By Dave Reid / HR Communications

It now costs less for many U-M employees to continue their education.

Effective Aug. 1, the University raised the dollar amount of tuition assistance available to staff members. Under the University’s Tuition Support Program, full-time staff members taking non-U-M courses are eligible for 75 percent of the cost of in-state tuition plus registration fees or $919 per term, whichever is less.

This represents an increase of 7.9 percent to the previous ceiling, the same percentage as the resident undergraduate tuition increase approved by the Board of Regents July 18.

Part-time staff members with at least a 50 percent appointment are eligible for tuition support proportional to their appointment fraction. For example, a part-time staff member with an 80 percent appointment would be eligible for $551 (80 percent of 75 percent is 60 percent, 60 percent of $919 is $551), or 60 percent of the sum of in-state tuition plus registration fees.

Full-time staff members enrolled in U-M courses continue to be eligible for 75 percent of the cost of in-state tuition plus registration fees for up to four credit hours per term. Part-time staff members with at least a 50 percent appointment are eligible for tuition support proportional to their appointment.

To offer more accessibility and more generous educational benefits to staff members, the tuition support ceiling is adjusted annually by a percentage equal to the average percentage increase in the resident undergraduate tuition at U-M–Ann Arbor. Full text on the Tuition Support Program (SPG 201.69) is available in the Standard Practice Guide at http://www.umich.edu/~spgonlin/.

Prior approval for tuition support is required from the unit supervisor. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements should consult the agreement for details on tuition support.

For more information, contact Academic and Staff HR Services at (734) 763-2387 or send e-mail to employee.relations@umich.edu