Skybirds,
Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL (a brick & mortar school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees) offers its accounting students 3 hours of ELECTIVE credit for participating in the VITA program, as "ACC 490 - VITA." In order to gain the 3 hours, the student must attend the VITA training and pass the qualifying test, volunteer on site for at least 3 or so documented hours per week throughout the tax season, and then submit a paper on a topic relevant to the experience. Approval for enrollment in the course is required, and while it is not listed as a requirement, I suspect that it is strongly preferred that the student completes the 3 hour class on personal federal income tax prior to the experience (and in no case will the VITA program experience substitute for the actual federal income tax course). The volunteer experience and the elective course is promoted to students via a presentation made by a VITA rep/recruiter to fall semester students (typically Junior level) in the federal income tax accounting course, for participation in the upcoming spring tax season.
I am pretty confident that the University of South Alabama (in Mobile as well) has a similar arrangement, and these programs are coordinated by the efforts of the VITA coordinator at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. It is my understanding that there has been significant success in the state of Alabama from these efforts, which appear to extend to more than just these two schools, and that there is a decent group of students that come back for a second year just for the experience.
As a previous poster noted above, a quick Google of the topic indicates a significant number of responses that seem to suggest that Alabama is not isolated in this program. It may prove beneficial to you to contact a local (to you) university or college offering a four (or five to accommodate the new CPA exam requirements) year program in accounting to see if they have a VITA course in place, or are willing to consider developing it. The local chapter of your state CPA association or the AICPA may also be able to offer guidance.
I hope this helps!
Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL (a brick & mortar school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees) offers its accounting students 3 hours of ELECTIVE credit for participating in the VITA program, as "ACC 490 - VITA." In order to gain the 3 hours, the student must attend the VITA training and pass the qualifying test, volunteer on site for at least 3 or so documented hours per week throughout the tax season, and then submit a paper on a topic relevant to the experience. Approval for enrollment in the course is required, and while it is not listed as a requirement, I suspect that it is strongly preferred that the student completes the 3 hour class on personal federal income tax prior to the experience (and in no case will the VITA program experience substitute for the actual federal income tax course). The volunteer experience and the elective course is promoted to students via a presentation made by a VITA rep/recruiter to fall semester students (typically Junior level) in the federal income tax accounting course, for participation in the upcoming spring tax season.
I am pretty confident that the University of South Alabama (in Mobile as well) has a similar arrangement, and these programs are coordinated by the efforts of the VITA coordinator at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. It is my understanding that there has been significant success in the state of Alabama from these efforts, which appear to extend to more than just these two schools, and that there is a decent group of students that come back for a second year just for the experience.
As a previous poster noted above, a quick Google of the topic indicates a significant number of responses that seem to suggest that Alabama is not isolated in this program. It may prove beneficial to you to contact a local (to you) university or college offering a four (or five to accommodate the new CPA exam requirements) year program in accounting to see if they have a VITA course in place, or are willing to consider developing it. The local chapter of your state CPA association or the AICPA may also be able to offer guidance.
I hope this helps!
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