Faculty and Staff Tuition Assistance

To be eligible, an employee must hold a regular or term appointment of 75% FTE. There is no waiting period for new employees in an eligible appointment, however:

• You must hold an eligible appointment on the first day of the academic semester for which the benefit is applied.
• You must continue to work in an eligible appointment throughout the entire academic semester. For purposes of this Plan, the last day of an academic semester is the day of the commencement ceremony for that academic semester.
• Except as noted in the Change of Employment Status section, if your employment terminates for any reason before the last day of the applicable academic semester, you will be responsible for the full tuition amount.
• For terminations in employment prior to August 26, 2025, and except as otherwise provided in the “Change in Employment Status” section below, if your employment terminates for any reason before the last day of the applicable academic semester, you will be responsible for the full tuition amount. Refer to “Change in Employment Status” below.
• Beginning August 26, 2025, employees who terminate employment with Ohio State within 12 months of using the faculty and staff tuition benefit will be billed directly and are responsible for all tuition costs.
• You may not receive tuition assistance benefits under any other university tuition assistance benefits while receiving tuition assistance under this Plan.

The Enrollment Schedule below indicates the enrollment window open and close dates for submitting Faculty and Staff Tuition Assistance enrollment. These dates are based on Registrar’s dates for the full academic semester. Active eligible faculty and staff may apply online by going to Workday, click on Menu, select Benefits and Pay Hub , then click Change Benefits and find Faculty and Staff Tuition Assistance Enrollment from the drop-down menu. Employee must complete the application each semester.

The Plan pays for instructional, general, and non-Ohio resident fees for up to 10 credit hours per semester not to exceed $9,640 per semester. These maximum benefit amounts are  subject to change. Employee is responsible for fees not covered by the Faculty and Staff Tuition Assistance Plan.

The Plan does not pay for any other fees or expenses. You are responsible for the difference between the university’s approved tuition assistance benefit and the total fees associated with taking courses at Ohio State.

Course(s) must be taken for credit at Ohio State.

Faculty and staff using the benefit may join the RPAC via the student recreational sports fee. Refer to the RPAC Membership website for details.

See the plan document for more detail about plan requirements. Failure to meet any of the plan conditions will require payment by you to the Office of University Bursar for any costs associated with course enrollment.

You may incur fee adjustments (which also may be referred to as forfeiture charges) if you withdraw from courses. The Plan will pay the fee adjustment for one academic semester while you are actively employed with the university. Tuition Fees incurred due to a change in eligibility or termination are not eligible for one-time fee adjustment. A completed One-Time-Forgiveness Benefit Application and approval from the Office of Human Resources is required. You can only use this waiver once. Fee adjustments will be your responsibility if you have already used the one-time waiver.

Effective August 26, 2025 the plan will no longer pay withdrawal fee adjustments.  Individuals who withdraw from classes on or after August 26, 2025 will be responsible for any fees associated with the withdrawal.

Employees may enroll in day and/or evening courses. Scheduled class time and course work must not interfere with the performance of job duties and responsibilities; however, supervisors/managers are encouraged to allow flexible schedules when possible.

The agreed upon schedule should be documented with the Request for Course Enrollment during Regularly Scheduled Work Hours form.

Undergraduate tuition assistance benefits are not currently subject to taxation. Graduate-level and professional-level tuition assistance benefits that do not exceed $5,250 in a calendar year are not subject to taxation.

If graduate-level or professional-level tuition assistance benefits exceed $5,250 in a calendar year, the amount in excess of $5,250 is generally subject to taxation. An email notice will be sent to employees prior to the first pay from which taxes will be withheld, stating the pay periods affected and the amount that will be treated as taxable income. Additional information regarding educational assistance programs in general is available in IRS Publication 970.

You may utilize the Model My Pay feature in Workday to see how taxation may impact pay. For the most current information on the tax treatment of tuition assistance benefits provided under this Plan, you should consult with your tax advisor.

A change in employment status during an academic semester could impact your eligibility for continued tuition assistance. For purposes of this Plan, the last day of an academic semester is the day of the commencement ceremony for that academic semester.

You will continue to be eligible to participate for the remainder of the academic semester if you retire and meet the eligibility requirements for OSU Retiree Benefits or if you incur a Reduction in Force.

In the event of any other change in employment status that impacts your eligibility, the tuition assistance benefit will cease immediately, and you will be responsible for paying the full tuition for the academic semester in which such change occurs.

For termination of employment prior to August 26, 2025, the tuition assistance benefit under this Plan will cease immediately, and you will be responsible for paying the full tuition for the academic semester in which you terminated. The tuition will automatically become due and will be reflected on your Statement of Account. Your Statement of Account is viewable through My Buckeye Link.

Beginning August 26, 2025, employees who terminate employment with Ohio State within 12 months of using the faculty and staff tuition benefit will be billed directly and are responsible for all tuition costs from the prior 12-month period. The following job actions will be excluded from this repayment requirement – retirement (including disability retirement) and qualify to receive post-retirement university benefits, reduction in force resulting in a termination, disability separation and death of an employee.