Tuition Remission Benefits

Lesley University is committed to the importance of life-long learning for all employees. The Lesley University Tuition Remission Program provides full and part-time employees and their eligible family members (dependent children, spouses/spousal equivalents and spousal equivalent's children) an opportunity to expand their knowledge, skills and practical experience; enabling them to become catalysts and leaders in their professions, their lives and the world. The program is designed to attract and retain employees whose professional goals reflect and enhance Lesley's mission. The primary goal of this program is to provide all employees the ability to obtain an undergraduate degree.

The Tuition Benefit provides:

• Tuition remission at Lesley University for eligible employees and their family members
• Eligible dependents may apply for full-time undergraduate tuition at a Tuition Exchange member institution. Tuition Exchange scholarships are awarded by the member institution according to its criteria.
• Eligible dependents and spouse/spousal equivalents may apply for full-time undergraduate tuition at Council of Independent Colleges' (CIC) Tuition Exchange member institution. CIC Tuition Exchange scholarships are awarded by the member institution according to its criteria

Tuition Remission Policy as of July 2010

• Tuition Remission for eligible employees (as of July 2010)
• Tuition Remission for eligible dependents (As of July 2010)
• Tuition Remission for eligible spouses/spousal-equivalents (As of July 2010)

Tax Implications

• Tax Implication Information (As of February 2010)

Tuition Exchange Programs

• Program Information
• The Tuition Exchange Program
• Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program

Tuition Remission for full-time and benefit-eligible part-time employees (As of July 2010):

Eligibility:

After 90 days of employment, full-time employees and benefit-eligible part-time employees are eligible for sixteen credits and eight credits of tuition remission respectively, per academic year (fall through summer) if matriculated into an eligible degree program. Full-time and part-time employees not matriculated into an eligible degree program may receive up to six credits and three credits of tuition remission respectively, per academic year (fall through summer). Employees may register for coursework during early and regular registration however they do not count as a seat for purposes of minimum/maximum number of students. Employees are eligible for the following:

Undergraduate Coursework 100% Remission:

• Undergraduate degree programs through Lesley College, (including the Center for the Adult Learner), and the Art Institute of Boston (AIB), (including Learning Community bachelors programs)
• Continuing Education workshops, seminars and institutes (if the course runs for one day or less, the course will count as one-half credit of tuition remission. If the course runs for more than one day, the course will count as one credit of tuition remission.)
• Audited Coursework (classroom based only, counts towards credit limit)
• Undergraduate Internships, Independent study coursework and Individually Guided studies

Graduate Coursework 75% Remission:

• Master's degree programs (not including Independent Study Degree programs)*
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) coursework
• Learning Community Master's programs
• MFA programs (one student per cohort group)
• Graduate Practicum/Internship Coursework
• Counseling Psychology Clinical Practice and Supervision Seminars (GPSYC 7710-7714)
• Independent Study/ Individually Guided Study coursework (not to exceed three courses)

*Employees who have matriculated into an eligible graduate degree program prior to July 1, 2010 will continue to receive 100% remission for the duration of their degree program.

50% Remission:

• Self-Designed Master's Degree Program (SDMD)

The following is not eligible for the tuition remission benefit:

• Any applicable fees (i.e. registration, material, travel or residency fees)
• PhD Degree Programs
• Travel study coursework
• Personal Learning Assessment (PLA) credit

Additional Information:

• Enrollment in courses is subject to availability and cannot be used to meet the minimum class size requirements.
• Employees must be actively working, and not on leave in order to receive the tuition remission benefit on behalf of themselves, their eligible spouses/spousal equivalents and dependents.
• All registration, non-tuition class fees, and room and board fees are to be paid by employees, their spouses or spousal equivalents and/or their dependent children prior to the class beginning.
• Employees are eligible for tuition benefits (tuition remission, and tuition exchange scholarships) for a maximum of two eligible family members (including the employee) during any given semester without prior approval.

