Faculty

Faculty Professional Development Reimbursement Fund

For information on the Professional Development Reimbursement Fund for Faculty Members and Sessionals with continuing status, please visit the Professional Development Reimbursement Fund page.

Tuition Waiver Benefit for Faculty Members, Librarians and Program Directors in Continuing Studies

The Tuition Fee Benefit provides tuition assistance, up to a maximum of 12 credits in an undergraduate or graduate program over a 12-month period, provided a fee-paying student is not displaced. This benefit covers tuition fees only, and does not cover any other fees that may be associated with the course.

Tuition waivers may be used at both the UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan campuses.

The following outline is for information purposes only. All terms and conditions are governed by arrangements made by the University and the Faculty Association. 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?
How to apply
Withdrawals
Is it taxable?
More information

Eligibility

The position, type of appointment and appointment length, determine one’s eligibility for the waiver benefit.

You are eligible if:

• You are an active member of the Faculty Association bargaining unit with an appointment of at least one year in length at 50% time,
• Or you are a Sessional Lecturer with an appointment of at least four months in length at 50% time AND are eligible to maintain member rights for up to 24 months (as per article 4.3 of the Agreement),
• Or you are approved for the Income Replacement Plan (IRP) and are currently receiving IRP benefits,
• Or you have Emeritus status.

And

• The course professor or instructor agrees to your presence.

If you are eligible to receive the tuition waiver, please check the start date of your desired course. You are not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit if the start date of the course is:

• After your termination date (for example, if a member is not working at the time the course commences, then you are not eligible for the benefit),
• Or during a personal leave,
• Or during a medical leave without pay.

NOTE: The policies and procedures of the Faculty of Graduate Studies state that full-time members of faculty may not normally register for programs leading to University of British Columbia degrees or diplomas. There are some exceptions, which are outlined on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

What courses are covered?

Eligible courses include:

• UBC Undergraduate level courses numbered 499 and below, including weekend, evening and off-campus courses sponsored by the Department of Extra-Sessional Studies.
• UBC Graduate level courses
• UBC Graduate program fees (when in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Faculty of Graduate Studies)
• UBC Distance Education and Technology courses (previously known as UBC Access Guided Independent Study)

If you are uncertain whether a course is eligible for the Tuition Fee Benefit, please contact Faculty Relations.

What the Tuition Fee Benefit does not cover:

• Non-refundable deposit for undergraduate and graduate credit courses/programs that are paid prior to registration
• Years 1 to 4 of PhD programs if registered in a PhD program on Sept. 30, 2007 (students receive an award from UBC for the amount of their tuition as part of the PhD Tuition Fee Award)
• Tuition fees covered by non-repayable based funding, such as scholarships and prizes, sponsorship by a third party, bursaries and grants and the Graduate Support Initiative or GSI (applies to students registered in a Masters or PhD program after Sept. 30, 2007)
• Application and student fees
• International undergraduate and graduate tuition fees*
• Non-credit courses and certificate programs offered by UBC Continuing Studies
• Administration fees for certificate programs 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 and graduate international tuition fees are not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit, however you may apply for tuition waivers up to the domestic undergraduate or graduate tuition amount for these courses/programs.

How much is covered?

Each eligible faculty member is covered for up to 12 credits of undergraduate or graduate level credit courses over a 12-month period.

Your Tuition Fee Benefit amount is renewed each year on the anniversary of the start of the term in which the course falls. The Tuition Fee Benefit cannot be accumulated or carried forward from one year to the next.

For example, if your first course covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit 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.

Undergraduate:  Effective May 1, 2013, the amount is $1,917.72, based on 12 credits at $159.81 per credit. The dollar amount changes annually with tuition changes.

Graduate:  Effective May 1, 2013, the amount is $4,517.64, based on 12 credits at $376.47 per credit. The dollar amount changes annually with tuition changes.

Student Fees and Opting-Out of the Student Health Plan

Student fees are not covered under the tuition waiver and must be paid by the faculty member.

As a registered student taking UBC credit courses, you are automatically enrolled in and charged for the UBC AMS/GSS Health Plan (UBC Vancouver) or the UBCSUO Student Health Plan (UBC Okanagan).  You may be eligible to opt-out of the respective Student Health Plan if you are covered by another benefits plan, such as the UBC Extended Health and Dental Care Plan (Group No. 25205).

For more information on how to opt-out of the Student Health Plan, click here.

Can my spouse or child use this benefit?

No, your Tuition Fee Benefit is not transferable to your spouse or child. However, UBC has a separate Tuition Fee Benefit for dependent children of Faculty Members.

How to apply

Undergraduate or graduate courses (including Distance Education and Technology courses):

You must register for the course prior to applying for the Tuition Fee Benefit on-line. In order to register for the course, you must have a valid UBC student number. If you do not have a student number, you will need to apply for admission as a student. To apply for the Tuition Fee Benefit on-line click here to be directed to the UBC Faculty and Staff Self-Service website (sign in with your CWL). For instructions on applying for the Tuition Fee Benefit on-line, click here.

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.

Note: The non-refundable deposit you are required to pay prior to registration is not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit. The procedure and cost for auditing a course is the same as taking a course for credit.

Course withdrawals

Click here for instructions on how to cancel a Tuition Fee Benefit application.

Is it taxable?

All credit courses will be considered a non-taxable benefit to you.

For more information

Contact the appropriate Assistant Manager in Faculty Relations.