Tuition Grant for Children

Yes, the two-year employment requirement will be waived for faculty and staff that come to the university directly from another employer (within 30 days) where they were previously eligible for a similar dependent education benefit. Proof of eligibility is required from the prior employer. Waivers submitted for new faculty positions will be reviewed on a semester basis. Please see the sample Waiver Letter for the required language.

Waiver requests are handled by EdAssist via an appeals process. Apply through EdAssist even if you are not eligible. You will receive a denial message and will need to appeal the denial by providing proof of prior eligibility from your previous employer. Here is a sample Waiver Letter.

The two-year employment requirement will be waived for full-time employees who come directly to JHU within 30 days from leaving an employer where they were previously eligible for a similar dependent education benefit and can provide proof of eligibility from the previous employer. Waivers submitted by new faculty will be reviewed on a semester basis.

Each parent is eligible if both are full-time members of the faculty, staff, or Bargaining Unit and have completed two consecutive years of employment with the university. Parents who are both JHU employees will need to apply individually in EdAssist to receive the benefit at 100% each semester.

As long as you have met the two-year eligibility criteria as a full-time employee and your change in status to part-time lasts for less than six months before returning to full-time service, you will remain eligible for the benefit. If your change in status to part-time lasts six months or longer before returning to full-time status, you will have to meet the two-year eligibility criteria as a full-time employee to regain eligibility for the benefit.

The benefit is available only during periods in which the faculty or staff member is employed full-time, or during periods of authorized leave not exceeding one year in duration from which the faculty or staff member will return to full-time employment. A faculty or staff member is not eligible to receive the benefit while on a leave of absence that exceeds one year. Faculty or staff who return as an active full-time employee after a leave of absence for one year or more must be a full-time employee for two years to regain eligibility for the benefit.

Employees who leave the university after October 1 are eligible to participate in the plan for the fall semester. Employees who leave the university after February 1 are eligible to participate in the plan for the spring semester.

If you voluntarily terminate your employment and do not return to JHU or join JHU from another employer within 30 days, you must be employed for two consecutive years before becoming eligible for the tuition grant benefit.

If you were involuntarily terminated and return to JHU within 12 months, you will not be required to wait for the two-year period to regain eligibility for the benefit.

Yes, JHU retirees qualify to receive the Tuition Grant benefit. Retirees are not able to access the employee version of EdAssist, and should instead use this link.

No.

If an employee or retiree dies, following 5 years of continuous benefit-eligible status, any dependent including step-children and dependents of their domestic partner will remain eligible for the program until they reach the plan semester limit or age out of the plan. The child must be born prior to the employee/retiree’s death to be eligible.

When each child is ready to attend college, the surviving spouse or domestic partner should contact the Benefits Service Center (BSC) with the deceased’s name and employee number (if known), and the name of the dependent who will be attending school to let us know they are ready to use the benefit. Please contact the BSC before July 1 prior to the fall semester, or before January 1 prior to the spring semester, whichever semester will be the dependent’s first semester of college.

Proof of dependent citizenship must be provided prior to receiving benefits under the plan. Employees must add the dependent in EdAssist and submit a copy of the child’s birth certificate (English translation). For children not born in the U.S., Canada or Mexico, one of the following documents must be submitted in addition to a birth certificate:

• • Green Card
  • U. S. Visa
  • U.S. Passport
  • Certificate of Naturalization

Dependents participating in the Tuition Grant plan must either be claimed on the employee’s tax return for the awarded year, or the employee must complete a Dependent Expense Form annually to verify financial support of greater than 50% to be eligible to participate in the Tuition Grant plan.

The dependent children of domestic partners may participate in the plan provided the employee’s completed Affidavit of Marriage/Domestic Partnership is on file with the Benefits Service Center. Any benefit provided for dependent children of employees’ domestic partners is taxable income. The amount of taxes withheld from the employee’s check is based on the amount of the benefit. Tax questions should be directed to the Tax Office at 443-997-8688 or [email protected].

In addition to the excluded fees and expenses listed in the previous FAQ, these items are not covered by the plan:

• Part-time studies (11 credits and below in a semester, or the equivalent for trimester and quarter academic calendars)
• Non-credit courses (e.g. remedial)
• Graduate courses or programs
• Cooperative programs that do not offer academic credits
• Pass/fail courses for which no academic credits are earned
• Course offered by non-degree granting or non-accredited institutions
• Course related fees
• Program fees

The school must be an accredited, degree-granting college or university. EdAssist will validate the institution’s accreditation. Community colleges qualify so long as the institution is accredited and degree-granting.

