Tuition Waiver Programs for Employees
All questions regarding specific fees should be directed to the Office of the Bursar (765) 285-1645.
For the following Fee Remission Program and Educational Assistance Program, changes are effective August 19, 2011. The policies containing the changes are listed at the bottom of this page.
Forms for the Fee Remission Program and the Educational Assistance Program are required for Faculty, Professional Personnel, Staff Personnel, and Service Personnel; links are listed at the bottom of this page.
WHAT IS THE FEE REMISSION PROGRAM?
The Fee Remission Program provides eligible employees who have not been admitted to the Graduate School to enroll in classes for credit for up to 6 credit hours per fall semester, 6 credit hours per spring semester, and a total of 6 credit hours during any combination of summer sessions and have 100% of undergraduate tuition waived by the university which includes Basic Tuition and the Student Services fee. Employees are responsible for the tech fee, course fee, lab fee, program fee, and any special fees.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEE REMISSION PROGRAM?
Regular full-time and temporary full-time Faculty, Professional Personnel, Staff Personnel, and Service Personnel who meet the normal admission requirements of the university and have completed any required probationary periods prior to the beginning of the semester. (For questions regarding eligibility, call University Human Resource Services, 285-1032.)
WHAT IS THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?
The Educational Assistance Program provides eligible employees who have been admitted to the Graduate School an opportunity to enroll in undergraduate or graduate course work for up to 6 credit hours per fall semester, 6 credit hours per spring semester, and a total of 6 credit hours during any combination of summer sessions.
It also provides probationary employees or retirees who have been granted emeritus or retirement status who are not eligible for the Fee Remission Program and who have not been admitted to the Graduate School an opportunity to enroll in undergraduate course work.
Additionally, employees on a Leave for Study who have not been admitted to the Graduate School and who meet the normal admission requirements of the university may enroll at Ball State University for up to 18 credit hours pr fall semester, up to 18 credit hours per spring semester, and up to 18 hours during any combination of summer terms for a maximum enrollment of 54 credit hours in a 12-month period.
The eligible employee is entitled to a remission of 100% of basic tuition with at least one main campus course and 50% of basic tuition with no main campus courses (student services fee, grad fees, tech, course, lab, program, and special fees excluded).
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?
All regular full-time employees, temporary full-time faculty employed for a full academic year, temporary full-time professional personnel employed for a full fiscal year, temporary full-time staff personnel and service personnel employed for a full fiscal year, retirees who have been granted retirement status or emeritus status, and those who are in a probationary period wishing to take undergraduate classes or a non-probationary employee wishing to take graduate classes or an eligible employee on a Leave for Study who meets the normal admission requirements of the university. (For questions regarding eligibility, call University Human Resource Services, (765) 285-1032.)
DOES THE FEE REMISSION PROGRAM AND THE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM COVER THE COST OF BOOKS AND FEES?
No, each employee is responsible for the cost of books, fees as indicated by the Bursar, and all school related materials; however, financial aid may be available. Check with the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, (765) 285-5600).
WHERE DO I GET THE NECESSARY FORMS TO START THE PROCESS OF ENROLLING IN BALL STATE UNIVERSITY?
University undergraduate and graduate school application forms are available in the Office of University Human Resource Services (AD 350). The application fee has been waived on the application forms available through University Human Resource Services.
WHO MUST SIGN MY FEE REMISSION FORM OR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FORM?
Your Supervisor, Administrative Unit Head, and Vice President of your division must sign the form.
MAY I TAKE MORE THAN ONE CLASS PER DAY?
You may take more than one class per day; HOWEVER, you may take only one class per day during working hours. For instance if your working hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., it would be permissible on a given day to take a class at 1:00 p.m. and then another class at 6:00 p.m. as only one of the classes is scheduled during your regular work schedule.
MAY I TAKE COURSES THROUGH THE SCHOOL OF EXTENDED EDUCATION?
