Understanding University Tuition Remission Policies

Tuition remission policies represent a significant benefit offered by many universities and state systems to employees, their spouses, and dependents. These policies provide opportunities for affordable education, fostering professional development and personal growth. However, eligibility, coverage, and tax implications can vary significantly. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of tuition remission policies, drawing upon specific examples and general principles.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for tuition remission typically hinges on employment status and duration. Several factors determine who can benefit from these programs.

Employee Eligibility:

Regular Faculty and Staff: Generally, regular full-time faculty and staff employed at least 50% are eligible for tuition remission. The terms “regular-status faculty” and “regular-status staff” refer to an employee who is appointed to a position within the University System of Maryland through the approved budgetary and appointment procedures, with the intent that such appointment is for a duration of at least six months. Full-time regular-status faculty and staff (100% FTE) are eligible for tuition remission, not to exceed 8 credits for the Spring and Fall semesters; 4 credits for a 3-week Winter term or 6 credits for 12-week Winter term; 8 credits hours total for the Summer Sessions for undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Part-Time Employees: Part-time regular-status faculty and staff are eligible for tuition remission benefits equivalent to those of a full-time regular faculty and staff member, but prorated to the employee’s percent of employment, not to be less than 50% for undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Graduate Assistants and Fellows: Tuition remission also applies to fellows, graduate research assistants, and graduate teaching assistants. Full-time Graduate Assistants are eligible for 10 credits of tuition remission for the Fall and Spring semesters, and up to 4 credits for a 3-week Winter term or 6 credits for 12-week winter term. Graduate Assistants with 9.5 month appointments must have a summer appointment to be eligible for a total of 8 credits for the summer sessions. Part time Graduate Assistants are eligible for 5 credits of tuition remission for the Fall and Spring semesters and up to 2 credits for a 3-week Winter term* (special rules apply for Part-Time Graduate Assistants taking 12-week terms) . Part time Graduate Assistants with 9.5 month appointment must have a summer appointment to be eligible for a total of 4 credits for the summer sessions. Fellows are eligible for up to 10 credits of tuition remission.
Contingent Employees: Contingent category 2 employees are eligible for tuition remission benefits that are negotiated and defined in the employment contract. As a required minimum benefit, College Park C2 employees are eligible for tuition remission benefits at College Park and University College only.
Massachusetts State Employees: Employees with six (6) months or more of full-time benefited service (or equivalent benefited part-time service), their spouses and dependent children, who are enrolled in a full-time state supported program at any Massachusetts university or community college, are eligible for tuition waivers. If you are enrolled in courses through the Division of Continuing Education, the tuition waiver is 50%.

Family Member Eligibility:

Spouses: The Commonwealth's primary educational offering is a tuition remission program available to eligible state employees and their spouses. If you are the spouse of a state employee, you will need to provide proof of marriage to receive benefits. This will usually be a marriage certificate. Proof of Marriage, like a Marriage Certificate, is needed if the Tuition Remission benefit is being used by your spouse. Tuition remission benefits for their legally married spouse or dependent child (biological, legally adopted, step-child) are available after two years of regular full-time employment within the USM.
Dependent Children: Dependent children must be enrolled in courses toward a first undergraduate degree at any USM or reciprocal institution (Morgan State University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, or Baltimore City Community College). If the dependent child or spouse has already earned an undergraduate degree, they are not eligible for tuition remission.

Scope of Coverage

The extent of tuition remission coverage varies across institutions and depends on several factors, including employment status, course level, and the specific institution offering the program.

Credit Limits:

Full-time regular-status faculty and staff (100% FTE) are eligible for tuition remission, not to exceed 8 credits for the Spring and Fall semesters; 4 credits for a 3-week Winter term or 6 credits for 12-week Winter term; 8 credits hours total for the Summer Sessions for undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Full-time Graduate Assistants are eligible for 10 credits of tuition remission for the Fall and Spring semesters, and up to 4 credits for a 3-week Winter term or 6 credits for 12-week winter term. Graduate Assistants with 9.5 month appointments must have a summer appointment to be eligible for a total of 8 credits for the summer sessions. Part time Graduate Assistants are eligible for 5 credits of tuition remission for the Fall and Spring semesters and up to 2 credits for a 3-week Winter term* (special rules apply for Part-Time Graduate Assistants taking 12-week terms). Part time Graduate Assistants with 9.5 month appointment must have a summer appointment to be eligible for a total of 4 credits for the summer sessions.

