Dependent Tuition Assistance Policy

Policy

The dependent tuition benefit provides the maximum of 50% of the tuition cost for the institution attended or 50% of the Davidson College tuition, whichever is less. The 50% maximum is also applicable for the student who attends Davidson. Tuition awards won by dependents will not reduce the amount of the tuition benefit for which the dependent is eligible unless the total received (award and tuition benefit) exceeds 100% of tuition cost, in which case the tuition benefit would be reduced.

Employee Eligibility

• An employee must occupy a position which is budgeted for at least 40 hours per week, 12 months per year to be eligible for this benefit
• For part-time employees who transfer to full-time positions, vesting period timeframes begin on the first day of full-time employment
• After 7 years of continuous full-time employment, qualified dependents are eligible to participate in the program

Definition of Eligible Dependent

• This program provides assistance for natural born, legally adopted, or qualified stepchildren who also meet the Internal Revenue Service eligibility criteria
• To qualify, natural born children must be listed as an IRS dependent for one year prior to the beginning of the benefit
• Legally adopted children and stepchildren must satisfy the following conditions:
  • The child resides with the employee and lists this as permanent residence
  • The child has been listed as an IRS dependent of the employee for a minimum of five consecutive years prior to beginning the benefit

Policy Details

• Dependent tuition assistance is only available to support a maximum of 16 semesters
• Eligible spouses who are both employed by the college are jointly entitled to a combined total of of 16 semesters of undergraduate tuition and a maximum of 8 semesters for any one dependent
• Dependent tuition assistance continues if an employee has met the vesting and eligibility provisions and subsequently dies, retires or becomes disabled. In the event of death, the children of the employee continue to be eligible for the benefit unless the spouse remarries
• The student must be enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate degree program at an accredited college or university and earning college credits in order for the tuition assistance program to be applied (ie., listed in the US Department of Education database of accredited institutions). Dependent tuition is designed to defray some of the costs of dependent undergraduate college tuition and is not intended to pay for high school education, even one that allows the student to earn college credit

Special Provisions for Employees Hired Prior to March 14, 1996

Process

• To apply for the dependent tuition benefit, complete Tuition Application form prior to the student's first semester.
• Submit application to Human Resources.
• Upon receipt of invoice for student's current semester, send a copy of the original billing statement to Human Resources for processing.
• Any tuition bill must be submitted to HR in the Davidson College fiscal year in which the billed semester or quarter begins.  For example:
  • The bill for a semester that begins on January 15, 2017 must be submitted to HR no later that June 30, 2017, which is the end of the college's fiscal year.
  • The bill for a semester that begins on August 15, 2017 must be submitted no later than June 30, 2018.
  • The bill for a quarter that begins on March 24, 2017 must be submitted no later than June 30, 2017. (This clarification about fiscal year added 8/2017)
• The employee must reach the 7-year anniversary date on or before the first day of the semester, as published on the website or in the handbook of the college the dependent will be attending, in order to receive a dependent tuition benefit for that semester. (Clarification about established practice added 8/2019).
• Invoices received by 12 p.m. on Tuesday will be processed on Friday. Invoices received after Tuesday at 12 p.m will be processed on Friday of the following week.
• You will be notified by email once the check is available to be picked up from the Human Resources Office. Please pick up the check in a timely manner and make sure any needed identification of your student is included when you mail the check to your student's school. (Revised 11/2017)

Dependent Tuition Assistance Application Form (Kuali Form)

Dependent Tuition Examples (Davidson login required, XLS)

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources at 704-894-2213.