Yes, you may; and these courses count toward the 6 credit hour per semester limit, including any combination of summer sessions.
IS THERE A DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING MY FEE REMISSION FORM OR EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FORM?
Yes, either form should be submitted at the time of registration for each term. A course Registration Form must be attached. However, in order to receive any remission of fees, the form must be turned in to University Human Resource Services (AD 350) no later than the last day of the term in which the class was taken.
Please note: failure to submit the form at the time of registration could result in late fees being assessed, which are the responsibility of the student.
AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LATE FEES ASSESSED BY THE BURSAR’S OFFICE?
Any late fees that are assessed by the Bursar’s Office are the employee’s responsibility.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE IF MY SPOUSE OR CHILDREN WISH TO TAKE CLASSES AT BALL STATE?
The program of tuition remission for spouse and for dependents is administered through the Office of Payroll and Employee Benefits. For more information regarding this program, contact Stacey French at (765) 285-8461.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR TAKING A CLASS(ES) IF I AM 60 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND AN INDIANA RESIDENT?
The program of reduced fees for Indiana residents 60 years of age or older is administered through the Office of Payroll and Employee Benefits. For more information regarding this program, contact Stacey French at (765) 285-8461.
Rev. 07/22/11
FEE REMISSION PROGRAM FOR FACULTY, PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL, STAFF PERSONNEL, AND SERVICE PERSONNEL
Effective for the first semester following Board of Trustees approval the following conditions apply to all regular full-time and temporary full-time faculty, professional personnel, staff personnel, and service personnel who meet the normal admission requirements of the university and enroll in undergraduate course work for credit at Ball State University at no cost to the employee (i.e. full remission of basic tuition and the student services fee, excluding special fees).
1. An employee needing an Undergraduate Application for admission to the university must obtain the application from University Human Resource Services. By obtaining the form from UHRS, the usual application fee will be waived.
2. An eligible employee may enroll for up to six credit hours per fall semester, up to six credit hours per spring semester, and up to six credit hours during any combination of summer terms. All Ball State classes are included in the credit hours limitations.
3. A staff or service personnel employee must have completed his or her probationary period prior to the start of the semester. The official university start date each semester or summer term will determine eligibility to enroll in classes for an employee completing a probationary period.
4. At the time of registration each term, the employee must submit to the appropriate administrative head a Class Registration form listing the course(s) to be taken and a Fee Remission Program Class Attendance Request form indicating how the work schedule is to be adjusted to cover the employee’s absence, if any, from his or her work assignment. After approval by the supervisor, administrative head, and vice president of the area, this request is forwarded to University Human Resource Services for final review and clearance. The form must be processed in the Office of the Bursar no later than the last day of the term in which the class was taken in order to qualify for tuition waiver.
5. The course(s): (a) must be taken outside scheduled working hours, or (b) an equivalent adjustment must be made in the employee’s work schedule, or (c) the time away from work must be deducted from the employee’s posted vacation/paid time off (PTO) balance, or (d) an equivalent adjustment must be made in the employee’s pay. The supervisor will specify if option a, b, c, or d is applicable. An employee will not be permitted to register for more than one class for a maximum of four credit hours per semester or summer term during his or her regular work schedule.
6.
The employee will be required to repay waived tuition as calculated by the Office of the Bursar if:
A. The employee does not complete the course(s) in which he or she is registered (unless dropped during Drop/Add or cancelled prior to the start of the term).
B. The employee does not achieve a grade of “C-“ or above for undergraduate level courses or “Pass” for courses utilizing the “Pass/Fail” option. Any form of “W” as a grade is unacceptable. The signed Fee Remission Program Class Attendance Request will authorize the university to have access to the employee’s course grade(s).
C. The employee receives a mark of “Incomplete” (“I”), and it is not converted to a passing grade within one calendar year following the end of the term in which the course was taken or the date employment terminates, whichever is earlier.
D. The employee withdraws from the university after the date specified for a 100% tuition refund according to the university’s refund schedule.
