Tuition & Fee Waivers

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.

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. If an employee leaves during the semester or reduces FTE below 75% time, the employee is responsible for the full cost of the waived class.

Tuition charges will be waived for up to three courses per academic year. The academic year begins with the fall term and ends with the summer sessions.

Tuition may be waived for more than one course in the same academic term. For UNC-Chapel Hill courses, only ONE waiver may be used for a summer session course each academic year; check with the institution offering the classes you are taking for summer session use of tuition waivers.

Tuition waivers may be applied to:

• Courses that are appropriations-funded, such as regular undergraduate- and graduate-level courses.
• Online courses.
• Self-paced courses.
• Independent study courses.
• Credit-earning courses through the Friday Center for Continuing Education.

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 unnecessarily taxed for your tuition waiver benefit at the nonresident tuition rates, please see the University Registrar’s provision on the Employee Tuition Benefit and submit the Residence Status Supplemental form.

The online tuition waiver application process allows an eligible UNC-Chapel Hill employee the ability to submit the tuition waiver request electronically to their manager for approval. Managers electronically approve the tuition waiver application, which then goes to OHR Benefits for eligibility check and approval of eligibility. The approval by OHR Benefits does not guarantee an accepted waiver as the UNC Cashier’s Office has final approval based on the number of waivers used for the year.

There is no cost to the employee’s department for the waiver use.

• UNC Tuition Waiver Online Form

For courses at UNC-Chapel Hill or a UNC System institution

1. Complete the UNC Tuition Waiver Online Form (available in the toggle above).
2. Form automatically routes to the employee’s manager for approval.
3. Manager approves form online.
4. Form automatically routes to OHR Benefits for eligibility check and approval. However, UNC Benefits does not certify the number of waivers you have used.
5. If the course is taken at UNC-Chapel Hill, form routes to the UNC Cashier’s Office; if the course is taken elsewhere, form routes to the Cashier or Bursar of the other UNC System institution.

For courses at NC State University

1. 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).
2. Select the term and add a waiver.
3. Enter waiver information and electronically sign the form – this notifies UNC of your intent to use a waiver at NC State.
4. Access the UNC Tuition Waiver Online Form (available in the toggle above) and enter your waiver information for taking a class(es) at NC State.
5. Form automatically routes to the employee’s manager for approval.
6. Manager approves form online.
7. Form automatically routes to OHR Benefits for eligibility check and approval. However, UNC Benefits does not certify the number of waivers you have used.
8. Form routes to NC State Cashier’s Office, which uploads the form into the MyPack Portal.

For courses at other institutions

• Contact the appropriate admissions office for information for its specific processing requirements.

For classes at UNC-Chapel Hill
Please note the tuition waiver submission deadlines for each academic term given below:

Summer 2024 Session

• Summer 1 semester | 5 p.m. Friday, May 17
• Summer 2 semester | 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 26

The Student Fee Waiver program is available to all permanent employees and their spouse. 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.

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 if:

• 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% 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 Student Fee Waiver may be used during any semester or summer session.

Do not use a Student Fee Waiver in the same semester or summer session you are using a Tuition Waiver.

The fee waiver policy only applies to regular student fees. It does not apply to:

• Orientation fee.
• Late registration fee.
• Special program fees.
• 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 for courses taken at UNC-Chapel Hill. The UNC 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.

The student remains responsible for any program or course-specific fees, as well as the late registration fee when applicable.

• Student Fee Waiver Request Form (pdf)

For courses at UNC-Chapel Hill

1. Complete a Student Fee Waiver Request Form available in the toggle above.
2. Send to manager for approval.
3. Manager signs the waiver request form and returns the form to the employee.
4. Employee emails to the signed waiver request form to benefits@unc.edu for approval.
5. OHR Benefits sends the approved waiver request form to the Cashier’s Office.