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U.Va. Human Resources
University Academic Division (Agency 207)
Education Benefits Program
  • UHR Benefits
    914 Emmet Street
    Box 400127 Charlottesville, VA 22904
    Phone: (434) 924-4392
    Fax: (434) 924-4486
    Email:
    benefits@virginia.edu

I. Background

At a time when rapidly evolving environments challenge the University to set and achieve bold goals, investing in the education of our employees represents a significant step toward strengthening the foundations of our institution. The University’s faculty and staff must be more educated, more capable, and more agile than at any other time in our history. Educational, vocational and professional development provides employees with opportunities for lifelong learning and continuous self-improvement.

To recruit, develop and retain a quality workforce calls for attentive investment in the ongoing career and educational goals of employees and potential employees. The University supports employee career development, including education, vocational and professional development. The integration of mission, organizational and employee career goals are key to achieving and sustaining highly productive, creative and successful work environments. Educational and career development opportunities encourage growth and commitment from employees, often resulting in greater engagement, enhanced capabilities and improved performance.

The University offers a wide range of programs within its Education Benefits Program designed to prepare Academic Division employees to meet the complexities of the future through access to development opportunities from the moment of hire. The benefit begins with all employees attending new employee orientation. Other program offerings parallel the employee’s course through their UVa career. These include such programs as GED/ESL, Essential Work Skills for front line staff, supervisory training for new and continuing supervisors, and management development for all managers. In addition to these training and development programs, the University also offers tuition benefits for academic and related coursework.


II. Tuition Benefits Program Overview


A core component of the Education Benefits Program is tuition benefits, designed to provide Employees and their Schools and Departments with centrally-provided financial support for employee education, vocational and professional development opportunities, in accordance with State policy. Education Benefits may be used for academic degrees or courses at UVA and other accredited institutions, and non-credit courses, certificates and licenses at UVA and other education providers.

Schools and Departments may provide additional, departmentally-funded financial support for employee education, vocational and professional development, in accordance with State policy, by providing a PTAO that will be charged for the amount approved by the department.

While the Education Benefits program does provide funding for part-time employees as described below, the primary purpose of the program is to support full-time employees who are part-time students. The program is not intended to support the coursework of full-time students.


III. Employee Eligibility


  1. Centrally-funded Education Benefits
    Full and Part-time employees, including classified and university staff and faculty, with one year of benefits-eligible service, are eligible for centrally-funded Education Benefits Program and subject to all other terms of the Program. Part-time is defined as 20 hours per week or 50% effort. The period of service is measured from date of hire to the first day of the course.

  2. Departmentally-Funded Education Benefits
    Benefits-eligible Full-time and Part-time employees, including classified and university staff and faculty, are eligible for departmentally-funded education benefits after 90 days of service. Adjunct faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and temporary and wage employees are also eligible after 90 days of continuous service. Part-time is defined as 20 hours per week or 50% effort. The period of service is measured from date of hire to the first day of the course.

  3. Excluded Participants
    Student workers are not eligible for Education Benefits.

  4. Separation from Employment
    If the employee separates from the University for any reason, classes approved that are centrally- or departmentally-funded under the Education Benefits Program and scheduled for completion during the last semester of employment may be completed subject to Section IIIE., Performance Standards, and VIII, Compliance. The employee is no longer eligible for the Education Benefits Program effective the academic semester following the date of separation.

  5. Performance Standards
    Employees are expected to attend and satisfactorily complete education undertaken through the Education Benefits Programs. Employees who take a class for a grade or credit must receive a C- or better, pass or credit. For all other education opportunities, employees must be able to demonstrate successful completion or attendance. (See also Section VIII, Compliance.)


IV. Course Eligibility


What is Covered: Education and professional development opportunities are eligible under the Education Benefits Program when the courses or degree programs meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Relate to current job duties
  • Support the “Employee Learning and Career Development Plan” section of a staff employee’s Employee Work Profile (EWP)
  • Are required for a job-related degree program (all undergraduate degree programs and courses are considered job-related)
  • Are required for career development preparation, job-related professional certification or license
  • Provide new knowledge and skills to enhance job performance, career development and/or support UVA’s mission
  • Enhance UVA’s ability to respond to current and future needs

ESL, GED, Literacy and related classes are eligible for the Education Benefits Program. Academic coursework for undergraduate or graduate degrees, certification, licenses or professional academic credit must be taken from regionally accredited higher education institutions.

Classes in support of vocational studies, such as the trades, technical or technology studies are eligible. Classes that support career development or preparation for a career are eligible. Classes that support professional development directly and indirectly, i.e., support the employee’s job, career development or UVA’s mission are eligible.

Non-credit courses may be taken at high schools, community colleges, colleges, universities, business schools, technical or professional institutes or other approved education sources.

What is Not Covered:

The Education Benefits Program is not intended to cover workshops or professional conferences, which are more appropriately funded at the School and Department level. Therefore, workshops and professional conferences are excluded.


V. Payment for Study


Each calendar year, under the Education Benefits Program, eligible employees will have access to a defined benefit amount available from a central University fund. In addition, Schools & Departments may provide additional, departmental funds eligible employees. (See Section VI, Academic Restriction, applicable to academic study.)

  1. Centrally-Provided Funds
    For each eligible employee, the University will pay up to $2000 per calendar year for eligible, approved education, undergraduate, graduate, professional or vocational study. An employee may use all or part of the amount during one semester, or throughout the calendar year.

