Columbia University Student Financial Services
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Tuition Exemption
The tuition exemption benefit pays partial or full tuition at Columbia University for eligible employees, as well as their same-sex domestic partners, spouses, or dependents. Tuition exemption covers tuition only; other fees associated with being a student at Columbia University are not covered by this benefit.
Eligibility is determined by Human Resources. More information is available on the Human Resources website.
Students receiving tuition exemption must complete an Application for Tuition Exemption form every term in which they wish to receive the benefit. Copies of the form can be obtained from Student Financial Services or from the Human Resources Office in 1901 Interchurch.
Employees receiving the benefit need only complete the form and submit it to the Student Financial Services Center, in-person or by campus mail. Employees should write their phone number on the form so that Student Financial Services may contact them, in the event that any questions arise.
Same-sex domestic partners, spouses, and dependents must have a Human Resources benefits administrator sign-off on their tuition exemption forms.
Taxation on Graduate Courses
Tuition exemption benefits for graduate courses are taxable under IRS regulations unless these courses are job-related. Courses taken towards a doctoral degree are always taxable, even if job-related, whereas graduate courses taken toward an undergraduate degree are not taxable. Eligible employees are entitled to take up to $5,250 worth of graduate coursework per calendar year without being taxed.
If you are an eligible employee taking graduate courses that are job-related and not leading toward a doctoral degree, please submit the Job-Related Graduate Course Certification Application to Student Financial Services.
Employees are always taxed on the graduate coursework of their spouses, same-sex domestic partners, and dependents. The $5,250 cap does not apply to these individuals, but, rather, only to employees themselves.
Deductions are taken directly from the employee’s paycheck and spread out evenly over the following pay periods:
Fall Semester: October, November, December, and January
Spring Semester: February, March, April, and May
Summer Semester: June, July, August, and September
If you have additional questions about taxation, please contact the Payroll office.
Eligibility is determined by Human Resources. More information is available on the Human Resources website.
Students receiving tuition exemption must complete an Application for Tuition Exemption form every term in which they wish to receive the benefit. Copies of the form can be obtained from Student Financial Services or from the Human Resources Office in 1901 Interchurch.
Employees receiving the benefit need only complete the form and submit it to the Student Financial Services Center, in-person or by campus mail. Employees should write their phone number on the form so that Student Financial Services may contact them, in the event that any questions arise.
Same-sex domestic partners, spouses, and dependents must have a Human Resources benefits administrator sign-off on their tuition exemption forms.
Taxation on Graduate Courses
Tuition exemption benefits for graduate courses are taxable under IRS regulations unless these courses are job-related. Courses taken towards a doctoral degree are always taxable, even if job-related, whereas graduate courses taken toward an undergraduate degree are not taxable. Eligible employees are entitled to take up to $5,250 worth of graduate coursework per calendar year without being taxed.
If you are an eligible employee taking graduate courses that are job-related and not leading toward a doctoral degree, please submit the Job-Related Graduate Course Certification Application to Student Financial Services.
Employees are always taxed on the graduate coursework of their spouses, same-sex domestic partners, and dependents. The $5,250 cap does not apply to these individuals, but, rather, only to employees themselves.
Deductions are taken directly from the employee’s paycheck and spread out evenly over the following pay periods:
Fall Semester: October, November, December, and January
Spring Semester: February, March, April, and May
Summer Semester: June, July, August, and September
If you have additional questions about taxation, please contact the Payroll office.
