Wichita State University -- Tuition Assistance

Update: 05/15/2009

Application for Tuition Assistance (or pdf file)

Also see WSU Policies & Procedures/Types of Leave for information on the University's Education Release Time policy.

Note: 

1. With tuition assistance funding being processed through Self Service Banner, it is now critical that you be pre-enrolled in the course or workshop at the time you submit your application to Human Resources. When tuition assistance is credited, it will automatically hold your class; if you decide not to attend, you must physically withdraw for the money to be refunded to the tuition assistance budget -- all funds must be refunded to maintain eligibility for tuition assistance.
2. You will be notified of your applicant status for courses one to two weeks after the application deadline.  View your on-line billing statement to confirm tuition assistance credit.
3. If you choose to audit a class for which you've requested tuition assistance, approval will be revoked and the University will bill you for the class.

I. Policy

The University has authority under state law to pay tuition and other education expenses for the education or training of eligible University employees when such education or training has been determined to be of value to the state and the University. The complete tuition assistance policy is available on the electronic version of the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual.

II. Deadline for Application

• An application for tuition assistance for a seminar must be received in Human Resources at least two weeks before the start of the seminar.  An application for a course must be submitted to Human Resources according to the following schedule: 
    

• Any listing in the Schedule of Courses (including workshops) is considered a course for the purpose of Tuition Assistance in regard to successful completion and application deadline.

III. Eligibility for Tuition Assistance

• All classified and unclassified professional non-teaching employees who hold at least a half-time, benefits eligible appointment. Assistance is not available to employees on unpaid leave.
• Employees with a less than satisfactory performance evaluation are only eligible for tuition assistance for a course or seminar directly related to a specific performance deficiency.
• Employees receiving financial aid through other programs (grants or scholarships) will not be eligible for tuition assistance under this program.

IV. Approval of Courses 

• Tuition assistance will be available for all regular courses and seminars offered by Wichita State University, which are considered to be of value to the state and the University. The course or seminar must provide credit towards a degree, professional growth or development for the employee, or be job-related training.

V. Determination of Tuition Awards

• All undergraduate and graduate courses offered by Wichita State University will be given equal priority.
• If there are not sufficient funds to award full tuition assistance for all qualified applicants in a semester, first approval will go to applications in by the posted deadline for that semester. If there is insufficient budget towards the end of the fiscal year, applications will be approved in the order received until the funds are depleted. If it is determined that funds will be depleted well before the end of the fiscal year, applicants with less than one continuous year of service with the University will not be approved for the rest of that year.

VI. Limits of Support

• Support of this program will be limited to the actual cost of tuition and required fees. Graduate level thesis hours can be reimbursed up to a maximum of five credit hours. The Tuition Assistance Committee reserves the right to limit the dollar amount of support for any one course or seminar or any individual employee. Financial support will be limited to one course or seminar not exceeding five credit hours in any regular semester, and to one seminar or one course not exceeding three credits in any eight-week summer session. (Tuition assistance does not cover student fees which are normally waived for employees if the employee is enrolled in a maximum of 11 undergraduate hours or a maximum of 8 graduate hours.)  Applicants may submit only one application per semester.

VII. Certification of Completion

• Should an individual fail to successfully complete a course supported by this program, the individual will not be eligible to receive further assistance until the individual has satisfactorily completed another comparable course at his/her own expense. Personal payment for and attendance at a seminar shall not be considered as a means of meeting this requirement.
• Successful completion of an undergraduate course will require a grade of "C" or better; successful completion of a graduate course will require a grade of "B" or better. A credit/no credit course will be considered successfully completed with "credit" given. Graduate students receiving Tuition Assistance for a dissertation or thesis, which takes more than one semester to complete, may continue to receive assistance by submitting a letter from their instructor indicating satisfactory progress, on a timely basis, toward completion of the thesis or dissertation. Auditing a class is not "successful completion" for the purpose of Tuition Assistance.  If you choose to audit a class for which you've requested tuition assistance, approval will be revoked and the University will bill you for the class.

VIII. Application for Tuition Assistance

• The application form (or pdf file) is available in Human Resources, on the internet, or you may contact shelly.kellogg@wichita.edu or at 978-6122.