Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Tuition Assistance Programs

Tuition assistance is provided to active, benefits-eligible employees and, to a varying degree, their legal dependents to obtain one's first baccalaureate degree. This policy applies to regular full-time and part-time, benefits-eligible faculty and administrative staff.

Faculty and Administrative Staff hired before January 1, 1997

In all of the following programs, a maximum of four years of undergraduate study or its equivalent will be covered per employee, per spouse or domestic partner, or per dependent (legal dependent as defined by the IRS).

Tuition assistance is applied to tuition costs only. All other costs associated with fees, room and board and subject material are not applicable.

TUITION REMISSION: When a spouse or dependent has been admitted as a full-time student at the Colleges, the full value of tuition may be covered under this program. Single courses by a spouse, domestic partner or a dependent are also covered. Employees who take individual courses at the Colleges may have the full value of tuition covered. The employees, spouses or domestic partners, and dependents who take courses for credit must contact Admissions and complete the admissions process prior to enrollment.

TUITION EXCHANGE: When an eligible dependent child attends an undergraduate institution which is a member of the Tuition Exchange Program, some or all tuition costs at that institution may be covered under this plan. Terms and conditions under this plan may vary depending upon the specific institution and the number of spaces the Colleges have available for exchange. Tuition costs will be offset by any other grants, scholarships or awards received by the student. The employee must contact Hobart and William Smith's Financial Aid Office for tuition exchange application information including the current list of eligible Tuition Exchange schools. (The Tuition Exchange also has a website which provides up to date membership information.) The employee must submit a list of potential exchange schools during the fall term of the child's senior year of high school to reserve a potential tuition exchange scholarship at the desired schools.

Tuition Exchange Q & A's (pdf)

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING TUITION EXCHANGE: The HWS employee must submit a list of potential exchange schools at least one year in advance prior to the academic year that is to be considered to the Financial Aid Office to reserve a potential tuition exchange scholarship at the desired schools. Submission of this list is not a guarantee that an offer of tuition exchange will be extended. Please contact the Office of Human Resources upon your appointment to discuss this plan in detail especially if your dependent is already enrolled in another institution or is a senior in high school.

TUITION GRANT: An eligible dependent child, who attends an undergraduate institution on a full-time basis, may receive a grant for up to 40% of the Hobart and William Smith tuition. This grant will only be applied to tuition charges. This 40% tuition grant also applies to tuition costs associated with other educational program sponsored or approved by the Colleges. Tuition grants will be offset by scholarships, grants or other awards received by the student if the combined total exceeds the tuition costs of the institution attended. In cases where both parents are employees of the Colleges, only one grant will be given per child per academic year. (2022-2023 Tuition Grant = $24,140)

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT: Any employee who takes an undergraduate course or courses for credit through any other accredited institution is eligible for reimbursement of tuition costs. The Colleges will reimburse the tuition costs for any course or courses required to complete a first undergraduate degree. Individual courses that are not required as part of a degree program must be job-related** in order to qualify for reimbursement. In either case, approval is required prior to registration for the courses(s). Other limitations may apply in accordance with section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code. Documentation of successful completion of the course(s) and tuition costs must be provided before payment will be made.

**Job-related - courses that maintain or improve the employee's skills required for one's present position.

Faculty and Administrative Staff hired on or after January 1, 1997

Benefits-eligible employees who are on terminal contracts (with the exception of tenure track faculty or grant-funded positions), short-term assignments, temporary, or hired as interns are not eligible to receive benefits under this policy even though they may be eligible to participate in other Colleges' provided benefit programs.

Tuition assistance is applied to tuition costs only. All other costs associated with fees, room and board, and subject material are not applicable.

Spouses, domestic partners, and eligible dependents are defined as those certified by the employee except that dependents must, in addition to certification requirements, be unmarried and under the age of 25.

In all of the tuition assistance programs, the attainment of a first baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of four years of undergraduate study (whichever occurs first) will be the maximum benefit allowable under this policy. In all cases tuition assistance will only be approved if the dependent or spouse does not already possess a baccalaureate degree. For purposes of Tuition Exchange and Tuition Grants, the assistance will be limited to a combined total of three (3) dependent children per family.

Applications for state and federal financial aid must be filed and proof of aid granted supplied before benefits will be paid under any of the following programs. Benefits paid under all programs will be offset by federal/state financial aid, scholarships, grants and other awards received by the child, spouse or employee. This provision does not include an offset for loan programs.

