HR 310 - Educational Tuition Waiver Benefit
Number: HR 310
Effective: October 16, 2016
Last Reviewed: February 26, 2025
Department: Human Resources
Last Revision: February 26, 2025

Purpose

To delineate and describe the Educational Tuition Waiver Benefit.

Scope

Applies to all benefit-eligible faculty and staff.

Definition

Benefit-eligible: Full-time faculty and staff who work twenty (20) or more hours a week and are expected to be employed for at least five (5) continuous months.

Credit Courses: Courses that earn credit toward academic transfer or career and technical education programs upon successful completion. 

Non-Credit Courses: Courses that are not offered for credit toward academic transfer or career and technical education upon successful completion. These courses are generally designed to obtain employment, retrain for new opportunities, or advance careers. Non-credit courses often include but are not limited to continuing education programs, workshops, seminars, and other learning opportunities that focus on providing skills and knowledge without the formal assessment or accreditation associated with a credit course. 

Audited Courses: A credit course an eligible CWI employee enrolls in and attends without earning credits that can be applied toward an academic transfer or career and technical education program. Auditing a course is often done for personal enrichment or professional development, rather than to fulfill degree requirements.

Eligible Dependent: An employee’s spouse, unmarried child, stepchild, or foster child under the age of twenty-six (26).

Policy

CWI offers Educational Benefits to support the greater campus community. Eligibility for this waiver of educational tuition is contingent on meeting eligibility requirements and compliance with the terms contained in this policy.  Any exceptions to this policy or the procedure must be approved in advance, and in writing, by the Chief Human Resources Officer

Guidelines

CWI Tuition Waiver Eligibility

CWI EMPLOYEE TUITION WAIVER ELIGIBILITY

Benefit-eligible employees and their benefit eligible dependents as defined above may enroll in credit courses on a space-available basis.   Benefit-eligible employees may enroll in non-credit courses and audited courses on a space-available basis. 

Employees on an unpaid leave of absence (except for medical) or whose employment begins after the start of the semester in which the waiver is being requested are not eligible for the tuition waiver. Employees on nine- or ten-month contracts and their benefit eligible dependents may receive the tuition waiver for summer sessions provided the employee has worked the previous semester and has an employment contract for the following fall semester.

    This tuition waiver benefit does not apply to:

  • Courses funded by local, state, or federal grants
  • Special workshops
  • Dual Credit courses
  • Admission application fees
  • New student curriculum fees
  • Dropped class fees
  • Required books or course materials
  • Professional program course-specific fees, or other special course fees
  • Workforce Development courses

NON-CWI EMPLOYEE TUITION WAIVER ELIGIBILITY

Current benefit-eligible employees of University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Lewis-Clark State College, North Idaho College, College of Southern Idaho, and full-time employees of Idaho State Board of Education, Career Technical Education (CTE) Division are eligible to request tuition waiver at CWI. The following limitations apply:

  • The benefit is limited to employees only.
  • Must be admitted and enrolled in credit classes and in a degree program at CWI.
  • The benefit covers up to six (6) credits per fall/spring semester and three (3) credits in summer.
  • No reduction in special course fees.

Requesting CWI Waiver and Cost

Employees or their benefit eligible dependents must complete the tuition waiver form and submit it to Human Resources each semester that they are requesting tuition be waived. If an employee wishes to take a course offered during the employee’s normal work schedule, supervisor approval must be provided in advance. If an employee and/or their benefit eligible dependents receive a tuition waiver and the employee subsequently separates from employment with CWI prior to halfway through the semester, the student may have to pay the full amount of tuition required for enrollment.

The cost to the employee will be $5 per credit plus a $20 nonrefundable registration fee per semester. Special course charges, such as activity and lab fees, must be paid by the employee by the due date for the term in which the student is enrolled and are not included in the tuition benefit. Each benefit eligible dependent (excluding employee) will be allowed to enroll in a maximum of six (6) credits per fall or spring semester and three (3) credits for summer classes. The maximum credits for a CWI employee are unlimited.

tax IMPLICATIONS

If the tuition reduction amount at any institution exceeds $5,250.00 in a year, the portion over that amount will become a taxable benefit to the employee, as required under IRS regulation (IRC 127)

Reciprocal Agreements with Idaho Institutions

Reciprocal Agreements allow CWI employees (household members NOT eligible) to take courses for reduced tuition at the following institutions:

  • University of Idaho
  • Idaho State University
  • Lewis-Clark State College
  • North Idaho College
  • College of Southern Idaho

Each institution has their own requirements, therefore it is the employee’s responsibility to check with the institution of choice for specific information and requirements.

Referenced