BCGEU Okanagan

For information about courses for BCGEU Okanangan employees, please click here.

Tuition Fee Benefit for BCGEU Okanagan Employees

The Tuition Fee Benefit provides tuition assistance to eligible employees, up to a maximum of 12 credits of undergraduate credit courses per year, or the dollar equivalent in tuition for non-credit courses offered by UBC Continuing Studies.

The Tuition Fee Benefit may be used at both the UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan campuses.

The following outline is for information purposes only. In the event of a discrepancy, the official document shall prevail.

Eligibility
What courses are covered?
How much tuition is covered?
Do I have to pay student fees?
Can my spouse or child use this benefit?
Courses during working hours?
How to apply
Withdrawals
Is it taxable?
More information

Eligibility

BCGEU Okanagan employees are eligible for the Tuition Fee Benefit, if they have a full-time position, or are part-time and work at least 17.5 hours per week. Sessional BCGEU Okanagan employees who work at least 17.5 hours per week are eligible, provided that the start date of the course is not during the period of layoff.  BCGEU Okanagan Temporary and Auxiliary employees are not eligible for the Tuition Fee Benefit.

You can apply for the Tuition Fee Benefit after you have completed a three-month qualifying period in eligible employment. Your first course must start after the end of your qualifying period.

To continue to be entitled to the Tuition Fee Benefit, you must continue to meet the eligibility requirements. For example, if you switch from a full-time to part-time position below the minimum number of hours, you will no longer be entitled to the benefit.

Please check the start date of your course. You are not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit if the start date of your course is:

• After your termination date
• Before your qualifying period is complete
• During layoff
• During a personal leave
• During medical leave without pay (however, employees approved for the Income Replacement Plan (IRP) are eligible while they are receiving IRP benefits)

NOTE: BC residents who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada aged 65 and older can register directly with Student Services for courses with full waivers for application, tuition and student fees; such individuals do not need to request a tuition fee waiver.

What courses are covered?

All UBC undergraduate credit courses are covered, as well as non-credit courses offered by UBC Continuing Studies (and designated with a Continuing Studies course number).

Credit courses covered are undergraduate level courses only (499 and below). This includes courses:

• Sponsored by Extra Sessional Studies
• Correspondence courses through Guided Independent Study

All applicants for credit courses must meet the admission requirements of the University. Enrolment Services or 604-822-3014 can help you determine what these requirements are.

Non-credit courses covered are those offered by UBC Continuing Studies, which can be taken by employees without academic prerequisites. Only courses with a Continuing Studies course number are covered under this benefit.

The UBC Continuing Studies calendar may include courses listed for advertising purposes – these are not Continuing Studies courses and are not eligible for the benefit. If you are not sure whether a course will be covered, contact Financial Services.

What the Tuition Fee Benefit does not cover:

• Non-refundable deposit for undergraduate credit courses that are paid prior to registration
• Tuition fees covered by non-repayable based funding, such as scholarships and prizes, sponsorship by a third party, bursaries and grants
• Application and student fees
• International undergraduate tuition fees*
• Graduate credit courses and programs
• Certificate programs offered by UBC Continuing Studies
• Administration fees for certificate programs offered offered by UBC Continuing Studies
• Courses and programs that are not UBC undergraduate or graduate credit courses, such as continuing education courses, licensing courses, credit programs and professional development courses offered by other UBC Departments (including Sauder School of Business)
• Courses and programs that are not UBC undergraduate or graduate credit courses, such as Executive Education courses, Real Estate courses and programs, Diploma in Accounting, Diploma in Sales and Marketing Management, Business Families Programs and Ch’nook Business Programs offered by the Sauder School of Business (and not the University)
• Courses offered by other institutions (including the Open University)
• Botanical Gardens or UBC Recreation courses, listed in the UBC Continuing Studies calendar
• UBC-sponsored courses through the MOST or BEST programs

Note: *Undergraduate international tuition fees are not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit, however an employee may apply for tuition waivers up to the domestic undergraduate tuition amount for these courses.