Approval from the Office of Human Resources must be obtained prior to the start of the period for which any kind of assistance is requested. Courses must be taken for credit in order to qualify for coverage under this policy.

TUITION REMISSION: A spouse, domestic partner or dependent who has been admitted as a full-time student at the Colleges, may have the full value of tuition covered. A bachelor's degree or the equivalent of four years of undergraduate study (whichever occurs first) will be the maximum coverage. Employees who take courses at the Colleges, and who are eligible under this policy, may also have the value of tuition covered. Employees are limited to one full-credit course per term subject to approval of their supervisor. Time spent in class by staff during the normal workday must be made up in the same week as incurred or must be charged to vacation. Remission excludes fees for Teachers' Certification, off-campus programming and other course fees.

TUITION EXCHANGE: After one year of service is completed by the employee, a benefits-eligible dependent child who attends an undergraduate institution which is a member of the Tuition Exchange Program and who does not possess an undergraduate degree, may have some or all of the tuition costs covered under this plan. Terms and conditions under this plan may vary dependent upon the specific institution and the number of spaces the Colleges have available for exchange. The employee should contact Hobart and William Smith's Financial Aid Office for a current list of eligible Tuition Exchange schools.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING TUITION EXCHANGE: The HWS employee must submit a list of potential exchange schools at least one year in advance prior to the academic year that is to be considered to the Financial Aid Office to reserve a potential tuition exchange scholarship at the desired schools. Submission of this list is not a guarantee that an offer of tuition exchange will be extended. Please contact the Office of Human Resources upon your appointment to discuss this plan in detail especially if your dependent is already enrolled in another institution or is a senior in high school.

Tuition Exchange Q & A's (pdf)

TUITION GRANT: An eligible dependent child will be able to receive a maximum grant of up to 40% of the Colleges' current tuition to attend another institution.

A bachelor's degree or the equivalent, or the equivalent of four years of undergraduate study (whichever occurs first) will be the maximum coverage.

Payment will be a percentage of the maximum grant amount based on years of benefits-eligible service as shown in the table below. Grants are awarded on a pro-rata basis across the yearly academic calendar (1/2 maximum eligible amount per semester, 1/3 per term, or 1/4 per quarter). The grant may not exceed the tuition charge of the institution attended. Tuition grant benefits may also apply to tuition costs associated with other educational programs sponsored or approved by the Colleges but may not be used for room, board, books and the non-tuition charges.

In 2022-2023 the 40% will equal to $24,140

20% of the 40% Beginning of third year of service
40% of the 40% Beginning of fourth year of service
60% of the 40% Beginning of fifth year of service
80% of the 40% Beginning of sixth year of service
100% pf the 40% Beginning of seventh year of service

In cases where both parents are employees of the Colleges only one grant will be given per child per year. The percentage calculation will be based on the parent with the longest benefits-eligible service under this policy. Tuition grants will be offset by scholarships, grants, or other awards received by the student if the combined total exceeds the tuition costs of the institution attended.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT: Any employee who takes an undergraduate course or courses for credit through any other accredited institution is eligible for reimbursement of tuition costs. The Colleges will reimburse the tuition costs for any course or courses required to complete a first undergraduate degree. Individual courses that are not required as part of a degree program must be job-related** in order to qualify for reimbursement. In either case, approval is required prior to registration for the courses(s). Other limitations may apply in accordance with section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code. Documentation of successful completion of the course(s) and tuition costs must be provided before payment will be made. Employees taking courses on a reimbursement basis must get approval from the Office of Human Resources prior to registering for the course(s).

**Job-related - courses that maintain or improve the employee's skills required for one's present position.

GRANDFATHER CLAUSE

In applying any portion of this policy, all employees hired prior to January 1, 1997, and who maintain continuous appoint (faculty) or employment (staff) with the Colleges up to and through the period tuition assistance is requested and provided, will be eligible for the assistance outlined in the preceding statement of tuition benefit policy.

In the event that the employee is no longer actively employed or loses benefits-eligibility, tuition assistance under any and all of the above programs will be continued as follows:

Voluntary termination or discharge for misconduct. - Tuition assistance will stop as of the date of termination of employment. In the case of tuition grant or tuition exchange already paid to other institutions, the employee will be responsible for repaying the tuition assistance provided from the date of termination through the end of the approved tuition period.

Involuntary termination or loss of benefits-eligibility - Tuition assistance will stop as of the end of the approved tuition period unless specified under a separate agreement with the Colleges.