    The defined benefit amount is subject to change and will be announced yearly.

  2. Departmentally-Provided Funds
    Departments may choose to financially support eligible employees’ education, vocational and professional development beyond that which is centrally funded through the University.

    Employees must meet eligibility requirements as stated in Section III, B., “Employee Eligibility, Departmentally-Funded Education Benefits”. Education and professional development opportunities must meet the eligibility requirements described in Section IV, “Course Eligibility”.

    School and Departmental guidelines and procedures must administer departmental-funds equitably and uniformly. Guidelines and procedures must be communicated to employees.

    For employees who have been contemplating a UVA degree but hadn’t started yet, our educational contract program may be a viable option. This program is a contract in which your department agrees to fund your education and you, in return, agree to stay as an employee at UVA or in your own department, typically for 24 months after you complete your degree. Additional information on this program can be obtained through the Faculty and Staff Career Services office.

Payment will be made for tuition, registration, exams and laboratory fees. Fees normally required at registration are considered part of registration and will be paid. Generally tuition will be paid at the in-state rate when applicable. Other fees, including but not limited to drop fees, application fees, and special course fees, and expenditures for books or study materials may not be paid.


VI. Academic Restrictions


The total number of academic credits for coursework per standard semester, (fall, spring, and summer) whether centrally or departmentally funded or through Tuition Waiver, may not exceed 7 undergraduate credits, or 6 graduate credits. Exceptions to the maximum credit limit may be considered with approval by the relevant Vice President and University Human Resources.

Academic coursework must be taken for a grade or credit; auditing is not permitted.

Employees who use the Education Benefits Program in a degree-granting program must apply and be admitted to an accredited Institution. Employees who wish to take courses for academic credit must follow registration requirements and related procedures.


VII. Education Benefits Guidance


The University encourages employees to explore the rich educational, vocational and professional development opportunities available on-Grounds, locally, regionally and on-line. Faculty and Staff Career Services (FSCS) is available to meet with University Academic Division employees and managers to advise on career development and educational, vocational and professional development choices.

FSCS services are available without fees; they are a benefit to University Academic Division employees. All FSCS meetings are confidential.


VIII. Compliance


Employees are responsible for monitoring their use of the Education Benefits Program to ensure that payment limits are not exceeded and that they are in compliance with policy requirements.

The University conducts Program audits on a regular basis to ensure eligibility and program compliance. An employee may be required to repay the Education Benefits Program for the cost of financial assistance and/or lose eligibility for further assistance until repayment is made if he/she:

  • does not satisfactorily complete a course with a C- or better
  • does not satisfactorily finish an Incomplete
  • fails to successfully complete a non-credit course, certificate or license
  • has requested payments that exceed Program Policy limits

Employees who do not, on a timely and regular basis, inform appropriate financial aid authorities and/or update his/her financial assistance documents of all education benefits received may be required to repay the Education Benefits Program for the cost of financial assistance and/or lose eligibility for future educational assistance.


IX. Related Programs


The Tuition Waiver Program allows eligible University faculty, staff, and medical center employees to enroll in one UVA course per academic semester in certain Schools and programs, for which the tuition and normally required fees are waived.

On a transitional basis, Tuition Waiver will continue to be available only to employees already enrolled in a degree-granting program as of the fall semester, 2008. Tuition Waiver will be gradually phased out and benefits will then be available through either the Centrally or Departmentally-Funded Education Benefits programs.

Eligible employees may use the Education Benefits Program concurrently with the UVA Tuition Waiver Program. For complete information on the Tuition Waiver Program requirements, visit the UHR Benefits website.

The number of credits taken through the Tuition Waiver Program during a semester is applicable to the credit limits stated in Section VI, Academic Restrictions.


X. Taxability


The value of all education benefits received, including Tuition Waiver, that exceeds $5250 in a calendar year, will be included on the employee’s record of taxable income. This amount may vary due to tax law changes. Contact the payroll office for more information. Contact your tax advisor for tax-related advice.


XI. Attendance During Work Hours


The University encourages supervisors and managers to support employee utilization of education benefits and adjust work schedules to facilitate eligible employee attendance to the extent possible.

  1. Full-time, salaried, classified and university staff and post-doctoral fellows
    If a course is job-related and offered during working hours, supervisors are encouraged to release full-time salaried classified and university staff and post-doctoral fellows from work duties to attend a course, up to “three semester credit hours” (i.e., actual class time for a three credit course) during a standard semester (fall, spring, summer). In such cases, class time is recorded as "hours worked".

  2. Adjunct faculty, part-time, salaried, classified and university staff, temporary and wage employees
    Must take courses during non-working hours, or adjust work schedules to attend courses during non-working hours. Supervisors are encouraged to adjust work schedules as far as practical to permit attendance.
  3. Full-time and part-time salaried faculty
    There are no restrictions on attendance during working hours.


It may not be practical to grant time off to all employees who request it for classes because of pressing workloads or other legitimate business reasons. In these cases, the needs of the business shall prevail. Supervisors may request an employee to adjust his/her work hours or not permit attendance during work hours for work-related reasons.

If an employee disagrees with a supervisor's denial of time off, the employee may appeal the decision to the dean, director, or department head, with the final appeal level being the relevant vice president.