Tuition Benefits

Employee Handbook Section 15

Western Michigan University encourages you and members of your family to pursue a formal education. Western offers a discount program for benefits-eligible employees and a remission program for the spouse and dependent children of employees with full time benefits eligibility. Tuition remission is also available to individuals designated by the employee under the Designated Eligible Individual program. The discount and remission programs are outlined below. Contact Human Resources for more information.

Discount for non-bargaining employees

• Discount is 100 percent of tuition and required fees (records initiation fee, enrollment fee, student assessment fee and EUP technology fee) for courses offered and taken for academic credit at WMU.
• Discount is available to full- and part-time benefits-eligible employees (see Employment, Employee Handbook Section 3).
• Discount applies to undergraduate and graduate courses.
• To receive discount, employees must be on active or paid leave of absence employment status by the final day of registration.
• Discount is automatically reflected on the employee's student billing.
• Discount does not apply to courses taken as an "audit," nor miscellaneous fees.
• Any WMU or external award that is limited to paying tuition and required fees will be applied to the employee's account prior to use of discount funds. Following application of other awards, discount will cover only up to the remaining tuition and required fees, if any.
• Discount for graduate courses in excess of $5,250 per year will create tax liability for the employee.
• Discount applies to credit hours according to the following schedule (credit hours eligible for 100 percent discount):
  • Full-time staff
    • Fall semester - 8 credit hours
    • Spring semester - 8 credit hours
    • Summer I session - 4 credit hours
    • Summer II session - 4 credit hours
  • Part-time staff
    • Fall semester - 4 credit hours
    • Spring semester - 4 credit hours
    • Summer I session - 2 credit hours
    • Summer II session - 2 credit hours

Note: For benefits eligibility purposes, an FTE of .69 or greater is considered full-time. An FTE of at least .50, but less than .69, is considered part-time benefits eligible. 

Remission for spouses, dependent children and designated eligible individuals

• Remission is 75 percent of tuition and required fees (records initiation fee, enrollment fee, student assessment fee and EUP technology fee) for courses offered and taken for academic credit at WMU.
• Remission is available to the current spouse and dependent children of employees with full-time benefits eligibility. It is also available to individuals designated by an employee under the Designated Eligible Individual program. Note: For benefits eligibility purposes, an FTE of .69 or greater is considered full time (see Employment, Employee Handbook Section 3).
• A dependent child is a person who qualifies as a dependent for federal income tax purposes and is so reported for the period for which tuition remission is granted.
• The student must meet all University admission requirements and maintain satisfactory academic progress. Eligibility will not exceed 183 credit hours. View Undergraduate Eligibility or contact Financial Aid at (269) 387-6000, for more information.
• Employees must establish eligibility annually by submitting an application for remission to Human Resources. An employee must also complete the Designated Eligible Individual enrollment form, if applicable. These forms are available at Forms: Benefit Enrollment and Changes.
• Remission appears on the student's billing.
• Remission does not apply to tuition for graduate or audited courses, nor to miscellaneous fees.
• Any WMU or external award that is limited to paying tuition and required fees will be applied to the student's account prior to use of remission funds. Following application of other awards, remission will cover only up to the remaining tuition and required fees subject to the benefit, if any.

Please note:

• Employees eligible for both tuition discount and tuition remission (e.g., by virtue of a spouse who is also employed by the University) may elect one or the other but may not receive both discount and remission in the same semester or session.
• See Reduction in Force: Benefits, Policies and Procedures Manual Section 11 for tuition discount and remission provisions for employees who receive a layoff notice.

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