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Employee Education Program (EEP)

UK full-time employees may take advantage of tuition benefits at the University of Kentucky. Enjoy the benefits of the EEP by receiving tuition waiver for UK coursework in order to further your career development, pursue other academic interests or build coursework for the foundation for career change or advancement.

Forms

These forms are required to have tuition waived. You must still complete any forms required for admission, enrollment and registration for your selected classes.

How the Employee Education Program works

The Employee Education Program (EEP) only applies to UK employees attending UK. Employees participating in the Employee Education Program must follow all admission, enrollment and registration procedures for UK and the individual college where they will be taking classes. Be aware of fee and payment deadlines and fee assessment when courses are changed. An EEP Form (for UK employees) must be turned into the Benefits office, 112 Scovell Hall, 0064, by the deadline established. If you are taking graduate level courses, the Graduate-Level Tax Acknowledgement form must also be completed. Please check online or with the Benefits office for the most current EEP forms available each semester. Only one course may be taken during work hours with approval by your supervisor and department head. You must make up your missed time within the same work week, which may include taking only a half-hour lunch break or changing your starting and/or ending times. Exception for more than 6 hours can be given to UK employees attending UK.

An exception up to eight hours can be given if:

  • You are a UK employee attending UK
  • The eight hours is between two classes (such as taking a five-credit-hour class and a three-credit-hour class)
  • AND the eight hours does not exceed the maximum 18 for the academic year

An exception up to nine hours can be given if:

  • You are a UK employee attending UK
  • You are within a year of graduation
  • AND the nine hours does not exceed the maximum 18 for the academic year

You can submit the exception waiver in addition to EEP form to waive up to nine hours if in your last year of school.
Your adviser will need to sign off on your exception waiver.

What the Employee Education Program covers

Please be aware that the Employee Education Program waives tuition (activity fees only for UK employees attending UK). Any other fees (course and/or program fees), books or expenses related to the class are the employee's responsibility. Graduate-level waivers in excess of $5,250 per calendar year are subject to tax as mandated by IRS Section 127. View this letter for more information regarding taxable EEP benefits.

A “graduation exemption” can be requested for a one-time exception to exceed 6-8 hours in a given semester in the employee’s final 12 months prior to finishing their degree. The academic adviser must document the employee is in his/her final 12 months of study. With approval, employees may take up to three courses (up to nine credit hours) in one approved semester during this 12-month period, not to exceed 18 credit hours within that academic year.

Women's Forum $250 Educational Assistance Award

The UK Women’s Forum Employee Educational Assistance Award is available to UK employees taking UK classes through the Employee Education Program (EEP). This award will complement the existing tuition waiver program for UK employees by providing recipients of the award with a $250 reimbursement to assist them with the cost of books, course materials and any applicable lab fees.

Regular full-time employees (0.75 FTE and greater) who are participating in the EEP program and taking UK classes, excluding independent study program courses, are eligible to apply for the award.The deadline to apply typically falls on the same day as the University deadline to drop classes. Please visit our website (see below) for exact deadline dates.

To apply for the UK Women’s Forum Employee Educational Assistance Award, please submit an online application.

Family Education Program (FEP)

Ease tuition costs by utilizing the tuition and mandatory fee discount now available to eligible family members of regular full-time employees. The discount is applied toward undergraduate coursework and is determined by the employee’s years of service.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the tuition and mandatory fee discount the family member must be a spouse/partner (as defined by University Senate Rules and Policy) or dependent child (through the semester in which child turns 24 if a full time student for at least 5 months of the year, or to the end of the calendar year a child reaches age 23) of a regular full-time employee. Documentation is required to establish relationship if not already provided for health, dental or vision plans (Please see below for documentation requirements). He/she must also be in good academic standing and admitted to the University of Kentucky and registered, for credit, as a post-high school graduate in undergraduate-level classes.

