Clarification: student must file as independent and cannot

be claimed as dependent. Also, there is no requirement for students having to pay anything ($1000 is refund)

See:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/education-tax-credits#:~:text=The%20American%20opportunity%20credit%20is,student%20who%20is%20a%20dependent.

American opportunity credit

How it works: You can lower your tax bill by up to $2,500 if you paid that much in undergraduate education expenses last year. The American opportunity tax credit lets you claim all of the first $2,000 you spent on tuition, school fees and books or supplies needed for coursework — but not living expenses or transportation — plus 25% of the next $2,000, for a total of $2,500.

Who can claim it: The American opportunity credit is specifically for undergraduate college students. As a student, you can claim the credit on your taxes for a maximum of four years as long as no one else, like your parents, claims you as a dependent on their tax returns. Parents will claim the credit, instead of the student, if they paid for the student's education expenses and have the student listed as a dependent on their return.

You can get the full education tax credit if your modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, was $80,000 or less in 2022 ($160,000 or less if you file your taxes jointly with a spouse). If your MAGI was between $80,000 and $90,000 ($160,000 and $180,000 for joint filers), you’ll receive a reduced credit. If you earn more than $90,000 ($180,000 for joint filers), you can’t claim this credit.