How much is covered?

Each eligible employee is covered for up to 12 undergraduate credits, or the dollar equivalent applied to non-credit courses each year.

Please note that GST will not be covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit for Continuing Studies non-credit courses that are GST applicable and unrelated to work or business (ie. taxable benefit to you).

Your Tuition Fee Benefit amount is renewed each year on the anniversary of your first course covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit. The Tuition Fee Benefit cannot be accumulated or carried forward from one year to the next. In the case of non-credit courses, the anniversary date assigned is the first day of the course. In the case of credit courses, this anniversary date assigned is the start of the term in which the course falls.Your Tuition Fee Benefit amount is renewed each year on the anniversary of your first course covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit.

For example:

If your first course covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit is a non-credit course that begins Nov. 22, your Tuition Fee Benefit anniversary date is Nov. 22 of each year. This means that you have from Nov. 22 of one year to Nov. 21 of the following year to register in and begin your courses, up to your annual maximum.

If your first course covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit is a credit course that begins Sept. 5, with the Term beginning Sept. 1, your Tuition Fee Benefit anniversary date is Sept. 1 of each year. This means that you have Sept. 1 of one year to Aug. 31 of the following year to register and begin your courses, up to the annual maximum.

Effective May 1, 2012, this amount is $1,880.16, based on 12 credits at $156.68 per credit. The dollar amount changes annually with tuition changes.

Student Fees

Student fees are not covered under the tuition waiver and must be paid by the staff member. As a registered student you are automatically enrolled in and charged for the UBC AMS/GSS Health Plan if you are taking UBC credit courses (does not apply to non-credit courses). You may be eligible to opt-out of the UBC AMS/GSS Health Plan if you are covered by another benefits plan, such as the UBC Extended Health Plan (Group No. 25205).

To opt-out of the UBC AMS/GSS Health Plan you must provide proof of coverage under the UBC Extended Health Plan. The quickest way is to visit www.sunlife.ca/member and print your Sun Life coverage card. To start the online opt-out process, visit www.ihaveaplan.ca.

Can my spouse or child use this benefit?

Some or all of your 12-credit undergraduate entitlement can be transferred to your spouse or children, as long as they qualify as dependents under the usual definition for UBC benefits.

Your eligible dependents are:

a) your legal spouse, common-law spouse or partner of the same sex. At any one time, only one person may be claimed as your spouse or partner; and

b) unmarried dependent children age 18 and under, or between age 19 and age 24 and in full-time attendance at UBC.

The non-credit courses offered by UBC Continuing Studies are not transferable.

Courses during working hours?

Under special circumstances, arrangements can be made for an employee to take a course during regular working hours, and make up the equivalent working time. Each case will be judged on its merit, and must have the approval of the Department Head.

How to apply

Please note that the application process will differ depending on whether you wish to apply your Tuition Fee Benefit towards undergraduate credit courses or non-credit courses offered by UBC Continuing Studies.

Important note: do not use a credit card of cheque to pay for a course or hold your place. You cannot replace this payment with a Tuition Fee Benefit form at a later date.

Undergraduate credit courses:

1.

Register for the course (s) you wish to apply your Tuition Fee benefit against prior to completing a Tuition Fee Benefit application form online.The same applies for any undergraduate credit course (s) taken by your spouse or children.Note: The non-refundable deposit you are required to pay prior to registration is not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit.

2.

Complete a single waiver for you or your dependent at Employee Self Service. For instructions on applying for the Tuition Fee Benefit on-line, click here.Please note: The waiver will be approved instantly in most cases; The waiver will be sent to Enrolment Services for you the following day; Enrolment Services will process the waiver as payment – processing times at Brock Hall will vary depending on the time of year. Tuition Fee Benefit applications should be completed before tuition would normally be due. Applications submitted after payment deadlines will be subjected to late fees and/or interest that will not be covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit. If you wish to make changes to your Tuition Fee Benefit application once submitted, click here for further instructions.

Continuing Studies non-credit courses:

1.

