can be used at colleges outside of Washington.
    You can use the monetary value of your units to attend nearly any public or private university, community college or technical school in the country. The monetary value remains the same wherever you use GET, so if your school costs more than UW or WSU, you apply the units you have and pay the difference. If it costs less, you can also use units to pay for room and board, books or other higher education costs.

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. Either the student OR the account owner must be a resident of 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.

  16. Having a GET account has little impact on a student's eligibility for financial aid.
    A GET account is 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. 
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REMINDER
The current unit price is $163, effective through June 30, 2012.

New accounts must be opened by
May 31, 2012.
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