Tuition AssistancePrograms
Tuition Assistance Programs
Tuition assistance is available to active, benefits-eligible staff and faculty and, to a varying degree, their legal dependents to obtain one’s first baccalaureate degree. This policy applies to benefits-eligible staff and faculty. For further details on this benefit, contact the Office of Human Resources.
Spouses, domestic partners, and eligible dependents are defined as those certified by the benefits eligible employee except that dependents must, in addition to certification requirements, be unmarried and under the age of 25.
In all the tuition programs the attainment of a first baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of four years of undergraduate study (whichever occurs first) will be the maximum benefit allowable under this policy. In all cases benefits will only be approved if the dependent, spouse or domestic partner does not already possess a baccalaureate degree. The Tuition Grant, benefit will be limited to a combined total of three (3) dependent children per family for benefits-eligible employees hired after January 1, 1997.
Applications for state and federal financial aid must be filed and proof of aid granted supplied before benefits will be paid under any of the following programs. Benefits paid under all programs will be offset by federal/state financial aid, scholarships, grants and other awards received by the dependent child, spouse or benefits-eligible employee. This provision does not include an offset for loan programs.
Approval from the Office of Human Resources must be obtained prior to the start of the period for which any kind of assistance is requested. Courses must be taken for credit in order to qualify for coverage under this policy.
TUITION REMISSION
Bachelor’s Degree: A spouse, domestic partner or dependent child who has been admitted as a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges may have the full value of tuition only covered. A bachelor's degree or the equivalent of four years (eight semesters/twelve trimesters) of undergraduate study (whichever occurs first) will be the maximum coverage. Courses taken during winter or summer break would be counted as an additional semester. Administrative salaried employees who take courses at the Colleges towards their first bachelor’s degree or where the course is deemed work related and who are eligible under this policy, may also have the value of tuition covered. Administrative salaried employees are limited to one full-credit course per term subject to approval of their supervisor. Time spent in class by staff during the normal workday must be made up in the same week as incurred or must be charged to vacation. Remission excludes fees for Teachers' Certification, off-campus programming and other course fees. Class enrollment limitations may apply.
Master’s Degree: Administrative salaried employees who take courses at the Colleges towards their first master’s degree or where the course is deemed work related, and who are eligible under this policy, may also have the value of tuition covered. Administrative salaried employees at the Colleges are eligible to enroll in one master’s class per semester at HWS subject to the approval of their supervisor. Time spent in class by staff during the normal workday must be made up in the same week as incurred or must be charged to vacation. Remission excludes fees for Teachers' Certification, off-campus programming and other course fees. Class enrollment limitations may apply. Graduate-level tuition remission is subject to income tax withholding Under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) §127. Employees enrolled in graduate courses will be exempt from income tax withholding for the first $5,250 of the graduate tuition remission benefit per calendar year. The value of the tuition in excess of $5,250 in one calendar year is accounted for as a taxable benefit to employees.
To apply, use the following links:
TUITION EXCHANGE
An eligible dependent child who attends an undergraduate institution which is employee member of the Tuition Exchange Program and who does not possess an undergraduate degree, may have some or all the tuition costs covered under this plan.
Terms and conditions under this plan may vary significantly depending upon the specific institution and the number of spaces the Colleges has available for exchange. Tuition costs will be offset by any other grants, scholarships or awards received by the student.
For more information and application procedures, check out the Tuition Exchange and Tuition Grant Procedure Guidelines (PDF).
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING APPLICATION PROCESS:
The HWS administrative employee should apply in the fall of their high school senior year prior to the academic year that is to be considered. Submission of the application list is not a guarantee that an offer of tuition exchange will be extended.
TUITION GRANT
An eligible dependent child will be able to receive a maximum grant of up to 40% of the Colleges' current tuition to attend another institution. A bachelor's degree or the equivalent, or the equivalent of four years of undergraduate study (whichever occurs first) will be the maximum coverage.
All applicants must apply to the College or University through Tuition Exchange first (above) before submitting the Tuition Grant application. You will need to re-apply for Tuition Exchange every year if the initial submission was denied.
Payment will be a percentage of the maximum grant amount based on years of benefits-eligible service as shown in the table below. Grants are awarded on a pro-rata basis across the yearly academic calendar (1/2 maximum eligible amount per semester, 1/3 per term, or 1/4 per quarter). Courses taken during winter or summer break would be counted as an additional semester. The grant may not exceed the tuition charge of the institution attended. Tuition grant benefits may also apply to tuition costs associated with other educational programs sponsored or approved by the Colleges but may not be used for room, board, books and other non-tuition charges.
20% Beginning of third year of service*
40% Beginning of fourth year of service
60% Beginning of fifth year of service
80% Beginning of sixth year of service
100% Beginning of seventh year of service and continuing thereafter
In cases where both parents are administrative employees of the Colleges only one grant will be given per dependent child per year. The percentage calculation will be based on the parent with the longest benefits-eligible service under this policy. Tuition grants will be offset by any scholarships, grants, or other awards (excluding loans) received by the student.
For more information, check out the Tuition Exchange and Tuition Grant Procedure Guidelines (PDF). To apply, use this link.
Administrative employees are required to submit to Human Resources their dependent’s tuition billing invoice(s) at the beginning of each semester or term for payment. Payments are not automatic.
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
An administrative salaried employee who takes an undergraduate course or courses for credit through any other accredited institution is eligible for reimbursement of tuition costs. The Colleges will reimburse the tuition costs for any course or courses required to complete a first undergraduate degree. Individual courses that are not required as part of a degree program may be taken but they must be job-related** in order to qualify for reimbursement. Other limitations may apply in accordance with section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code. Documentation of successful completion of the course(s) and tuition costs must be provided before payment will be made. Administrative employees taking courses on a reimbursement basis must get approval from the Office of Human Resources prior to registering for the course(s).
** Job-related – courses that maintain or improve the administrative employee's skills required for one’s present position.
To apply, use this link.
Termination of Tuition Benefits
In the event that the administrative employee is no longer actively employed or loses benefits eligibility, benefits under any and all of the above programs will be continued as follows:
- Death of the administrative employee - tuition remission benefits for eligible dependents of administrative employees with more than 15 years of service will continue after the death of the administrative employee until the eligible dependent reaches age 25. Eligibility will be determined according to the policies above except that dependent status will be understood as dependent status as of the time of the death of the administrative employee, not the time of the request for Tuition Remission. All other eligibility requirements described above (for example, as appropriate: age, number of eligible dependents per family, marital status, educational achievement) are unchanged and are evaluated as of the time of application for tuition benefits. For dependents of administrative employees with 15 or fewer years of service at the time of death, tuition remission benefits for dependents will cease as of the end of the approved tuition period (academic year, term semester, course) in which death occurs. Tuition grant and tuition exchange benefits for dependents of all administrative employees cease as of the end of the approved tuition period. For spouses and domestic partners of deceased administrative employees, all tuition benefits stop as of the end of the approved tuition period.
- Voluntary termination or discharge for misconduct - benefits will stop as of the date of termination of employment. In the case of grant or exchange benefits already paid to other institutions, the administrative employee will be responsible for repaying the benefits provided from the date of termination through the end of the approved tuition period.
- Involuntary termination or loss of benefits eligibility - benefits will stop as of the end of the approved tuition period unless specified under a separate agreement with the Colleges.