E. The employee voluntarily terminates from active employment prior to the completion of the term for which the employee was enrolled.
7.
An employee with any of the following may not use the Fee Remission Program: a past-due balance, a “Hold” on his/her university record, a delinquent account, a “Voluntary Payroll Deduction Loan.”
8. The employee may not have the tuition waiver applied to the same course more than once (i.e., retakes, repeats). While some courses at the university are available for multiple total credits, university fee remission is not applicable for enrollment taken beyond course catalog recommended total credits.
9. Military personnel who are assigned for regular duty as members of the ROTC staff are eligible for tuition benefits during the duration of their Ball State University assignment.
10. An eligible employee on an approved leave of absence may qualify for the Fee Remission Program. Contact University Human Resource Services to determine eligibility. The Fee Remission Program does not apply during Leave for Study, Personal Leave, Mutual Leave, Emergency Leave, Extended Sick Leave, or Extended Personal Sick Leave of Absence.
11. When an employee (with the exception of an apprentice trainee in the Skills Training Program) is requested by the appropriate administrative head to enroll in a course(s) which is/are directly related to the employee’s assigned university responsibilities, the time away from work to attend class(es) shall be considered part of the employee’s regular work schedule. Class attendance shall not take priority over the work to be performed except as outlined in the preceding paragraph.
12. An employee is eligible for remission of fees for a given semester or combination of summer terms under only one of the following programs: the “Fee Remission Program the “Educational Assistance Program,” or the “Sixty Years or Older Policy.”
13. Late fees or any other fees incurred by the employee are the responsibility of the employee.
Rev. 07/22/11
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The following conditions apply to all regular full-time employees, temporary faculty employed for a full academic year, temporary full-time professional personnel employed for a full fiscal year, temporary full-time staff personnel and service personnel employed for a full fiscal year, retirees who have been granted retirement status or emeritus status, and those who are in a probationary period wishing to take undergraduate classes or a non-probationary employee wishing to take graduate classes or an eligible employee on a Leave of Study who meets the normal admissions requirements of the university. The eligible employee is entitled to a remission of 100% of basic tuition for students with at least one main campus course, and 50% of basic tuition for students with no main campus courses (student services and special fees excluded).
1. An employee needing an Undergraduate Application or a Graduate Application for admission to the university must obtain the application from University Human Resource Services. The obtaining the form from UHRS, the usual application fee will be waived.
2. An eligible employee may enroll for up to six credit hours per fall semester, up to six credit hours per spring semester, and up to six credit hours during any combination of summer terms. All Ball State classes are included in the credit hour limitations.
3. Under an approved unpaid Leave for Study, an eligible employee using the Educational Assistance Program may enroll at Ball State University for up to 18 credit hours per fall semester, up to 18 credit hours per spring semester, and up to 18 hours during any combination of summer terms for a maximum enrollment of 54 credit hours in a 12-month period.
4. At the time of registration each semester or summer term, the employee must submit to the appropriate administrative head a Class Registration form listing the course(s) to be taken and an Educational Assistance Program Class Attendance Request form indicating how the work schedule is to be adjusted to cover the employee’s absence, if any, from his/her work assignment. After approval by the supervisor, administrative head, and vice president of the area, this Request is forwarded to University Human Resource Services for final review and clearance. The form must be processed in the Office of the Bursar no later than the last day of the academic semester or summer term in which the class was taken in order to qualify for tuition waiver.
5. The course(s): (a) must be taken outside scheduled working hours, or (b) an equivalent adjustment must be made in the employee’s work schedule, or (c) the time away from work must be deducted from the employee’s posted vacation/paid time off (PTO) balance, or (d) an equivalent adjustment must be made in the employee’s pay. The supervisor will specify if option a, b, c, or d is applicable. An employee will not be permitted to register for more than one class for a maximum of four credit hours per semester or summer term during his or her regular work schedule.
