Overview: Tuition Benefits for Employees and Family
The University offers tuition benefits to eligible employees and their families, including spouses and dependent children, subject to the provisions outlined below.
Benefit Scope and Application Process
Tuition benefit requests must be submitted through Workday. Detailed instructions on the process can be found here. To verify eligibility for dependent children, employees must provide a copy of the dependent section of their most recent Internal Revenue Service Form 1040.
To remain eligible for the Family Tuition Benefit:
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The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined in the University catalogs
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The employee must maintain benefits-eligible employment status
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If the employee’s benefit eligible status ends, tuition benefits will continue through the current academic term only and will not extend into any subsequent term
Tuition Benefits Coverage
Undergraduate Courses
The University provides up to 100% tuition coverage for:
This maximum includes failed course, withdrawals beyond the drop/add period and courses not counted toward the degree
Graduate Courses
Tuition benefits for graduate-level courses for spouses and dependents are credited at the Continuing Education Student Rate
Note: For students enrolled in a five-year BS/MS program, tuition for the fifth-year masters-level coursework is included under this benefit and is credited at the Continuing Education Student Rate
Eligibility and Definitions
Employees become eligible for tuition remission the semester following 90 days of employment. Employees become eligible for family tuition remission after completing four consecutive years of benefits-eligible employment. The family tuition benefit applies to spouses and eligible dependent children. Applicants must meet all University admission requirements.
Dependent
A dependent is defined according to the Internal Revenue Service guidelines. A dependent child or stepchild must be age 23 or younger as of the end of the calendar year claimed on the employee’s Form 1040 to be eligible for tuition benefits for that year.
Spouse
An individual legally married to the employee
Tuition Remission
Refers to the tuition benefits utilized by employees and/or their eligible family members while attending the University
Note: Tuition Exchange (TE) and FACHEX are separate programs and are not included in this benefit. (Please see the policy below.)
Prior Employment Credit
Employees may receive credit toward the four-year eligibility requirement if they were previously employed full-time at another accredited educational institution offering a baccalaureate or advanced degree provided that:
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There was no more than a 90-day break between positions, and
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No other employment occurred during that period
Employees must submit documentation from their prior institution’s Human Resources office verifying dates of full-time employment. To apply in Workday, please refer here.
Coordination with Other Financial Aid
Students receiving the Family Tuition Benefit:
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Are not eligible for institutionally funded scholarships or grants
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Are encouraged to apply for federal, state, or external financial aid
External aid will be applied as follows:
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Typically toward room, board, or other educational expenses
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If restricted to tuition and total aid exceeds tuition costs, the University tuition benefit may be reduced accordingly.
Covered and Non-Covered Expenses
Covered Programs
The Family Tuition Benefit applies only to:
Exclusions
The following are not covered under the Family Tuition Benefit:
The University does not provide cash or alternative compensation in place of tuition benefits.
Tuition Exchange/FACHEX
An employee who has completed four years of benefits-eligible employment with Saint Joseph’s University and whose child would prefer to attend another college or university, may take advantage of two inter-institutional agreements between the University and certain other colleges and universities. Applicants must meet admission and scholarship requirements for the institution to which they apply and cannot be guaranteed that a place will be available for them. The Offices of Financial Aid and Human Resources conduct an annual Tuition Exchange & FACHEX Information session in the Fall semester. Faculty and staff that anticipate having dependents apply for either program are encouraged to attend.
Employees who were employed full-time immediately prior to joining the University (allowing no more than a 90-day break in employment and with no other employment in between) by a public or private educational institution offering a baccalaureate or advanced degree, will be credited with these years and months of continuous full-time employment at that institution for eligibility for FACHEX and Tuition Exchange. Employees must provide the Office of Human Resources with a letter from the former institution’s Office of Human Resources, stating the dates of prior full-time service.
While the importing institution defines the terms of the Tuition Exchange or FACHEX Scholarship they may offer an employee’s dependent, generally, the maximum benefit is eight semesters of full-time undergraduate study toward a bachelor’s degree. Saint Joseph’s University typically only certifies dependent eligibility for Tuition Exchange and FACHEX Scholarship for eight semesters of undergraduate study as well, assuming the employee remains eligible for participation in the program. This maximum will include any failed courses, withdrawals beyond the drop/add period, or other courses not counted toward the awarding of the degree.
A limited number of undergraduate scholarships to several local colleges and universities are available to children of full-time employees hired prior to April 15, 1981. Details are available in the President's Office.
To remain eligible for the Family Tuition Benefit, satisfactory academic progress by the student as detailed in the college catalogs, and full-time employment by the employee must be maintained. When benefits-eligible employment terminates, tuition benefits will continue through the term in progress, but will not continue into the term that begins after employment is terminated.
Per current government regulations, Family Tuition Benefits for spouses and dependents of employees for education below the graduate level are not included in the employee's compensation. Family Tuition Benefits for spouses and dependents of employees for graduate level courses are fully taxable as compensation to an employee and subject to all payroll withholdings.
Applications for all Family Tuition Benefits are available on Workday. A copy of the portion of an employee's most recent Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 listing dependents must be attached to the application. Additionally, for a dependent to be considered for a Tuition Exchange or FACHEX Scholarship the first year only, they must complete the EZ-Application at tuitionexchange.org.
(a)The Office of Human Resources will confirm the employee and their dependents are eligible for consideration
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(b)The Office of Financial Aid will confirm the student is eligible for the benefit by the institutions listed on the student’s Tuition Exchange/FACHEX EZ-Application.
Recommended application deadline is November 1 for the upcoming academic year for first-year applicants only. If awarded a Tuition Exchange/FACHEX Scholarship by a participating institution, the employee must complete the Tuition Benefit for Family-Exchange & FACHEX form after June 1st to confirm which institution the eligible dependent will be attending.
Employees whose dependent is receiving a renewal Tuition Exchange/FACHEX Scholarship must only submit the Tuition Benefit for Family-Exchange and FACHEX form each subsequent year. They would receive the benefit by January 30th for the upcoming academic year.
Tuition Benefit for Partner High Schools
Employees who have completed three months of full-time service are eligible for participation in tuition reduction programs in three private high schools. Through an inter-institutional agreement with Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School, any dependent son who is accepted for admission is entitled to an annual tuition reduction of $2,000 and a 50 percent (50%) reduction in summer school tuition for grades 9 through 12. Through agreements with the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur and Merion Mercy Academy, a dependent daughter who is accepted for admission is eligible for one of a limited number of $2,000 annual scholarships for grades 9 through 12. At the beginning of each semester (September and January) following an employee’s eligibility, $1,000 will be granted. To apply in Workday, please refer here.