Lunch & Learn Series: Tuition Programs

Tuition Programs has introduced a Lunch & Learn Series for each of our tuition programs for employees interested in learning more about their benefits.

Each webinar is 1-hour long, and will highlight important benefit policy provisions, eligibility requirements, waiting periods, required documentation, and the application process-flow and how to submit.

Following the presentation, employees will have an opportunity to ask questions, identify resources, tools, and supporting contact information.

Anyone interested in registering can register in ELM by using the links below.

Upcoming Webinars

Benefit Topics: Officers

The Primary Tuition Scholarship Policy provides a benefit that pays for a portion of your children's cost of tuition for grades K-8 at accredited New York City Private Schools or children attending The School at Columbia University.

This presentation will review the Officer’s and child’s eligibility requirements, benefit coverages, required documentation, as well as the steps to access your application and submit your benefit each primary school year to EBPA, our third-party administrator.

We will highlight the Primary Tuition Scholarship webpage, PTS-NYC Checklist, and the PTS- TSC Checklist, available resources, as well as review sample PTS application forms from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Register for upcoming presentations:

View the Fall 2023 presentation recording

The College Tuition Scholarship Policy provides a benefit that pays 50% of a student’s undergraduate tuition at accredited institutions outside of Columbia (up to an annually defined limit of the current year’s Columbia College tuition) for up to eight (8) semesters.

This presentation will review the Officer’s and child’s eligibility, required documentation, as well as the steps to access and process your benefit each term to submit to EBPA, our third-party administrator. Review the requirements for children who receive grants, awards and scholarships. Briefly review how an Officer’s employment status may affect eligibility.

We will highlight the College Tuition Scholarship webpage, CTS Checklist, all available resources, and review a sample CTS application form from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Register for upcoming presentations:

The Tuition Exemption Benefit Program Policy provides a benefit for undergraduate or graduate tuition costs (tuition is simply exempt) for Officers, depending on the hire date, degree matriculation. The presentation will review policy provisions related to waiting period requirements, Officer groups and their related benefit coverage per term for degree programs and non-degree studies, as well as the steps to access and process your benefit to submit to Columbia University, Teachers College or Barnard College – Student Financial Services for it to be applied to your student account.

We highlight the Officers -Tuition Exemption Benefits webpage, Officers checklist, all available resources and review a sample “Tuition Exemption – For You” application form from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Reduced Employee Rate

Officers are eligible for a Reduced Employee Rate, a discount of 35%. Attend to learn about your eligibility and how the discounted rate is available for undergraduate courses, graduate courses and degree programs at Columbia University only. This Reduced Employee Rate is available before waiting periods for Tuition Exemption are met, as well as after waiting periods, for Officers taking courses that exceed the Officer group Tuition Exemption benefit coverage course limits. Learn about how this benefit is applied to your Student Financial Services student account. We also will highlight the Reduced Employee Rate webpage and available resources.

Job-Related Graduate Education Certification – Tax Exemption

The presentation will review the Job-Related Graduate Education Certification (JRGEC) Policy, the requirement and completion of JRGEC Forms, certification process flow, and submission each term. We will highlight the JRGEC webpage, Officers and Supervisors Checklist, all available resources and review a sample of the Job-Related Graduate Education Certification forms, Degree & Non-Degree Studies, from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Dependent Children, Undergraduate Tuition Exemption Benefit at Columbia University and Barnard College.

An Officer’s children may be eligible for varying levels of Tuition Exemption at Columbia and Barnard College. This presentation will review the Officer’s and child’s eligibility requirements, as well as the steps to access and process your benefit to submit to Columbia University, Teachers College or Barnard College – Student Financial Services for it to be applied to your student account. We will provide a sample of the “Tuition Exemption – For Your Dependents” form from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Register for upcoming presentations:

Benefits Topics: Support Staff

The Tuition Exemption Benefits are a negotiated as part of your Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), Articles, Tuition, that detail the number of credits available per term for full-time and part-time support staff for undergraduate or graduate courses or degree programs (tuition is simply exempt).

This presentation will review administrative practices related to waiting periods and eligibility for the following full term for NUSS and all Unions, as well as the steps to access your application and process to submit to Columbia University, Teachers College or Barnard College – Student Financial Services, to be applied to your student account. We will highlight the NUSS and Union Support Staff - Tuition Exemption Benefits webpages, Support Staff Checklist, all available resources and review a sample “Tuition Exemption – For You” application form from the CU Benefits Enrollment System.

Job-Related Graduate Education Certification – Tax Exemption

The presentation will review the Job-Related Graduate Education Certification (JRGEC) Policy, the requirement and completion of JRGEC Forms, certification process flow, and submission each term. We will highlight the JRGEC webpage, Support Staff and Supervisors Checklist, all available resources and review a sample of the Job-Related Graduate Education Certification forms, Degree & Non-Degree Studies, from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Dependent Spouse and Children, Undergraduate Tuition Exemption Benefit at Columbia University Only

A support staff member’s spouse and children are eligible for the unused portion of the member’s benefit each term at Columbia only. This presentation will review the spouse and child’s eligibility requirements, as well as the steps to access and process your benefit to submit to CU Student Financial Services for it to be applied to your dependent’s student account. We will provide a sample of the “Tuition Exemption – For Your Dependents” form from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Register for upcoming presentations:

Benefits Topics: Officers and Support Staff

If you are using Tuition Exemption for graduate-level degree programs or courses, you may be eligible for a tax exemption on the value of your tuition benefit. The tuition benefit provided for graduate-level courses (4000 and above), are tax-exempt up to $5,250 in a calendar year (January - December), per the IRS regulations.

Any graduate-level education benefit provided to you above $5,250 is considered taxable income, and subject to payroll tax withholding. However, if your graduate-level degree or non-degree course(s) meet the job-related criteria established by the IRS which is reflected in Columbia University’s Job-Related Graduate Education Certification (JRGEC) Policy, the University provides employees the opportunity to certify their graduate-level education tuition benefit above $5,250 as job-related and, therefore, non-taxable.

The presentation will review the Job-Related Graduate Education Certification (JRGEC) Policy, the requirements and completion of JRGEC forms, certification process flow, and submission each term. 

We will highlight the JRGEC webpage, Officers and Supervisors Checklist, all available resources and review a sample of the Job-Related Graduate Education Certification forms, Degree & Non-Degree Studies, from the CU Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES).

Register for upcoming presentations:

View the Fall 2023 presentation recording.

College Coach gives you and your high school age children planning for college, access to a team of college admissions and finance experts who can offer impartial guidance and help you maximize your child’s success. Suggested for parents of 9th-12th graders.

This Tuition Programs benefit is available at no cost to active faculty and staff. 

Register for upcoming presentations:

View the Fall 2023 presentation recording.

Columbia University Benefits has partnered with TIAA and Savi to provide all faculty and staff with assistance in navigating your student loan debt, repayment plans and federal student loan programs, such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Register for upcoming presentations:

View the Spring 2024 presentation recording.