6. The employee will be required to repay waived tuition as calculated by the Office of the Bursar if:
A. The employee does not complete the course(s) in which he or she is registered (unless dropped during Drop/Add or cancelled prior to the start of the term).
B. The employee does not achieve a grade of “C-“ or above for undergraduate level courses, “B-“ or above for graduate or doctorate level courses, or “Pass” for courses utilizing the “Pass/Fail” option. Any form of “W” for a grade is unacceptable. The signed Educational Assistance Program Class Attendance Request will authorize the university to have access to the employee’s course grade(s).
C. The employee receives a mark of “Incomplete” (“I”), and it is not converted to a passing grade within one calendar year following the end of the term in which the course was taken or the date employment terminates, whichever is earlier.
D. The employee withdraws from the university after the date specified for a 100% tuition refund according to the university’s refund schedule.
E. The employee voluntarily terminates from active employment prior to the completion of the term for which the employee was enrolled.
7. An employee with any of the following may not use the Educational Assistance Program: a past-due balance, a “Hold” on his/her university record, a delinquent account, a “Voluntary Payroll Deduction Loan.”
8. The employee may not have the tuition waiver applied to the same course more than once (i.e., retakes, repeats). While some courses at the university are available for multiple total credits, university tuition waiver is not applicable for enrollment taken beyond course catalog recommended total credits.
9. Military personnel who are assigned for regular duty as members of the ROTC staff are eligible for tuition benefits during the duration of their Ball State University assignment.
10. An eligible employee on an approved leave of absence may qualify for the Educational Assistance Program. Contact University Human Resource Services to determine eligibility. The Educational Assistance Program does not apply during Personal Leave, Mutual Leave, Emergency Leave, Extended Sick Leave, or Extended Personal Sick Leave of Absence.
11. When an employee (with the exception of an apprentice trainee in the Skills Training Program) is requested by the appropriate administrative head to enroll in a course(s) which is/are directly related to the employee’s assigned university responsibilities, the time away from work to attend class(es) shall be considered part of the employee’s regular work schedule. Class attendance shall not take priority over work to be performed except as outlined in the preceding sentence.
12. An employee is eligible for tuition waiver for a given semester or combination of summer terms under only one of the following programs: the “Fee Remission Program,” the “Educational Assistance Program,” or the “Sixty Years or Older Policy.”
13. Late fees or any other fees incurred by the employee are the responsibility of the employee.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR STUDY FOR SERVICE PERSONNEL
A leave of absence, without pay, may be granted for study, to provide opportunity for personnel to gain additional education and skills to better fulfill the specified responsibilities of their present or future position at the University.
Regular full-time service employees are eligible to apply for such a leave provided the applicant has been employed at least five years at the University. Benefit plans may be continued for eligible employees. Leave for study may be granted for periods up to and including twelve months.
The following conditions will be considered in approving a leave for study: whether the request for such leave is (1) related to the employee’s present position in the University; (2) related to his/her potential development with the University; (3) part of a program leading to a degree.
For Ball State University classes only, the Educational Assistance Program may be available to an eligible employee using Leave for Study.
A Leave of Study form, available in University Human Resource Services, requires the approval of the supervisor, department head, dean/vice president, and University Human Resource Services. An eligible employee may use the “Educational Assistance Program” or the “Sixty Years or Older Policy” but not both during Leave for Study.
If the employee fails to return to work at the university on or before the expiration of the Leave for Study, the employee will be considered to have resigned from the university. If the employee fails to return to work at the university at the end of the leave and work for a period of time equal to the length of the leave, he or she must repay the portion of the benefit costs, including insurances and Educational Assistance if applicable, paid by the university during the Leave for Study.
Rev. 07/22/11
Questions?
Contact Susan Naylor in University Human Resource Services at 765-285-1032.
To access either of the forms, click one of the links below:
Fee Remission Program Form
(PDF)
Educational Assistance Program Form
(PDF)