Eligible Institutions:

Full- time regular faculty and staff are also eligible for tuition remission benefits at any USM institution, as well as Baltimore City Community College, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and reciprocal institutions (Morgan State University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Baltimore City Community College) may apply for tuition remission.
Part-time regular faculty and staff are also eligible for tuition remission benefits at any USM institution, as well as BCCC, St.
For St. Mary's College: Reciprocity for UMB, UB, UMCES, and USMO has been amended. Full-time regular faculty/staff/retirees and/or their dependents enrolled at a University System of Maryland or reciprocal institution (Morgan State University, St.
Contingent II employees are eligible for tuition remission for courses taken at Coppin only.

Specific Program Exclusions:

Programs of study that are exempted from this policy include the M.D. and D.D.S. programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Program, the combined DVM and Graduate Degree Program at the Virginia - Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and other programs as may be recommended by the President of the institution offering the program and approved by the Chancellor.

Additional Costs:

Note - all fees, books and other course materials are the employee's responsibility.

Application Procedures

Navigating the application process for tuition remission is crucial to ensure timely and accurate processing of benefits.

Application Forms:

If your agency participates in the MassHR Employee Service Center (ESC), you should apply using the Tuition Benefit eForm.
Remission forms must be completed for each semester and for each student requesting tuition remission.
Employees and/or their dependents, taking courses at Coppin, Bowie, Frostburg, Salisbury, Towson, UB, UMB, UMBC, UMCP, UMES, UMGC, and USM must electronically submit a tuition remission application. Click the link below to log into the portal using your Coppin Faculty/Staff Single Sign-On.USM Tuition Remission SystemQuick Reference GuideEmployees/Retirees, and/or their dependents, taking courses at Morgan, BCCC, or St.

Required Documentation:

If you are the spouse of a state employee, you will need to provide proof of marriage to receive benefits. This will usually be a marriage certificate. Proof of Marriage, like a Marriage Certificate, is needed if the Tuition Remission benefit is being used by your spouse.

Submission and Deadlines:

Complete Sections I, II, and III. Section IV is to be filled out by your agency's Human Resources Director/designee. Section V is to be completed by your Agency Head/designee. Your Human Resources Director will return the authorized signed certificate to you. Keep a copy for your records. This Certificate is valid for 120 days from the date of issue by your Agency Head/designee.
*Effective Summer 2021, employee waiver forms must be received in Human Resources by the final course add/drop date.
Each semester, CSU establishes a deadline for the submission of request forms. These deadlines are communicated regularly though various campus communication means. Late request forms are not accepted.
The application deadlines for courses being taken at other institutions are set by each institution and may differ from UMB's deadlines.

Graduate Assistants Process:

Graduate Assistants do not need to submit the electronic tuition remission form each semester or term to receive tuition remission. All GAs that have an active appointment in the university payroll system (PHR) and are registered for classes each semester or term will automatically receive the appropriate tuition remission posted to their student account based on their full or part-time status. However, graduate assistants should confirm with their departmental approver that their appointment is active in PHR.

Impact of Course Changes

Adjustments to course enrollment, such as dropping or withdrawing from a course, can have implications for tuition remission benefits.

If an employee or a spouse/dependent drops or withdraws from a course on or after the first day of classes, all or part of the tuition costs may be charged to them.
If an employee or a spouse/dependent drops a course and adds another course on the same day, tuition remission will not be affected. However, if an employee or a spouse/dependent drops a course on or after the first day of classes and does not add another course that same day, the tuition remission benefit for that class will be lost. The tuition cost for that class would then be the responsibility of the student.
To be eligible for the tuition remission benefit, an employee must have an active eligible position with UMD through the University’s official drop/add deadline.

Tax Implications

It is essential to understand the potential tax liabilities associated with tuition remission benefits, as they can impact an employee's overall financial situation.

Those who decide to take advantage of the tuition remission benefits should familiarize themselves with the potential tax liability associated with the value of tuition remission.
The value of tuition remitted for graduate-level education becomes taxable for faculty and staff once the value exceeds the current IRS statutory limit of $5,250 per calendar year. The total tuition value of an employee's dependent or spouse received within the calendar year is considered taxable income.

Read also: Tuition Remission at USM

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