How the Family Education Program Works

Eligible family members must follow admission and registration procedures and deadlines established by the University Senate Rules and must remain in good academic standing. Please be aware of fee and payment deadlines and fee assessment when courses are changed. A Family Education Program enrollment form must be submitted to the Employee Benefits Office, 112 Scovell Hall, 40506-0064 by the deadline established or via fax at 859-323-8494. The form is available both in the benefits office as well as online. Please check online or with Employee Benefits for the most current form available. The Family Education Program form differs from the Employee Education Program form in that the student is required to provide their anticipated enrollment plan for the current academic year. If future course information is not available, the student may indicate the number of hours expected to take during that semester. To ensure that course information is current please submit a new form each semester once registration is complete.

Plan Availability

The tuition discount is available only at UK and does not apply to Independent Study, audited or non-credit courses. Both the EEP and FEP cannot be utilized during concurrent semesters.

Payment of the Family Education Program

The maximum benefit available will be equal to a 50 percent discount on undergraduate, full-time course-loads for Fall, Spring, Winter Intersession and Summer terms. If a dependent participates in a Study Abroad program please reference item No. 16 in the FEP FAQ for more information about how the discount will apply.

Based on the in-state tuition rate maximum, the maximum discount per semester will be calculated as follows:

Less than 1 year of service = no discount

  1. At least 1 year, but less than 2 years = 10 percent discount maximum per semester
  2. At least 2 years, but less than 3 years = 20 percent discount maximum per semester
  3. At least 3 years, but less than 4 years = 30 percent discount maximum per semester
  4. At least 4 years, but less than 5 years = 40 percent discount maximum per semester
  5. At least 5 years = 50 percent discount maximum per semester

The year(s) of service must be completed by the last day to add a class for the semester. These dates follow the Academic Calendar as posted by the University Registrar's office. If there are other tuition-eligible awards credited for the student, then the FEP discount will apply and the remaining awards will be adjusted (reduced). For this purpose it must be included in the student’s financial aid package and may result in adjustments of other student financial aid. FEP discounts can only be applied for, even if submitting late, the term for which the discount is requested.

Documentation Requirements
Dependent Relationship Documentation Required
Child or guardian Copy of birth certificate or documentation of adoption of guardianship
Sponsored dependent Documentation of at least one year of common residency (Example: copy of driver’s license to show common home address)
Spouse Copy of marriage certificate & front page of most recent tax return (financial information may be blacked out)

Helpful hint! If you have trouble finding appropriate documentation, please contact the Benefits office at 257-8772 for suggestions on obtaining duplicate copies

Dates & Deadlines

The following are Employee Education Program and Family Education Program deadlines for the upcoming academic terms. For class registration and other academic deadlines, please view the UK Registrar’s academic calendar.

Fall – August 31
Winter – January 5
Spring – January 31
Summer – May 31

Contact

For additional information regarding tuition assistance programs, please call the EEP and FEP plan administrator at 859-257-8772.

Frequently asked questions

Employee Education Program (EEP)

What is the process to participate in the Employee Education Program (EEP)

You must be a UK employee to participate.

You need to go through the same processes as other students as far as applying for admissions and registering for classes. Once admitted, the Registrar will assign a registration window for you to register for classes. Once you register for classes, you will need to turn in the Employee Education Program (EEP) tuition waiver form. The tuition waiver can be up to six credit hours per semester and 18 per academic year. Classes must be taken for a grade; audited classes are not eligible.

Can UK employees have the application fee waived if attending UK?

UK employees may have their undergraduate admission application fee waived. The graduate application fee may not be waived.

Once an undergraduate application is received, the employee only needs to submit a copy of the UKID card in order to receive the undergraduate application fee waiver. Questions may be sent to admissions@uky.edu or 859-257-2000.

Are tuition waivers subject to tax?

Up to a value of $5,250, no, but graduate level waivers in excess of $5,250 per calendar year are subject to taxation. The graduate tuition waived in excess of $5,250 per calendar year will be split between the remaining pay periods in the year to be reported through the employee’s payroll as (imputed) income which increases their gross wages. Payroll taxes are calculated based on the gross wages. The payroll taxes are unique to each employee based on their gross wages, how many exceptions they claim on their W-4, tax-sheltered benefits, etc.

What is the maximum number of hours I can take per semester?

