Tuition Reimbursement and Remission

Staff Tuition Reimbursement applications must be submitted to Tufts Support Services no earlier than two months prior to the start of class, but no later than fifteen (15) days before the start of the class/program. Approval is subject to the terms of the program. To apply:

1. Complete the Tuition Reimbursement Application (supervisor’s signature required)
2. Attach an official course description from the school website/brochure/catalog
3. Attach verification of the tuition cost (per credit hour or per course – fees not covered) from the school's website, brochure or catalog
4. Submit your completed application to tss@tufts.edu

You must submit the Request for Payment Form to Tufts Support Services within 60 days of the completion of your course. The form must be accompanied by:

• Proof of payment of tuition charges (i.e., student account statement of tuition charges and payments from the institution, copy of a canceled check, credit card receipt)
• Proof of Satisfactory Course Completion indicating you have achieved a passing grade or course certificate

Requests for reimbursement will be processed within a reasonable time. Once processed, reimbursement will be included in the employee’s paycheck.

The maximum reimbursement per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) is $4,000. The date of the actual reimbursement will determine the fiscal year to be affected.

You must have been continuously employed as a benefits-eligible employee for at least three months as of the first day of the semester applied for, and be in one of the following eligible employee classifications:

• Exempt or Non-Exempt Staff regularly scheduled to work 17.5 hours or more a week.
• Faculty with at least a half-time, two-semester appointment. (Half-time generally means a regularly scheduled teaching load of at least three courses per academic year. Refer to your specific school’s faculty handbook for details.)

Postdoctoral Scholars have a separate Tuition Remission Program; refer to the Postdoc Tuition Remission Program Guidelines.

Available to spouses/domestic partners of full- and part-time benefits-eligible faculty and staff who meet the above eligibility criteria.

Available to dependent children of full-time, active, regular benefits-eligible faculty and staff, and the dependent children of the employee’s spouse/domestic partner, who have been employed for at least five (5) consecutive years as full-time benefits-eligible faculty or staff as of the first day of the semester applied for.

Postdoctoral Scholars who have been continuously employed in a benefits-eligible position for at least three months as of the first day of the semester applied for, are an Exempt or Non-Exempt Postdoctoral Scholar regularly scheduled to work full time (35 hours or more a week), AND have at least a 12-month appointment.

Eligible faculty and staff can take up to six credits (full-time employees) or three credits (part-time employees) for undergraduate or graduate level, courses, tuition-free, per semester. See the Faculty and Staff Tuition Remission Program Guidelines for more details.

Eligible Postdoctoral Scholars can take one undergraduate or graduate level, full-credit course, tuition-free, per semester. Any expense other than tuition is not covered by this program. See the Postdoctoral Scholar Tuition Remission Guidelines for more details.

1. To begin registration, review the course offerings on the Tufts Student Information System.
2. Complete the online Tuition Remission Application
3. Employees taking classes: Your supervisor will receive a notification to approve your request.

For registration, tuition, or billing questions contact studentservices@tufts.edu.

1. To begin registration, review the course offerings on the Tufts Student Information System.
2. Complete the online Tuition Remission Application
3. Employee taking classes: Your supervisor will receive a notification to approve your request.
4. After approval, course registration is completed via University College. You will receive a link with instructions with your approval. 

For registration, tuition, or billing questions contact studentservices@tufts.edu.

• Undergraduate courses for employees are excluded from taxation.
• Graduate courses for employees are excluded from taxation if the course is considered job-related to your current position.
• Non-job-related graduate courses for employees are excluded from taxation up to $5,250 per calendar year.

Please note: A course or degree program that helps to prepare you for a future job at Tufts or elsewhere does not qualify as job-related.

Undergraduate courses for spouses are excluded from taxation. Graduate courses for spouses are taxable to the employee. 

• Undergraduate courses for dependent children of benefits-eligible faculty and staff (and their spouses or dependent children) are excluded from taxes.
• Undergraduate courses for dependent children of domestic partners are federal and state taxable to the employee.
• Dependent children are not eligible to enroll in graduate-level courses under the tuition remission program.