Benefits and Leaves: Tuition Waiver Policy

100.00  INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE 

This policy implements the policies of the Board of Regents that grant eligible employees and their dependents a tuition waiver for university classes. 

200.00  EMPLOYEE WAIVER  

Under the terms of Board of Regents Policy 940.13(5) eligible employees employed at 0.75 FTE or more for the entire period of the proposed enrollment are eligible for a waiver of resident tuition. For purposes of this policy, the following categories of employees are eligible for the tuition waiver: classified employees who have completed their probationary period, tenured and tenure track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, and contract employees during their contract term. See, Employee Categories. 

Employees employed at a minimum of 0.75 FTE for the entire academic year, and who will be reemployed for the following academic year, are eligible for a tuition waiver during the intervening summer term. 

200.10  Non-Faculty Employees 

With the permission of the employee’s supervisor and the director/dean, employees may take courses for undergraduate or graduate credit and receive a tuition waiver for up to six (6) credits per semester of resident tuition only. If an employee takes a course that is offered only during regularly scheduled work hours, the employee must either take annual leave for class attendance or make up the time absent from work as approved by the supervisor. Employees eligible for overtime must make up time absent from work in a manner that will not result in overtime. 

200.20.  Faculty 

Faculty members (0.75 FTE or more) are eligible for the tuition waiver and may register for up to six (6) credits per semester with the approval of the faculty member’s supervisor and the dean of the college(s) in which the faculty member is employed. 

300.00.  DEPENDENT WAIVER 

Employees of Montana University System will be eligible for a partial tuition waiver benefit for their dependents under BOR Policy 340.32. 

300.10 Employee/Dependent Eligibility 

Employees must be employed at least ¾ time for 120 calendar days (e.g., four months) before being eligible for a dependent tuition waiver benefit. Eligibility begins at the start of the first full academic semester or summer session that follows the 120-day waiting period. Up to two dependents may utilize the dependent tuition waiver simultaneously in an academic term. Employees who utilize the faculty and staff waiver are eligible for a single (one) dependent waiver during the same academic term. Employees must be employed at least ¾ time during the entire academic term (e.g., semester or summer session) in which a dependent utilizes the waiver in order to receive the benefit of the waiver. A dependent includes the employee’s spouse or adult dependent, as defined in the MUS Employee Benefits Plan, and financially dependent children as defined by the Internal Revenue Code who are unmarried and under age 25. This benefit shall apply to employees included in a bargaining unit only after it has been incorporated in a ratified collective bargaining agreement.  

300.20. Dependent Tuition Waiver Benefit  

The tuition waiver benefit for dependents shall be for 50% of the residential tuition. In no case may registration, course fees or any other mandatory or miscellaneous fees be waived. Dependents may utilize the tuition waiver benefit to take courses at a two-year college that is affiliated with either Montana State University or the University of Montana or in any other two-year or certificate programs and to obtain a first baccalaureate degree at any unit of the university system. Dependents may not use the tuition waiver benefit to attend law school or obtain a graduate degree. The tuition waiver does not apply to non-credit, continuing education or other self-supporting courses. 

400.00  LIMITATIONS 

Retroactive requests for waivers will not be accepted. Employees who use a tuition waiver for themselves are not eligible for a Dependent Waiver during the same academic term. This waiver does not apply to self-supporting courses offered by Extended University. Under this policy, only tuition will be waived. No fees, including mandatory, program fees, or any other charges will be waived for employees under this policy.