Complete a Tuition Fee Benefit application form online prior to registering for the course (s) using one form for each course, in each term.For non-credit courses offered by UBC Continuing Studies: To check course availability, please contact UBC Continuing Studies. For Computers, Media & Technology courses call 604-822-1420, for all other courses call 604-822-1444.

2.

Complete a single waiver for each course at Employee Self Service. For instructions on applying for the Tuition Fee Benefit on-line, click here.Please note: The waiver will be approved instantly in most cases; The waiver will be sent to Continuing Studies for you the following day; Continuing Studies will enrol you in the course (space permitting) using the waiver;All fees not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit must be paid at the time of registration and you are not registered in the course (s) until UBC Continuing Studies receives payment in full. Late penalties or student-assessed fees are your responsibility. Tuition Fee Benefit applications should be completed before tuition would normally be due. Applications submitted after payment deadlines will be subjected to late fees and/or interest that will not be covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit.

Course Withdrawals

Undergraduate credit courses:  for credit courses, click here for instructions on how to cancel a Tuition Fee Benefit application.

Continuing Studies non-credit courses: for non-credit course, contact either UBC Continuing Studies and Financial Services to cancel your Tuition Fee Benefit application. Continuing Studies will ask that you return the receipt for the course, and needs three business days’ notice before the start of the course. The course fee will be cancelled, but an administration fee may be deducted from your annual Tuition Fee Benefit amount if you make any cancellations or changes within three business days before the start of the course. Please see either the Continuing Studies course calendar or website for full information on specific refund policies.

Special refund policies apply to some travel programs.

Is it taxable?

The Tuition Fee Benefit is a non-taxable benefit to you if you are taking credit courses or work-related non-credit courses.  Non-credit courses that are unrelated to work will be considered a taxable benefit and the amount of tuition will be included in Box 40 of your T4 slip at year-end.

In order for a non-credit course to be considered non-taxable, your Supervisor must authorize that the course is related to your work.  The online system automatically recognizes some non-credit courses to be work-related and non-taxable; however, if there is a question as to taxability of the non-credit course, you will be prompted to enter your Supervisor’s email during the online Tuition Fee Benefit application process; your Supervisor will then receive an email from UBC Financial Services asking for his/her authorization that the non-credit course is related to your work (non-taxable).  Your non-credit course will be considered taxable until your Supervisor provides authorization to UBC Financial Services. 

If your non-credit course is unrelated to work, you do not need to provide your Supervisor’s email and the tuition will be considered a taxable benefit.

All credit courses are considered non-taxable, so your Supervisor does not need to provide authorization.  Credit courses for your dependent, however, will be considered a taxable benefit to your dependent (see below).

If you transfer your Tuition Fee Benefit to your dependent:

Previously, if you transferred your Tuition Fee Benefit to your dependent, the amount of the tuition was considered a taxable benefit to you and included in Box 40 of your T4 slip at year end. Starting with the 2007 tax year, any Tuition Fee Benefits transferred to your dependent will be considered a taxable benefit to your dependent (and not you) and UBC Enrolment Services will issue a T4A slip for your dependent at year end.

For more information

UBC Vancouver

Undergraduate credit course information: UBC Enrolment Services, 604-822-3014, Brock Hall, 2016 – 1874 East Mall

Non-credit course information: UBC Continuing Studies, 410 – 5950 University Boulevard

Computers, Media & Technology courses: 604-822-1420

All other courses: 604-822-1444

UBC Okanagan

Undergraduate credit course information: UBC Okanagan Student Services, 250-807-9100, SSC119 (Student Services Centre)

 

Tuition fee benefit application process and eligibility: All Tuition Fee Benefit applications are processed at UBC Vancouver.

Financial Services, GSAB, 305 – 2075 Wesbrook Mall (Vancouver)

• If your last name starts with A-L, call Carol Piotrowski, 604-822-9290, carol@finance.ubc.ca
• If your last name starts with M-Z, call Wentworth Iwasiuk, 604-822-8979, wiwasiuk@finance.ubc.ca