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Revision date of this archived policy: August 10, 2010

Note: This is not a current version of the policy. View current version. »

Purpose

The University encourages self-improvement and career growth of regular, full-time employees through supplemental educational courses and programs of study.

The University waives the tuition for regular employees with a full-time equivalent (FTE) of 0.75 or greater.

In addition, the University recognizes the need to offer educational benefits to dependents of employees.

Employees may participate in the Employee Education Program (EEP), Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver, or the Family Education Program (FEP). Only one educational benefit policy can be utilitized in a given semester.

Overview

Policy for Employee Education Program (EEP) (University of Kentucky Employees attending the University of Kentucky)

1) An employee is eligible for tuition waiver for classes taken at the University of Kentucky through the University of Kentucky Employee Education Program (EEP).

a.
May take credit courses at the University of Kentucky through EEP. The EEP applies to the University of Kentucky employees taking classes at the University of Kentucky.

 

2) Through the EEP program the maximum number of credit hours for which tuition will be waived shall be no more than 8 per semester with a maximum of 18 per academic year. If more than 6 credit hours are scheduled in a semester, then the number of classes shall not exceed 2 classes. The academic year is defined as the period beginning with the fall semester and continuing through the eight week summer session.

a. Tuition waiver is available for all eligible credit courses.
b.
Tuition waiver is not available for audited or non-credit education.
c. If an employee registers for more than the maximum hours for which the tuition will be waived, the excess tuition shall be paid by the employee. 
d. If an employee does not pay the excess fees before the cancellation date of the official academic calendar, the employee will be dropped for all courses and the EEP award will be withdrawn.
e. A “graduation exemption” can be requested for a one-time exception to exceed 8 hoursin a given semester in the employee’s final 12 months prior to finishing their degree.  The Academic Advisor 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 twelve month period, not to exceed eighteen credit hours within that academic year. 

3) The combination of summer sessions (four week and eight week) is considered one semester. The combination of winter and spring terms is considered one semester.

4) Mandatory program and course fees other than tuition (e.g. breakage fees, books, etc.) shall not be waived by the University; however, the mandatory fees charged to part-time students shall be waived for UK employees attending University of Kentucky classes.

5) Employees who utilize this policy shall not be eligible for the Student Health Service or other programs requiring full-time student status.

6) If an employee’s employment is terminated prior to the first day of classes, any previously approved tuition waiver shall not be honored.

7) Employees may not use the EEP benefit for semesters for which they have dependents using the FEP discount.

8) Any newly hired employee shall be eligible for tuition waiver if the employee is in an active, regular, full-time active assignment as of the last day to add or drop a class.

9) Any taxation of tuition waiver amounts received will be governed by applicable state and federal tax laws. Current taxation information can be found at https://hr.uky.edu/benefits/eep_overview.html.

10) Any employee may be permitted, with prior departmental approval, to take only one course per semester (or Combination of summer sessions or spring/winter intersession) during work time.

a. Scheduling of classes and making up time shall be approved by the employee’s department head or immediate supervisor and by the dean or the head of an administrative or operating division and shall not compromise the efficiency of any organizational unit
b. If the employee gives sufficient notice prior to the event, an employee shall be given reasonable time off work to talk with his/her academic advisor and to attend advance registration, add-drop, etc.
c. All time away from the job as a result of this policy shall be made up within the regular work week, resulting in no loss of time for which the employee is paid.

Policy for Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver (University of Kentucky employees attending other Kentucky public institutions or employees of other Kentucky institutions attending the University of Kentucky)

The Council on Postsecondary Education (KRS 164.020(32)) established that a “regular full-time employee of a postsecondary public institution or a state or locally operated technology center may, with prior administrative approval of the course offering institution, take a maximum of six (6) credit hours per term at any [Kentucky state funded] public postsecondary institution.”

The University of Kentucky EEP and the CPE Tuition Waiver Program run concurrently.  The credit hour maximums per semester are cumulative. 

Eligible employees of Kentucky public funded institutions:

1) May take credit courses at Kentucky public university or college through the CPE Tuition Waiver Program.

  • The CPE Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Program allows eligible employees to take up to six credit hours per semester, not to exceed 18 credit hours per academic year.

2) May take credit courses at a public college or institution other than their employing institution through the CPE Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Program.  This program applies to the University of Kentucky employees taking classes at publicly funded institutions other than the University of Kentucky and employees of other eligible institutions attending the University of Kentucky.

3) Through the CPE Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Program the maximum number of credit hours for which tuition will be waived shall be no more than 6 hours per semester with a maximum of 18 credit hours per year.  The academic year is defined as the period beginning with the fall semester and continuing through the eight week summer session.

a.
Tuition waiver is available for all eligible credit courses.
b.
Tuition waiver is not available for audited or non-credit education.
c.
If an employee registers for more than the meximum hours for which the tuition will be waived, the excess tuition shall be paid by the employee.
d.
If an employee does not pay the excess fees and tuition before the cancellation date of the official academic calendar, the employee will be dropped for all courses and the CPE award.

