WHY DOES MY 20 YEAR OLD FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT NOT QUALIFY FOR THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT?

You probably have answered something incorrectly in the dependent interview.   Go back through the dependent set up.   You may want to delete her and then re-add her....carefully.   

To count as a qualifying child for EIC, your child must have a valid Social Security number (not an ITIN).  They must also:

• Be your child (including legally adopted), stepchild, eligible foster child, sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild or niece); and
• Be permanently and totally disabled or under the age of 19 as of December 31, 2024 (under 24 if a full-time student) and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly); and
• Have lived with you (or your spouse, if filing jointly) for more than half the year in the United States (unless you were in the military); and
• Not file jointly with their spouse unless they weren't required to file, but did so anyway to claim a tax refund.

If your child is "away at school", you still answer that she lived with you all year.  Being away at college (like being temporarily away for military training)  is only a temporary absence and for tax purposes, she lived with you all year.