Tuition Remission for eligible dependents (As of July 2010):

Eligibility:

After one full year of employment in a full-time position or ten years of employment in a benefit-eligible part-time position, the dependent of an employee may receive an unlimited number of credits of tuition remission if matriculated into an eligible degree program. Dependents may register for coursework during early registration however they do not count as a seat for purposes of minimum/maximum number of students. Qualified dependent children are eligible for the following:

Undergraduate Coursework 100% Remission:

• Undergraduate degree programs through Lesley College, (including the Center for the Adult Learner), and the Art Institute of Boston (AIB), (including Learning Community bachelors programs)
• Undergraduate practicum/internship coursework
• Undergraduate Independent Study coursework (not to exceed three courses per dependent)

Graduate Coursework 50% Remission:

• Master's degree programs (not including Independent Study Degree programs, Learning Community Masters, and MFA Programs)
• Graduate Practicum/Internship Coursework
• Counseling Psychology Clinical Practice and Supervision Seminars (GPSYC 7710-7714)
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) coursework

The following is not eligible for the tuition remission benefit:

• Any applicable fees (i.e. registration, material, travel or residency fees)
• Continuing Education workshops, seminars and institutes
• Audited Coursework
• Learning Community Master's programs
• MFA programs
• Self-Designed Master's Degree Program (SDMD)
• Graduate Independent Study coursework
• Independent Study Degree programs
• PhD Degree Programs
• Travel study coursework
• Personal Learning Assessment (PLA) credit

Additional Information:

• Enrollment in courses (except for qualified dependent-children enrolled in a 100% tuition remission baccalaureate program at Lesley University) is subject to availability and cannot be used to meet the minimum class size requirements.
• Employees must be actively working, and not on leave in order to receive the tuition remission benefit on behalf of themselves, their eligible spouses/spousal equivalents and dependents.
• All registration, non-tuition class fees, and room and board fees are to be paid by employees, their spouses or spousal equivalents and/or their dependent children.
• Employees are eligible for tuition benefits (tuition remission, and tuition exchange scholarships) for a maximum of two eligible family members (including the employee) during any given semester without prior approval.

Tuition Remission for eligible spouses/spousal-equivalents (As of July 2010):

Eligibility:

After one full year of employment in a full-time position or ten years of employment in a benefit-eligible part-time position, the spouse/spousal-equivalent of an employee may receive an unlimited number of credits of tuition remission if matriculated into an eligible degree program. Spouses/spousal-equivalents may register for coursework during early and regular registration however they do not count as a seat for purposes of minimum/maximum number of students. Spouses/spousal-equivalents of full-time employees are eligible for the following:

50% Remission:

• Undergraduate degree programs through Lesley College, AIB and the Center for the Adult Learner
• Undergraduate practicum/internship coursework
• Undergraduate Independent Study coursework (not to exceed three courses per dependent)
• Master's degree programs (not including Independent Study Degree programs, Learning Community Masters, and MFA Programs)
• Graduate practicum/internship Coursework
• Counseling Psychology Clinical Practice and Supervision Seminars (GPSYC 7710-7714)
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) coursework

The following is not eligible for the tuition remission benefit:

• Any applicable fees (i.e. registration, material, travel or residency fees)
• Continuing Education workshops, seminars and institutes
• Audited Coursework
• Self-Designed Master's Degree Program (SDMD)
• Learning Community Master's programs
• MFA programs
• Graduate Independent Study coursework
• Independent Study Degree programs
• PhD Degree Programs
• Travel study coursework
• Personal Learning Assessment (PLA) credit

Additional Information:

• Enrollment in courses is subject to availability and cannot be used to meet the minimum class size requirements.
• Employees must be actively working, and not on leave in order to receive the tuition remission benefit on behalf of themselves, their eligible spouses/spousal equivalents and dependents.
• All registration, non-tuition class fees, and room and board fees are to be paid by employees, their spouses or spousal equivalents and/or their dependent children prior to the class beginning.
• Employees are eligible for tuition benefits (tuition remission, and tuition exchange scholarships) for a maximum of two eligible family members (including the employee) during any given semester without prior approval.

Tax Implications

• As of January 1, 2002 with the passing of the EGTRRA (Economic Growth Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act), employees may receive up to $5,250 in tuition remission for graduate course work on a tax-free basis. Any graduate tuition over $5,250 is viewed as income and is subject to income tax. This limit may change at any time.
• Per IRS regulation, dependents, spouses and spousal-equivalents of employees are not able to take advantage of the $5,250 limit as discussed above. All tuition remission for graduate coursework (and undergraduate coursework for spousal equivalents) is viewed as income and is subject to income tax to the employee. This may change at any time.

