Enrollment is open for Washington’s GET Program

The state’s GET program is now open for a new enrollment period, providing Washington families an opportunity to start saving for future college costs while their children are young. The 2018-2019 enrollment period runs through May 31, 2019.

The Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program opened in 1998, and since then, thousands of Washington families have saved billions of dollars to go towards their students’ future higher education expenses. To date, GET has distributed over $1 billion to more than 50,000 students who have used their GET accounts to attend college in all 50 states and 15 foreign countries.

As a 529 prepaid tuition program, the State of Washington guarantees that a family’s GET savings will keep pace with in-state tuition and state-mandated fees. While GET account values keep pace with in-state tuition, beneficiaries have the freedom to follow their ambitions wherever they choose, as GET can be used at nearly any public or private university, community college, or technical school in the country.

The GET program is one of two college savings options offered in Washington State. Washington College Savings Plans (WA529) launched the DreamAhead College Investment Plan this summer to create additional flexibility for families as they plan for the costs of college.

“The best approach is to start early and save what you can, when you can,” says Washington College Savings Plans director, Luke Minor. “Set realistic goals and get the whole family involved.”

GET's website (get.wa.gov) offers details, charts, planning tools and answers for questions that families may have about the program. Accounts can be opened online, and the GET Contact Center staff is ready to help at (800) 955-2318 or GETInfo@wsac.wa.gov.