College of Engineering Tuition Assistance Program

The College of Engineering is dedicated to supporting the growth and development of our greatest asset, our employees. The College of Engineering Tuition Assistance Program promotes continuing education and career growth by providing an opportunity for eligible employees to apply for financial assistance to help with tuition costs. The College of Engineering Tuition Assistance Program supersedes and replaces all departmental tuition assistance programs and practices effective July 1, 2022.

To be eligible to apply, employees:

  • Must be appointed to a "regular appointment”, 50% time or greater at time of application.
  • Must have at least one year of continuous service in a "regular" appointment in the College of Engineering as of the application deadline.
  • Must be in good standing (not on a performance improvement plan and most recent performance rating of Meets Expectations or higher) and have supervisor approval.
  • May apply for tuition assistance once per academic term and no more than three times in a fiscal year (i.e., Fall, Spring, Summer).
  • Must demonstrate that the coursework is job-related
  • May take courses at any accredited community college, private or public institution deemed acceptable by the College of Engineering Dean’s Office. To verify if an institution is acceptable, please contact the College of Engineering Human Resources Director.
  • Must apply for the University of Iowa Tuition Assistance Program and utilize any University awarded funding before using College of Engineering Tuition Assistance funds.
  • Must apply within the specified time periods indicated in the Application Deadlines section below.

  • Employee must remain available for regularly scheduled work hours. Any schedule accommodations or modifications related to work hours for classes requires written approval of the employee’s supervisor and the college, via a Flexible Work Arrangement form.
  • Coursework and studying must be done on the employee’s own time.
  • Employee must maintain satisfactory academic progress and complete the course with a passing grade or status (i.e., a letter grade of C or above, Pass, etc.)  to maintain funding eligibility.
  • Tuition Assistance must be used during the semester and for the course for which it is awarded.
  • Eligible employees must submit information related to additional financial assistance from any source and the dollar amount of that aid
  • Please review the terms and conditions of the CoE Tuition Assistance Policy to the policy attached.

A portion of the college’s fiscal year funds are allocated for tuition assistance. Funding amounts and program policies are re-evaluated annually by assessing program use, budget considerations, and other related factors. Tuition assistance granted to College of Engineering employees can only be provided under this program; no tuition assistance can be provided by departments.

  • Tuition support is available for one course per semester up to the maximum of $1,000 (i.e. maximum of $1,000 for one course during each academic term – fall, spring, and summer).  The amount of support cannot exceed the total cost of tuition if utilizing other sources of funding such as grants, awards, non-engineering departmental aid, scholarships, and others.  
  • Tuition Assistance will be awarded for tuition only (mandatory fees, textbooks, and other fees are not included).
  • If you are awarded assistance for an external (non-UI) course, you will receive reimbursement after successfully completing the course and submitting all required documentation, including proof of payment and final course grade. The awarded course must be started in the semester it is awarded and completed within eight months of the semester awarded.
  • Tuition Assistance is considered Professional Development and may impact non-course related Professional Development requests during the fiscal year awarded.
  • By completing the application process, the employee is agreeing to the terms of the program and accepting responsibility to pay all tuition and any fees incurred during the application term, should the employee not meet the Tuition Assistance Program requirements.

  • Applicant completes the Workflow application form.
  • The Workflow form will automatically route to your supervisor.
  • Once supervisor approval is acquired (before the deadline), the Workflow form will route to the College of Engineering Dean’s Office and your application is complete.
  • The College of Engineering Dean’s Office will evaluate applications on a first-come, first-served basis, as funding allows.
  • Priority will be given to coursework taken at the UI.  Coursework at another Regents institution will be next in priority, following by other accredited institutions.
  • Employees may complete their application prior to registering for a course, but it is not required. They are, however, expected to register for the course listed on their application. If there is a course change, please contact the College of Engineering human resources director for approval. Failure to do so may result in the denial of assistance by this program in the future.
  • Approval or denial of tuition assistance will be made via e-mail from the Dean’s Office within two weeks of submittal date.
  • Completing the application is not a guarantee of assistance.

Application Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by the employee and approved by supervisor within the dates listed below:

Session Open SECOND FRIDAY OF: Deadline SECOND FRIDAY OF:
Summer  April May
Fall June July
Spring November December

 

NOTE: Employees cannot be retroactively reimbursed for a course taken in a previous semester.

Disqualification:

If any of the situations or conditions below occur, employees are required to notify the College of Engineering HR director within three business days and will result in disqualification from the Tuition Assistance Program. Any funding provided will be retracted and employees will be required to pay any outstanding tuition and fees. If the funds are unable to be retracted, employees will be responsible for reimbursing the College of Engineering within three months of the disqualifying event. These situations include:

  • Withdrawing from the coursework prior to the end of the term
  • Receiving an unsatisfactory course grade (i.e., Letter grade below C, Fail, or equivalent)
  • Moving to an appointment type or percent effort other than those eligible for this program prior to the end of the term

Payback agreement:

Employee agrees to payback funds received through the College of Engineering Tuition Assistance Program within three months if any of the following occur:

  • Voluntarily terminating employment before or during the term of the course
  • Voluntarily leaving the College of Engineering due to termination of employment or transfer to another unit in the University less than one year following the receipt of reimbursement for non-UI courses or end of the semester in which the course occurred for UI coursework.

Terms and Conditions

 

Reportable Tax Information

Employee seeking tuition assistance should be aware of the following information, per the IRS: If your employer pays more than $5,250 for educational benefits for you during the year, you must generally pay tax on the amount over $5,250. Your employer should include in your wages (Form W-2, box 1) the amount that you must include in income. For more information visit the IRS website: Tax Benefits for Education: Information Center and scroll to Exclusions from Income.

Reimbursement Process

UI Coursework

If awarded tuition assistance for UI coursework, the amount will be credited directly to the employee’s U-bill. Please be aware that the tuition assistance credit may not appear on the U-bill before the first tuition due date of a semester. Employees with U-bill payroll deduction may choose to rescind it before the due date. To do so please contact the University Billing Office at 319-335-0071.

External Coursework

If awarded tuition assistance for external (non-UI) coursework, the employee will initially pay for the external course registration. Tuition assistance will be in the form of a reimbursement and will not be paid until after successful completion of the course and submission of all required reimbursement documentation. All reimbursement information must be submitted by the following deadlines:

  • Fall Semester Awards – must be submitted by January 15th.
  • Spring Semester Awards – must be submitted by the June 15th.
  • Summer Semester Awards – must be submitted by September 15th.

Reimbursement may be denied if all proper documentation is not completed and received by the reimbursement deadlines noted above.

The required reimbursement documentation includes:

  • An official transcript showing final grade
  • Proof of payment including tuition amount

After all appropriate documents have been received, payment will be sent in approximately three weeks via direct deposit.