-
The University of British Columbia
- a place of mind
- The University of British Columbia
- UBC Human Resources - Benefits
- Home
- Careers
- Faculty & Staff Resources
- Hiring & Managing
- Learning & Development
- Benefits & Salary
- Okanagan Campus
- Contact HR
For information on professional development funds for Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants, please visit our TRA Professional Development Fund page.
The Tuition Fee Benefit provides eligible Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants with tuition assistance for eligible undergraduate credit courses, graduate credit courses and programs (up to the normal program fee) and non-credit courses and certificate programs 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. All terms and conditions are governed by arrangements made by the University and your employee affiliation. 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
Monthly paid employees:
Monthly paid Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants are eligible for the Tuition Fee Benefit, if they have a full-time position, or are part-time and work at least 20 hours per week. There is a three-month qualifying period for monthly paid employees.
Once you have completed the three month qualifying period, you can apply for the benefit. Your first course must start after the end of your qualifying period.
Hourly paid employees:
Hourly paid Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants (either full-time or part-time) are eligible for the Tuition Fee Benefit if they complete 3 months of accumulated service and work at least 20 hours per week for the 3 month period prior to the course start date. This is equivalent to 260.0 hours for the 3 month (or 13 week) period prior to the course start date.
Since hourly paid Non-Union Technicians and Research Assistants must work at least 20 hours per week in the previous 3 months prior to the course start date, you may wish to contact the Tuition Fee Benefit Desk in Financial Services to confirm your eligibility before applying for the benefit.
Monthly and hourly paid employees:
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:
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.
All UBC undergraduate credit courses, graduate credit courses and programs (up to the normal program fee) and non-credit courses and certificate programs offered by UBC Continuing Studies (and designated with a Continuing Studies course number).
Credit courses covered are both undergraduate and graduate level. This includes courses:
All applicants for credit courses must meet the admission requirements of the University. Enrolment Services 604-822-3014 can help you determine what these requirements are. For admission to graduate level courses or a graduate program, contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies 604-822-2848.
Non-credit courses or certificate programs covered are those offered by UBC Continuing Studies, which may be taken by employees without academic prerequisites, however, for certificate program courses, please check with UBC Continuing Studies about prerequisites. Only courses with a Continuing Studies course number are covered under this benefit, with the exception of administration fees for certificate programs.
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:
Note: *Undergraduate and graduate international tuition fees are not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit, however an employee may apply for tuition waivers up to the domestic undergraduate or graduate tuition amount for these courses/programs.
**Full-time and part-time graduate programs that have special program fees are not covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit, however an employee may apply for tuition waivers up to the “normal” (full or part-time) program fee for these programs.
The current UBC Calendar lists full-time and part-time graduate programs that have special program fees. The above is for your information only, and in the event of a discrepancy the UBC Calendar shall prevail.
Annual Maximums are established by the first course/program you apply your Tuition Fee Benefit towards, for that year. The amounts below are effective May 1, 2013 and will change annually if tuition fees change.
If your first course/program taken for the year is:
Your annual maximum will renew on your Tuition Fee Benefit anniversary date. Your Tuition Fee anniversary date is very first course/program you apply your Tuition Fee Benefit towards.
If your very first course/program is:
Examples:
If your first course/program covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit is an undergraduate/graduate credit course or graduate program that begins Sept. 5, with the Term beginning Sept. 1:
If your first course/program covered by the Tuition Fee Benefit is a non-credit course/program that begins November 22:
Please note:
Annual maximums are established with the first course/program taken in that anniversary year.
However, if you utilize the Tuition Fee Benefit more than once in the same anniversary year and take a different course/program than what you started the year with, your annual maximum will change to the amount associated with the current course/program taken. For example, if you begin your year by taking an undergraduate course, then decide to enter a full-time graduate program (all in the same anniversary year), your annual maximum will change from $1,917.17 to $4,517.64 (full-time graduate program amount). The reverse would also hold if you began your year entering a full-time graduate program, then decided to take an undergraduate course (your annual maximum changes to $1,917.17, which is the undergraduate credit course amount). Your balance at any point in time is your annual maximum, less any amount you have utilized during your anniversary year.
Student fees are not covered under the tuition waiver and must be paid by you (if you are taking the course) or your spouse or dependent child (if you have transferred your credits to them).
Registered students taking UBC credit courses are automatically enrolled in and charged for the UBC AMS/GSS Health Plan (UBC Vancouver) of 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.
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 graduate credit courses, non-credit courses and certificate programs are not transferable.
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.
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 or 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/Graduate credit courses; Graduate programs:
| 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:
|
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:
|
Undergraduate credit courses; graduate credit courses/programs: 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.
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 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.
UBC Vancouver
Undergraduate credit course information: UBC Enrolment Services, 604-822-3014, Brock Hall, 2016 – 1874 East Mall
Graduate credit course information: UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies, 604-822-2848, 180-6371 Crescent Road
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)
Graduate credit course information:College of Graduate Studies, 250-807-8772, Room 360 Arts Building
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)
