Navigating Tuition Assistance Programs for Texas A&M Employees and Their Dependents

Texas A&M University and its satellite campuses, including Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA), are dedicated to supporting the professional and academic growth of their employees. This commitment is exemplified through various tuition assistance programs designed to benefit both employees and their families. These programs aim to provide access to high-quality education, encourage professional development, and recognize the contributions of employees within the university community. This article will explore the requirements and benefits of these programs, focusing on both employee-specific tuition assistance and dependent education benefits.

Texas A&M University Employee Tuition Assistance

Texas A&M University provides tuition assistance to eligible employees pursuing further education. This program is designed to offer flexibility and promote a more productive and knowledgeable workforce.

Eligibility Requirements for Employees

To be eligible for the Employee Tuition Assistance program at Texas A&M University, employees must meet several criteria:

Admission as a Degree-Seeking Student: Eligible employees must be admitted as degree-seeking students to Texas A&M University (College Station, Galveston, or Health Science Center) through the Office of Admissions.
Employment Status: Employees must be employed in a staff or academic professional track faculty title (non-tenure track) at Texas A&M University, including Texas A&M University at Galveston, Texas A&M University at Qatar, and Texas A&M Health Science Center.
Effort Budget: Employees must be budgeted for at least 50% effort with Texas A&M University. A budgeted employee is defined as one whose position is specifically identified in the budget with a unique Position Identification Number (PIN).
Length of Service: Employees must have a minimum of 12 months of service in a staff or academic professional track faculty title (non-tenure track) before the census date of the semester in which they are enrolling and receiving the tuition assistance benefit.
Enrollment Deadline: Employees must be enrolled in courses by the first day of classes each semester. No Employee Tuition Assistance will be offered after the census day for the semester (fall, spring, summer).

Program Details

The Employee Tuition Assistance Program is processed as a scholarship, and if an employee meets the eligibility criteria, no application is required. Employee Tuition Assistance funding is posted to the student's account before the billing due date. The program is financially supported through central funding from the Main campus agency code (part 02), Health Science Center agency code (part 23), or Galveston campus agency code (part 10) based on the employee’s component from which the majority of their salary is sourced. Employees can identify their agency code under the section labeled Supervisory Organization, where they will find their administrative location (adloc); the agency code is the first two digits of that number.

Educational Release Time

In addition to tuition assistance, eligible employees may also have access to Educational Release Time. This allows employees, with appropriate approval, to attend classes during their regularly scheduled workday, providing them with more flexibility to further their growth and advancement.

Read also: Understanding TAMU Core Curriculum

Restrictions

An employee may receive an employee fee waiver only one time for a course. TAMUSA employees enrolled in the 11-month MBA program are not eligible for the standard employee waiver associated with this program.

Texas A&M University-San Antonio Dependent Education Benefit Program

Texas A&M University - San Antonio (A&M-SA) offers a Dependent Education Benefit Program designed to encourage and assist the immediate family members (spouse and dependent children) of eligible employees in obtaining a university-level education.

Benefits of the Program

A&M-SA offers a waiver of a 50% reduction on assessed tuition and mandatory fees for eligible dependents and spouses. This waiver covers statutory, designated, differential, and board-authorized tuition and mandatory fees, excluding costs associated with room and board, meal plans, textbooks, supplies, transportation, and parking. The waiver is applied as "last dollar," ensuring that it does not exceed the charged tuition and fees. The student remains eligible for other aid and scholarships as determined by Financial Aid, but this waiver benefit is not included in the student’s financial aid refund package.

Eligibility Requirements for Dependents and Spouses

Dependents and spouses of eligible employees who have applied and been accepted to an A&M-SA degree program and are enrolled may apply for the A&M-SA Dependent Education Benefit Program.

Requirements for Employees

Submission of Dependent Tuition Assistance Form: The Dependent Tuition Assistance form must be submitted by the A&M-SA eligible employee.
Employee Status: The A&M-SA employee must be a full-time employee in a budgeted, benefits-eligible position for at least one year.
Application Deadline: The deadline to submit the fully completed Dependent Education Benefit Request Form is the payment deadline of the requested term, which can be found on the Academic Calendar. The employee must apply and submit by the deadline to receive the benefit for the specified term. No payments or credits will be applied retroactively for prior terms.
Eligible Degrees: The program is applicable for the first baccalaureate degree.
Eligible Employees: Full-time Faculty or Staff working in a budgeted, benefits-eligible position with A&M-SA are eligible.

Additional Considerations

IRS Code Section 132(h) allows spouses and qualified dependents to be considered when receiving this benefit. IRS guidelines define a qualified dependent in Publication 501. The employees’ dependent will be eligible for a total of 8 semesters and 4 summer sessions which must be consecutive.

Read also: Estimated Costs at Texas A&M

Financial Aid Implications

The A&M-SA Dependent Education Benefit will be allocated after federal financial aid. In some cases, the A&M-SA Dependent Education Benefit may affect the amount awarded in federal or state aid or institutional scholarships (except for Pell). The Financial Aid Office has the final determination, following federal rules, regarding what is reduced first if over-rewarded on aid. In the event of an eligible employee's approved leave of absence, the employee's eligible dependent(s) will remain eligible until no longer reported as a dependent on the employee's tax return.

Additional Scholarship Programs

Texas A&M University also offers other scholarship programs, such as the Texas A&M University Dependent Children of Faculty/Staff and Support Staff Scholarship Programs. These programs are designed to provide scholarships to dependent children of Texas A&M University Faculty, Staff, and Support Staff. Funding for these programs is available from a Quasi-Endowment. These programs recognize the contributions of Texas A&M employees in the workplace and in the community by rewarding their children based on need and academic achievement. Students may be awarded up to $2,000 per year, varying in length from one to four years depending on the student's undergraduate classification.

Educational Assistance Benefits

All full-time Texas A&M employees are eligible for Educational Assistance Benefits, which support employees in advancing their professional and academic careers by providing access to programs such as tuition assistance and doctoral education programs.

Tax Implications

The University does not provide individual tax advice to participants in the tuition and fee reduction benefit; however, a summary of general information regarding the federal tax treatment of benefits under the program is available.

Read also: Your Texas A&M Student ID

tags: #tamu #employee #tuition #assistance #program #requirements