The policy has been amended to allow an increase from six hours to a maximum of eight hours per semester, if between two classes. This means that if you are taking two four-hour classes, you are eligible to have your tuition waived for the entire eight hours. These eight hours will be deducted from your total of 18 hours for the academic year, leaving you a total of 10 hours for the remainder of the academic year. If you are unsure of the number of hours you are available, please contact the EEP program administrator. This affects only University of Kentucky employees attending classes at the University of Kentucky. If you do not meet the qualifications for the exception, only six hours of tuition per semester will be waived.

What semesters can I use the EEP waiver?

You can use the tuition waiver for Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer I and Summer II terms. Please note that Winter Intersession classes are considered part of the Spring Semester (at UK) and the waiver cannot exceed the maximum hours eligible. Also, Summer I and Summer II terms are considered one semester and the waiver cannot exceed the maximum hours eligible.

Why am I being billed graduate level tuition if the course is undergraduate level?

The amount of tuition you are billed takes into account how you are registered as a student instead of the level of the course.

Can I take online or distance learning courses with the tuition waiver?

Yes, if the courses are taken at UK. The class must still be for college credit. Certification and audited courses are not eligible through the EEP.

Why didn't the waiver cover all of the fees related to my class?

Some University of Kentucky classes have fees that are not eligible to be covered by the tuition waiver. If you are unsure whether all of your fees will be covered, please contact the EEP administrator.

Can I take Independent Study courses under the EEP?

Yes. Independent Study courses are eligible for the tuition waiver but please be aware that the Independent Study program has separate deadlines that must be adhered to. Please contact Independent Study for registration windows and deadlines.

Can my dependent use my tuition waiver if I am not using it?

Yes. If you are NOT currently utilizing EEP your eligible dependent may elect to participate in the Family Education Program (FEP) to receive a tuition discount based on your years of consecutive regular full-time service at U.K.

If I don't take any classes in one semester, can I take more than six credit hours the next semester to make up for it?

No. Unused credit hours do not carry over to other semesters.

If I drop a class after the semester has begun, will I be responsible for payment?

Maybe. You will only be required to pay for the non-refunded portion of the class if EEP has already waived six hours of tuition for that semester. For example: If you had six hours of courses at UK total and dropped one mid semester, you would not be responsible for paying for the class that you dropped. If you had six hours of courses at UK and dropped one after the deadline to get a full refund but picked another course up to take in its place, you would be responsible for paying for the un-refunded portion of the class that you dropped because EEP would be waiving the other six hours that you were enrolled in that semester. It is now required that you submit an amended form if you drop or add any classes. The amended form should include the date the class was dropped or added. Please also include all classes you are registered for so the total number of credit hours you are requesting to have waived is clear. Without this notification adjustments cannot be made to your account.

If I terminate employment with UK prior to the end of the semester, will I be required to pay for the classes that I had waived through the EEP for that semester?

No. As long as you are an eligible employee on the first day of classes, EEP funding will not be removed from your account.

When should I submit my tuition waiver form?

An EEP form should be submitted to the Employee Benefits Office once registration is complete. If any changes are made to the class schedule an amended form should be submitted indicating the changes that have been made. For example, if dropping a class, re-fax a copy of the original form marking through the class being dropped and indicating to the side what has been done. For further inquiries about changes in class information please contact the EEP & FEP administrator at 859-257-8772. Forms may be submitted via fax at 859-323-8494 or in person at 115 Scovell Hall.

Family Education Program (EEP)

What is the process to participate in the Family Education Program (FEP)

You need to go through the same processes as other students as far as applying for admissions and registering for classes. Once admitted, the Registrar will assign a registration window for you to register for classes. Once you register for classes, you will need to turn in the Family Education Program (FEP) discount form. A new form must be submitted each semester you wish to receive the benefit.

What requirements determine dependent eligibility for the Family Education Program (FEP)?

All eligible, regular full-time employees may choose each semester (Fall, Spring, Winter or Summer (Summer I and Summer II combined) to use either their Employee Education Program benefit or, if they have been at UK for at least one year, the Family Education Program benefit. Under the FEP, the employee may designate an eligible spouse/child/sponsored dependent/child of sponsored dependent to receive a tuition discount for undergraduate, for credit, classes only. The student must be registered as a post-high school graduate to receive the benefit.

Is there a combined FEP discount if both an employee and spouse/partner work at UK?

