Educational Benefits
View the 11/5/2025 Next Generation Bobcats Webinar presented by Human Resources, Admissions and Student Financial Aid.
Ohio University is proud to provide access to educational benefits that support professional and educational goals. The benefit covers the instructional fee portion of tuition and is pro-rated if the employee is part-time. Non-residency fees, if applicable, are also waived for eligible employees. General fees may be waived on a course by course basis for course work which is directly related to the employee’s current position.
Qualified dependents of Ohio University employees are also eligible to receive tuition assistance. The instructional fee portion of tuition is waived for the employee’s qualified dependents who take courses at Ohio University. The waiver is pro-rated if the employee is part-time.
What's Covered
This program covers most courses that are taken for credit.
- Ohio University Undergraduate Course Offerings
- Ohio University Graduate College
- OHIO eCampus
- Hocking College
Ohio University has a reciprocal agreement with Hocking College for employees only; dependents are not eligible. Full-time employees wishing to take classes at Hocking College will receive a 100% discount on the instructional fees (part-time employees will receive a pro-rated benefit). - Zanesville
Employees of the Ohio University Zanesville campus may take one course per semester at Zane State College. The fee waiver will cover all instructional, general, and security fees but not special lab or related course fees. - Partnership Programs
Effective Fall Semester 2020-2021: employees may utilize Educational Benefits for the partner programs. Benefits are applicable to the instructional fee, non-resident fee and general fee based on supervisor approval. Benefits provided for these programs shall not exceed that of a regular graduate program. https://www.ohio.edu/bursar/bursar-graduate-differential-rates/partner-programs.
Effective Spring 2023-24: educational benefits can be used by employee/spouse/child/domestic partner for all graduate programs, including partner programs.
What's Not Covered
Audited courses, OPIE courses, admission & enrollment fees, special course fees and certain study abroad programs are not covered.
Benefits under Ohio University Policy 40.016 for qualified dependents shall not be applicable to the following online courses and programs delivered in partnership with an outside vendor: https://www.ohio.edu/bursar/bursar-graduate-differential-rates/partner-programs.
Effective Spring 2023-24, educational benefits can be used by employee/spouse/child/domestic partner for all graduate programs, including partner programs.
Benefit Limitations
Educational benefits for graduate tuition and medical tuition is limited to the full time Athens Campus Comprehensive Instructional Fee and Nonresident Fee amount.
Eligibility
To be eligible, an employee must be employed in a benefits eligible position on the first day of the semester for which the benefit is applied.
Employees are permitted to take up to eleven undergraduate hours or eight graduate hours per term with supervisory approval. An employee wishing to take more than eleven undergraduate or eight graduate hours per term must get permission from his/her departmental head.
The following categories of employees (and their eligible dependents) are eligible for educational benefits. The educational benefit amount is based on FTE level as follows:
Eligible Faculty and Administrators
- FTE level of 0.67 or greater are eligible for one hundred percent of the instructional fee and one hundred percent of the non-residency fee (when applicable).
- FTE level of 0.66 or below will receive instructional fee and non-residency fee benefits pro-rated based on their FTE level.
AFSCME and FOP Members should refer to their collective bargaining agreement.
Qualified dependents eligible for benefits include:
- Legally married spouse,
- Domestic partner,
- Biological, legally adopted, or legal guardianship children of the employee, employee's spouse, or employee's domestic partner. (Benefits continue subsequent to retirement and/or death of the eligible employee. There are no age or degree limitations. Some tuition benefits are subject to taxation).
Benefit
The educational benefit amount is based on FTE Level as follows:
Eligible Faculty:
- FTE level of 0.67 or greater are eligible for one hundred percent of the instructional fee and one hundred percent of the non-residency fee (when applicable).
- FTE level of 0.66 or below will receive instructional fee and non-residency fee benefits pro-rated based on their FTE level.
Eligible Administrators:
- FTE level of 0.75 or greater are eligible for one hundred percent of the instructional fee and one hundred percent of the non-residency fee (when applicable).
AFSCME and FOP should refer to their collective bargaining agreement.
Part-time employees enrolled in benefits as of June 30, 2015 should refer to the educational benefits policy for eligibility and benefits.
Employees
The Employee Educational Benefits Request Form must be submitted each semester. This form requires both the supervisor and department head’s signature.
Employees interested in taking classes at Hocking College should submit an Employee Educational Benefits Request Form [PDF] with "Hocking College" as the program enrolled. This request should be submitted each semester to uhr@ohio.edu.
Visit the Graduate Enrollment for Ohio University Employees page for important information on application deadlines and the conflict of interest process as well as additional resources.
Qualified Dependents
The Qualified Dependent Educational Benefits Request Form [PDF] must be submitted each academic year. This form requires the employee’s signature.
Timely submission of forms can ensure correct billing. PLEASE NOTE: Accounts will not be created until registration of the first class is complete for first year students and graduate students who have not yet been accepted and have not yet registered. Please submit the form once registration is complete; subsequent years/terms forms can be submitted prior to term starting.
Employees and qualified dependents must complete the admissions process. Visit the Admissions website(opens in a new window) for more details.
Fees and Taxation
It is the student's responsibility to pay or waive any amount owed by the due date. Failing to do so could result in cancellation of courses or application of a late fee.
To view a breakdown of tuition fees visit the Bursar's website and choose "Tuition and Fees".
Instructional and General Fees
The instructional fee is waived for eligible employees. The waiver is pro-rated if the employee is part-time. General fees may be waived on a course by course basis for course work which is directly related to the employee’s current position.
The instructional fee is also waived for the employee’s qualified dependents who take courses at Ohio University. The waiver is pro-rated if the employee is part-time.
Non-Residency Fees
When applicable, non-residency fees are waived under the Educational Benefits Program. The amount of the waiver is pro-rated if the employee is part-time. This applies to both employees and their qualified dependents.
Credits will be applied to the student’s account automatically each semester and will adjust according to the number of hours enrolled.
Taxation
Tuition waivers may be subject to withholding taxes under regulations of the Internal Revenue Service. Taxable waivers are reported to the Payroll Office, where taxes will be deducted from the employee's pay. The tax withholding schedule can be found on the Benefit Taxation web page.