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Tuition & Fee Waivers

Tuition Waiver Program

Employees who are SHRA, EHRA Non-Faculty or Faculty who work in a permanent (non-temporary) position at least 30 hours or more per week are eligible to participate in the UNC Tuition Waiver Program. This program allows eligible employees to have the tuition waived for a course taken at any of the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina System. Please note that not all classes and programs are eligible for tuition waivers to be used. It is the employee’s responsibility to verify with the program/department if they allow for the use of tuition waivers.

Up to three classes per academic year may be waived, but only ONE summer session can be waived. This applies at UNC Chapel Hill only. Check with the campus you are taking classes at for summer session use. Participation is voluntary and courses may be taken for career development or for personal interest. You MUST apply for admission, be accepted, enroll in a class and then apply for a tuition waiver to pay for the class.

View the Tuition Waiver Policy

How to Submit a Tuition Waiver

  • For courses at UNC-Chapel Hill or a UNC System institution, please complete an online Tuition Waiver Application.
  • For courses at NC State University, in addition to completing the online waiver application, you must also:
    • Log in to the MyPack Portal and navigate to Student Home Page > Student Accounts tile > Employee Tuition Waiver Form (left menu, towards the bottom of the list).
    • Select the term and add a waiver.
    • Enter waiver information and electronically sign the form – this notifies the NC State Cashier’s Office of your intent to use a waiver at NC State.

 

Program Details

Tuition charges will be waived for up to three courses per academic year and may be applied to courses that are appropriations-funded, such as regular undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, online courses, self-paced courses, and independent study courses. This also includes enrollment in credit-earning courses through the Friday Center for Continuing Education. PLEASE NOTE that only ONE waiver may be used for a summer session course each academic year.

Tuition may be waived for more than one course in the same academic term and the program is available to all permanent employees. (The academic year begins with the fall term and ends with the summer sessions.)

In order to participate, an employee must maintain permanent employment status at 75% time (30 hours per work week) or more for the entire semester during which the course is taken. Please review the Tuition Waiver Policy to review details concerning courses excluded from the tuition waiver programs, taxation, deadlines for submitting tuition waivers. Contact the appropriate admissions office for information for its specific processing requirements.

Courses taken at NC State University must use the paper Tuition Waiver Application.

Online Tuition Waiver Application
Please note the Tuition Waiver submission deadlines for each academic term given below:

    Spring Session | noon, Monday, January 23, 2023

Deadlines for tuition waivers may be different at other UNC Schools. Those using waivers are responsible for knowing these deadlines.

The online tuition waiver application process allows an eligible UNC-Chapel Hill employee the ability to submit the tuition waiver request electronically to their supervisor for approval. There is no cost to the employee’s department for the waiver use. Once the application is electronically approved by the supervisor, the application is then routed to OHR Benefits for eligibility check and approval, and then it is either routed to the UNC Cashier’s Office if the course is taken at UNC-Chapel Hill, or it is routed to the Cashier or Bursar of the other UNC System institution.

It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure the application is completed timely so that it can be fully approved prior to the tuition wavier deadlines. Employees should also track their student account to ensure the payment comes through via the tuition waiver.

Tuition waived is considered reportable taxable compensation subject to social security, federal and state tax withholding if the value of the benefit exceeds the IRS established limits. Depending upon prevailing tax laws, for each calendar year, the tuition benefit amount over the IRS threshold will be reported as income on the employee’s W-2 form.

To ensure that you are not taxed for your tuition waiver benefit at the nonresident tuition rates unnecessarily, please see the University Registrar’s policy on the Employee Tuition Benefit and submit the Residence Status Supplemental form.

Student Fee Waiver Program

The Fee Waiver Programs allows eligible employees and their spouses to waive certain University student fees (e.g., Student Health Service, Student Recreation Center, etc.). It does not apply to other fees required by specific schools or departments.

Note: A Student Fee Waiver is not needed if the student is also using a Tuition Waiver in the same semester or summer session.

Student Fee Waiver

This program is available to all permanent employees, and their spouse. In order to participate, an employee must maintain permanent employment status at 75% time (30 hours per work week) or more for the entire semester during which the fees are waived.

The Fee Waiver may be used during any semester or summer session. Refer to the Student Fee Waiver Policy for additional details and to obtain forms for this program. A Student Fee Waiver is not needed if the student is also using a Tuition Waiver in the same semester or summer session.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students meeting one of the following criteria for the entire term they are enrolled may receive a fee waiver:

  • The student is a full-time, permanent employees of the University of North Carolina system, including the Office of the President and the 16 campuses, or a permanent employee of the UNC Health Care System. Full-time is defined as working 30 hours or more per week or working at least 75 percent time.
  • The student is the spouse of a full-time permanent employee of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or the UNC Health Care System.
  • The student is on military or civilian orders from the ROTC.

The Fee Waiver may be used during any semester or summer session. A Fee Waiver is not needed if the student is also using a Tuition Waiver in the same semester or summer session.

The fee waiver policy only applies to regular student fees. It does not apply to the orientation fee, the late registration fee, special program fees, or course-specific fees, which must be paid by the student when applicable.

The fee waiver policy applies to all regular* student fees for continuing studies and off-campus programs. The student remains responsible for any program or course-specific fees, as well as the late registration fee when applicable.

*The continuing studies and off-campus programs charge a reduced regular fee rate which applies to all terms, with one exception: Continuing Education students are subject to the full summer-term fee rate billed per credit hour.