Spouses/partners who both are regular, full-time University of Kentucky employees and have eligible service may combine their discounts for an eligible dependent if the employees are not using EEP for the requested semester.

What is the discount my dependent is eligible for?

The percentage discount ranges from 10 percent to 50 percent based on the employee’s length of continuous regular full-time service at UK (see below). The discount will be applied to the student’s total undergraduate tuition and mandatory fee charges (it is not subject to a cap on the number of credit hours). The discount will not be applied to program, late registration fees, course related fees or textbooks.

Length of Service Discount

  • Less than 1 year of service = no discount
  • At least 1 year, but less than 2 years = 10 percent discount maximum per semester
  • At least 2 years, but less than 3 years = 20 percent discount maximum per semester
  • At least 3 years, but less than 4 years = 30 percent discount maximum per semester
  • At least 4 years, but less than 5 years = 40 percent discount maximum per semester
  • At least 5 years = 50 percent discount maximum per semester
At which schools may a dependent utilize the tuition discount?

The dependent tuition discount can only be utilized at the University of Kentucky. It will not be honored at any other college/university or through Independent Study.

Can dependents take online or distance learning courses with the tuition discount?

Yes. Only UK online, undergraduate level courses are eligible.

Are there deadlines as to when the dependent FEP form must be submitted?

Yes. To receive the tuition and mandatory fee discount through FEP, the dependent must complete a Family Education Program Form and turn it into Employee Benefits on, or before, the deadline established by the official academic calendar. If the dependent does not meet the established deadline for submission of the Family Education Program Form, then the dependent may be assessed late fees. The last possible date an employee may submit the Family Education Program Form to request the tuition and mandatory fee discount is the last day of class for the semester in which the discount is requested.

Why doesn't the discount cover all of the fees related to my dependent's class?

As with EEP, some University of Kentucky classes have fees that are not eligible to be covered by the tuition waiver or discount. It is the student’s responsibility during registration to be aware of those fees not covered by FEP and to make timely payments in order to avoid additional late payment penalties.

Will my dependent's discount be revoked due to academic performance?

Yes. A dependent's status as a student shall be governed by the University Senate Rules and the Code of Student Conduct or the Rule of the Senate of the Community College System.

How many hours per semester and academic year is a dependent eligible for?

There is no cap on the number of credit hours taken during the academic year for dependents. The FEP benefit is based on a percentage of the total tuition and mandatory fees per semester, unlike EEP, where if in excess of six credit hours are scheduled in a semester, then the number of classes shall not exceed two classes. The academic year is defined as the period beginning with the fall semester and continuing through the eight week summer session. The discount applies for both part time and full time students.

Can my FEP discount be split to accommodate for more than one dependent attending class during the same semester?

No. However, if both an employee and spouse/partner work at the university and are not utilizing EEP and have two dependents, they may designate each individual FEP discount to those separate dependents.

If my dependent drops a class after the semester has begun, will he/she be responsible for payment?

No. However, the tuition discount will be adjusted to ensure the correct discount is applied to the tuition/mandatory fee balance. For example, if a class is dropped after the last day for a full refund, the discount will be adjusted to accommodate for either the 80%, 50% or full tuition/mandatory fee charges. Reference item 14 below for more information regarding changes to student's schedule.

What happens to my dependents FEP discount if I terminate employment with UK?

If an eligible employee separates from the university prior to the first day of class, any previously approved tuition discount shall not be honored and the student will be responsible for full payment. On the same token, if the employee terminates after the first day of class, the tuition discount will remain active for that semester.

Will the FEP discount be available for graduate or doctoral classes?

No. The FEP discount is available for undergraduate in-state tuition/mandatory fees only.

Will my eligible dependent still be eligible to receive the FEP discount when I retire?

Yes. If at the time of my retirement, an eligible dependent is receiving an FEP discount, that dependent will be eligible to continue receiving the discount, throughout the time they are completing their undergraduate studies.

Will the FEP discount cover Study Abroad courses?

Yes, however Study Abroad course are broken down, in that charges are calculated for approximately one hour. The additional charges are considered program fees and the discount will not apply. If you have questions please contact the EEP and FEP plan administration at 859-257-8772.