Tuition Exemption Benefit for Officers and Family Members

Policy Statement

Columbia University offers a Tuition Exemption program for Officers and their family members who are taking classes at Columbia University or who are candidates for a degree program at Columbia University. 

Reason for the Policy

To provide employees and their families with information about how to take advantage of the University's educational opportunities through the Tuition Exemption program. 

Responsible University Office & Officer

Columbia University Human Resources, Benefits Department
(212) 851-7000
hrbenefits@columbia.edu

Who is governed by This Policy

This policy applies to all officers of Columbia University eligible for this benefit. 

Who Should Know This Policy

All Columbia University officers who wish to participate in this benefit should review and understand this policy.

Policy Text

The Tuition Exemption program is offered to employees and their family members who are taking classes at Columbia or who are candidates for a degree program at Columbia.

To receive the tuition exemption benefit, officers must be accepted into the school they wish to attend, for both degree and non-degree programs.  Please refer to Prospective Students section of Columbia's website for more information.

Eligibility

Most full-time officers are eligible with varying benefits depending on their respective positions at the University.

An Officer is defined as:

• Officer of Instruction
• Officer of the Libraries
• Officer of Research
• Officer of Administration

Please note that Visiting Officers of Instruction or Research or Members of the United Doctors Association (UDA) who have less than 50% Columbia effort are ineligible for this benefit.

Spouses and Same-Sex Domestic Partners Eligibility:

The spouse or same-sex domestic partner of an officer is eligible to receive the Tuition Exemption benefit at an undergraduate college of Columbia University (except Barnard College) for the next full term of the school he or she wishes to attend after the officer is hired or promoted. For details regarding terms, refer to the academic calendar of the respective school.

Eligible spouses or same-sex domestic partners are those of:

• Full-time, salaried Officers of Instruction, the Libraries or Research
• Full-time, salaried Officers of Administration

Please note that spouses or same-sex domestic partners of Visiting Officers of Instruction or Research, Postdoctoral Research Scientists, Scholars or Fellows, and Officers of the Columbia University Press are not eligible for this benefit.

To receive the tuition exemption benefit, an officer's spouse or same-sex domestic partner must also be accepted into the school he or she wishes to attend. Please refer to Prospective Students section of Columbia's website for more information  

Important Notice to Officers about Same-Sex Domestic Partners

In order to qualify, a same-sex domestic partner must follow the same eligibility requirements as with other benefits.  For more information please see Benefits in Brief at http://www.hr.columbia.edu/hr/benefits/page-section.html

Children of Officers and/or Spouses and Same-Sex Domestic Partners Eligibility:

The dependant children of a full-time, salaried officer (as defined in "Officers: Eligibility" and "Officers: The Benefit") are eligible to receive tuition exemption at an undergraduate school of Columbia University (including Barnard College) for the next full term of the school they wish to attend after the officer is hired or promoted.  

They may also be eligible for a tuition scholarship if they are enrolled in a degree program at another college or university via the College Tuition Scholarship program (CTS).  For further information about the College Tuition Scholarship program, please refer to the Human Resources Benefits website: http://www.hr.columbia.edu/hr/benefits/page-section.html

Important Notice to Officers about Children of Same-Sex Domestic Partners

To qualify for tuition exemption as the dependant child of a same-sex domestic partner, the child must follow the same eligibility requirements as with other benefits.  For more information please see Benefits in Brief at http://www.hr.columbia.edu/hr/benefits/page-section.html

Timing of Eligibility

Full-time officers are eligible to receive the tuition exemption benefit for the full term that begins after their hire or promotion date.

The spouse or same-sex domestic partner of an officer is eligible to receive the tuition exemption benefit for the next full term of the school he or she wishes to attend after the officer is hired or promoted. For details regarding academic terms, refer to the academic calendar of the respective school.

The children of a full-time, salaried officer (as defined in "Officers: Eligibility" and "Officers: The Benefit") are eligible to receive tuition exemption for the next full term of the school they wish to attend after the officer is hired or promoted. For details regarding academic terms, refer to the academic calendar of the respective school.

Employment Status and Eligibility

Eligibility is dependent on employment status and can also be affected by changes in employment status such as layoff, retirement, involuntary termination, resignation or part-time appointment. For complete eligibility requirements please refer the section titled "Officers: Eligibility" in Tuition Exemption Benefits for Officers and Family: http://www.hr.columbia.edu/hr/benefits/fo-tuition/fo-tuition-benefit/fo-eligibility.html

Applying for Tuition Exemption

For complete information on how to apply for tuition exemption, pleaser refer to the section called "Procedures: How to Apply" in the Tuition Exemption Program for Officers and Family website at: http://www.hr.columbia.edu/hr/benefits/fo-tuition/fo-procedures/index.html

Taxable Tuition

Taxation rules differ depending on status as an employee and student, as well as the type of class being taken. For complete information regarding taxation and withholding, please refer to the section titled "Taxation" in the Tuition Exemption Program for Officers and Family website:  http://www.hr.columbia.edu/hr/benefits/fo-tuition/Taxation/index.html