Tuition Exchange Programs

Lesley University is a participating partner in The Tuition Exchange (TE) program and the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP), offering dependents of eligible Lesley employees the opportunity to apply for scholarships at more than 550 and 300 colleges and universities respectively. Employees must maintain uninterrupted full-time service for the full duration of the TE or CIC-TEP scholarships. Applicants for the TE and CIC-TEP scholarships must meet the admissions criteria for the institution to which they apply. Below is a summary of the features and eligibility criteria for each program. For more details, please refer to the program Web sites:

• The Tuition Exchange Program
• Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program

The Tuition Exchange (TE)

Eligibility Criteria

• Faculty, administrators and support staff that are full-time Lesley employees for one full year as of September 25 or benefits-eligible part-time employees with ten or more years of service, are eligible to apply for a CIC-TEP scholarship on behalf of their dependent child.
• TE scholarships are limited to one dependent child in an employee's family.

Scholarship Availability

The number of scholarships awarded to Lesley applicants wishing to attend other schools must remain in relative balance to the number of TE scholarships being awarded by Lesley from year to year. This number is determined and reported on a yearly basis. The actual scholarship is awarded by the TE institution where the dependent child is accepted.

What the Scholarship Covers

Most TE scholarships cover full tuition, but not special fees, course overloads, or room and board charges. For 2009-2010, institutions that charge more than $30,170 for tuition are permitted to award less than their full tuition, but not less than $30,170. Some colleges with lower tuition increase the monetary value of the scholarship by covering other expenses, such as room and/or board in their awards. "Selecting a School and Registry" at tuitionexchange.org provides a listing of schools offering more than basic tuition. Some member institutions reduce their scholarships by the amount of federal and state grants awarded to students, whether or not these are based on financial need. Some states require that special fees be charged to out-of-state students.

Eligible Programs

TE scholarships may be awarded for full-time study as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or transfer student to an undergraduate degree program at a member college or university.

Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP)

Eligibility Criteria

Faculty, administrators and support staff that are full-time Lesley employees for one full year as of September 25 or benefits-eligible part-time employees with ten or more years of service, are eligible to apply for a CIC-TEP scholarship on behalf of their dependents.

Scholarship Availability

Each participating institution in CIC-TEP agrees to award a limited number of scholarships to students from other CIC-TEP colleges, assuming they meet admissions requirements, without regard to the number of students it imports. The actual scholarship is awarded by the CIC-TEP institution where the eligible student is accepted.

What the Scholarship Covers

All CIC-TEP participants receive a full tuition remission benefit for each eligible student. The awarding institution may use the student's Pell and state scholarship to offset the tuition "write-off." In addition to the CIC-TEP benefit, students may apply through the financial aid office of the host institution for additional assistance to meet the cost of room, board and other associated expenses.

Eligible Programs

CIC-TEP Scholarships may be awarded for full-time study as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or transfer student to an undergraduate degree program at a member college or university. Some schools in the CIC-TEP offer an opportunity for study on a part-time basis, graduate programs, and study-abroad. This decision is up to the host institution. A listing of schools and what programs are offered are available on the CIC-TEP website at Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program.

Changes in Employment Status

In case of termination of employment or change in employment status (i.e. change from full time to part time), the scholarship will continue through the end of the semester in which the event occurs. If the event occurs before the start of the academic year, the scholarship will be withdrawn.

Application Process

1. By October 31 - All TE and/or CIC-TEP scholarship applications due from employees to the Lesley Liaison Officer, who confirms employee eligibility.
2. By November 15 - Scholarship applications are sent by the Lesley University Liaison Officer to the schools where dependent is applying.
3. By spring - Liaison Officer at the institutions where dependent applies notifies applicant of acceptance or rejection.
4. By May 15 - Employee notifies both the Lesley University Liaison Officer and host institution if dependent wishes to accept any scholarships that he/she receives.

Recertification

By January 15 - If dependent has received a TE or CIC-TEP scholarship, eligibility must be re-certified each year. Contact the Lesley University Liaison Officer for more information.