4) The combination of summer terms (four week and eight week) is considered one semester.  The combination of winter and spring terms is considered one semester.

5) The CPE Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Program does not include mandatory student fees, course and other fees, textbooks, or other charges assessed by a course offering institution. 

6) Employees who utilize this policy shall not be eligible for the Student Health Service or other programs requiring full-time status.

7) If an employee’s employment is terminated prior to the first day of classes, any previously approved tuition waiver shall not be honored.

8) Employees may not use the EEP or CPE Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver for semesters for which they have dependents using the Family Education Program (FEP) discount.

9) Any newly hired employee shall be eligible for tuition waiver if the employee is in an active, regular, full-time assignment as of the last day to add or drop a class.

10) Any taxation of tuition waiver amounts received will be governed by applicable state and federal tax laws.  Current taxation information can be found at https://hr.uky.edu/benefits/eep_overview.html.

Employee Education Program and Council on Postsecondary Education Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Process

Process

1) Employees must submit tuition waiver forms to the program administrator at their employing institution.  The Human Resources Office of Employee Benefits (Employee Benefits) is responsible for certification of eligibility for tuition waiver for University of Kentucky employees.

2) Applying for tuition waiver is independent of the admission and registration process.

a. An employee must apply for admission, be admitted and then register for class as any other student.
b. An employee’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.

3) To receive a tuition waiver through the University of Kentucky EEP or CPE Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Program, an employee must complete an Employee Education Program Form and turn it into the program administrator at their employing institution on, or before, the deadline established by the official academic calendar. If an employee does not meet the established deadline for submission of the Employee Education Program Form, then the employee will be assessed late fees.

4) The last possible date an employee may submit the tuition waiver form is the last day of class for the term requesting the waiver.

5) If an employee wishes to take a course during work time, the employee shall submit the appropriate tuition waiver form to the department head/supervisor and the dean/division head within a reasonable time (usually no less than 30 days) before the start of the semester. After receiving approval, the employee shall submit the form to Employee Benefits. Employee Benefits shall verify employment status and eligibility for tuition waiver.

6) For classes taken outside of work time, an employee shall submit the Employee Education Program Form directly to Employee Benefits.

Policy for Family Education Program (FEP) 
The University will discount tuition and mandatory fees, under the Family Education Program for those eligible.

1) In order to be eligible for the tuition and mandatory fee discount the dependent must,

a. be a spouse/partner of a regular, full-time University of Kentucky employee as defined by University policy or, be a dependent child of the employee or partner, up to age 25, of a regular, full-time employee.
b. be in good academic standing.
c. be admitted to the University and registered, for credit, in undergraduate-level classes.

2) The tuition and mandatory fee discount is provided based on employee length of continuous regular full-time service at U.K.

a. The service anniversary date will be based on the last day to add a class each term.
b. Based on the in-state tuition rate maximum, the maximum discount per semester will be calculated as follows:

i. Less than 1 year of service = no discount

ii. At least 1 year, but less than 2 yrs = 10% discount maximum per semester

iii. At least 2 yrs, but less than 3 yrs = 20% discount maximum per semester

iv. At least 3 yrs, but less than 4 yrs = 30% discount maximum per semester

v. At least 4 yrs, but less than 5 yrs = 40% discount maximum per semester

vi. At least 5 yrs =50% discount maximum per semester

3) The maximum benefit available will be equal to 50% discount on in-state, undergraduate, full-time course-loads for fall, spring, winter intersession and summer terms. For purposes of this policy, the two summer sessions will be combined and the winter intersession will be combined with the spring term.

4) FEP will credit student accounts after the last day to add a class each term (generally by 10 th class day). 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).

5) The FEP benefit discount must be included in student financial aid packages and may result in adjustments of other student financial aid.

6) The FEP discount does not apply to Independent Study classes.

7) Spouses/partners that 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.

8) No application for need-based student financial aid will be required in order to receive the discount.

9) Application for the discount is subject to the same deadlines as established in EEP. If an employee/dependent misses the EEP form submission deadline, he/she is subject to late fee assessment.

10) FEP discounts can only be applied for, even if submitting late, the term for which the discount is requested.

Process 

1)The Human Resources Office of Employee Benefits (Employee Benefits) is responsible for certification of eligibility for FEP discount.

2) Applying for FEP discount is independent of the admission and registration process.

a. An employee’s dependent must apply for admission, be admitted and then register for class as any other student.
b. 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.

3) 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 will be assessed late fees.

4) 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 requesting the discount.

 

Forms

Employee Education Program Form - UK Employees

Employee Education Program Form - Non-UK Employees

Family Education Program