Academic Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement Program

Regulations for Academic Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement Program:

• If funds are available in the departmental budget, eligible employees may be reimbursed 100% of actual costs of tuition, registration, and laboratory fees upon successful completion of the course. Reimbursement is limited to 10 semester hours or 16 quarter hours credit per academic term. Reimbursement is limited each fiscal year to a maximum of 20 semester hours or 32 quarter hours of credit per fiscal year, but not for more than four courses.
• Tuition Reimbursement requests must be made within 30 days of completing the course(s)
• Courses must be deemed beneficial to both the university and the eligible employee and must serve to develop skills, knowledge, and abilities directly related to the eligible employee’s current job/position. Courses mandated by law or compliance regulations as a job requirement for continued employment are also applicable
• Tuition Reimbursement cannot be used in conjunction with the tuition waiver or summer tuition benefit programs
• Tuition reimbursement is typically used for academic expenses outside of UNCW. Eligible institutions are accredited high schools, business schools, community colleges, technical institutions, four-year colleges, universities, accredited correspondence schools, and any other institution approved by the State Human Resources Director

Eligibility Requirements for Academic Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement Program:

• Full-time permanent, probationary, and time-limited employees working 30 hours or more per week
• Probationary employees are eligible after satisfactory performance for a period of not less than six months as determined by management
• Temporary and part-time employees are not eligible
• The program is only eligible to Time-limited employees during their current employment period. For example, if a time-limited employee’s period ends in June of 2024, a request to use the program for a course in September of 2024 would not be eligible and therefore denied
• Employee must be employed with the same department throughout the entire course/training
• Must have prior approval from employee’s direct department head, dean, or director in writing and a copy must be provided to HR Benefits
• Must complete the course(s) and receive a passing grade

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE-TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FORM

Under prevailing tax laws and IRS codes, the value of certain employer paid educational expenses such as tuition waivers, summer tuition benefits, and/or tuition reimbursements may be considered reportable taxable compensation and part of an employee’s gross income. That current value is anything over $5250 in a calendar year. If the course(s) is necessary or required to maintain skills needed in the employee’s current job/position, then the educational expense(s) will not be considered taxable even if it exceeds $5250. However, if any course(s) taken in the calendar year will qualify the employee for a new trade or profession (even if the employee does not plan on entering that trade or profession) or the course(s) is needed by the employee to meet the minimum requirements of a job, then the value of educational expense(s) that exceeds $5250 will be part of the employee’s wages and therefore taxable. Employees applying for financial aid must disclose tuition or fee waivers, benefits, or expected reimbursements to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid as a part of their financial resources. Contact your Financial Aid counselor for specific details.

In conjunction with the Academic Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement Program, a full-time permanent employee may request Educational Leave with or without pay. Educational Leave may not be used with the tuition waiver or summer tuition benefit programs. An approved course should be taken on the employee’s own time. However, if an approved course is available only during the employee’s normally scheduled work hours, a written request may be made for Educational Leave prior to the beginning of the course allowing sufficient time for the request to be reviewed. Educational Leave may be granted at the discretion and by written approval from the eligible employee’s direct supervisor, department head/director, and Human Resources. If Educational Leave with pay is approved, it shall not be charged to the employee’s accrued leave and shall be recorded as “Educational Leave” and approved by management in the payroll system of record. Educational leave during work hours shall not exceed one course up to five hours academic credit per academic term. Educational Leave without pay may be granted according to the normal leave policy outlined in the Leave Without Pay Policy in Section 5 of the State Human Resources Manual.

Educational Leave Request Form Link