1. To earn or fulfill the requirements to be or do something. I've always wanted to be an actor, but I decided to qualify as an accountant for a more reliable profession. In order to qualify as a dependent, your child must live at home and have no income of their own.

2. To award or cause someone to fulfill the requirements to be or do something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "qualify" and "as." Forget a long, expensive university degree—our 12-month training program is enough to qualify you as an independent meteorologist. Your age, income, and family status are just a few factors that may or may not qualify you as eligible for welfare.