For colleges with two full-time semesters per academic year, twelve or more degree-required credits per semester are considered full-time studies.

For colleges with full-time trimesters or full-time quarters per academic year, twenty-four or more degree-required credits per academic year are considered full-time studies.

In circumstances where disability prevents an otherwise eligible dependent from enrolling as a full-time undergraduate (e.g., the 12-credit hour requirement), the university shall consider waiving the credit hour and/or age requirement. All such requests shall be considered by the university’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) in accordance with the university’s commitment to ensuring equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. Additional information supporting the disability will be required by the university’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE).

If the child’s registration drops below full-time, they are no longer eligible to participate in the plan, unless they are in their final semester prior to graduating and need fewer than 12 credits. The grant payment to the school must be refunded to Johns Hopkins University. Participation in the program is suspended until the monies are repaid or a repayment agreement is signed.

Yes. Programs with credit restrictions are approved for coverage, however additional documentation is required. Please see sample Specialty Program Letter for required language.

Payments are available for mini-sessions, summer, or winter courses if:

• • The continuing student meets the definition of a full-time student within the current academic year, OR
  • The new student meets the definition of a full-time student in the upcoming academic year (for summer leading into fall), AND
  • The student has not received the maximum grant allowance for the academic year (a Tuition Grant balance remains), AND
  • The employee is in a full-time position when the student begins the mini-session, summer, or winter course.

If attendance in the upcoming academic year does not occur, it will be the employee’s obligation to promptly repay any monies disbursed.

Children who receive full financial support from other sources for the entire academic year must provide documentation to confirm that they attended full-time for the entire academic year to be eligible for coverage of mini-sessions, summer, or winter courses.

The plan covers costs for up to four years of undergraduate study, (8 semesters or the equivalent trimester or quarter terms). Part-time mini-sessions (e.g. summer terms) do not count against the child’s maximum participation.

The school must be an accredited, degree-granting college or university, and EdAssist verifies this information through your application.

Study abroad programs are covered for degree-required courses and direct payment can be made to the school if it accepts a Letter of Credit. Study abroad certification may be required.

If the student is not registered at full-time status during the study-abroad, then the tuition grant benefit is not applicable.

Studying abroad typically refers to a student taking the opportunity to study at a school outside of the United States. The credits earned must be accepted by the home
school towards the student’s degree. The study abroad process can be initiated through your child’s home school or through another institution.

If the study abroad program is initiated through the home school, email the Benefits Service Center at [email protected] to inform us. No additional documentation is
required.

If the study abroad program is initiated through another institution besides the home school, the following additional documentation is required:

• A new tuition grant application is needed if your student is studying abroad through an accredited, degree‐granting school that is not currently on file in your
  student’s tuition grant record.
• A Study Abroad Certification Letter is needed if your student is attending a school that is not their home school.

Yes, but EdAssist is unable to make payments directly to international schools. Instead, you will receive the tuition grant payment directly via your paycheck once your application and all necessary information has been provided. When applying, you should choose Tuition Grant for Children – International program. Upon application approval and within 60 days of the term end date, you may request immediate reimbursement by uploading proof of full-time enrollment, an itemized invoice of tuition and fees, and any applied grants or scholarships to the tuition application.

All documents must be in English, and all invoices must be in US Dollars. EdAssist will review documentation and process reimbursement for 50% of the eligible tuition and fees, up to the maximum annual benefit amount.

If the international school does not invoice per term, but instead invoices for the entire school year, then you may need to contact EdAssist to request an override so that you may submit an invoice for the entire year.

Reimbursement will be made via JHU payroll and is not taxable. The employee and/or dependent are responsible for making payment to the school for tuition and fees.

No.

Payments issued for students who voluntarily withdraw before the end of the term must be refunded in full.

Payments issued for students who withdraw involuntarily (i.e., illness) before the end of the term will be refunded based on the school’s refund policy. If the payment is not refunded in full, the term will be considered used and counted towards the total eligible terms. If the employee prefers not to have the term count as a used term, they have the option to send the difference between the refund received from the school and the amount of the Tuition Grant payment by June 30th of the current academic year.

Employees must complete an application in EdAssist. Eligibility to participate in the plan is contingent upon documentation that verifies the child is your dependent.

Applications may be submitted up to 60 days prior to the term start date, and no more than 30 days after the term start date. You must submit an application for each term.

If more than one application needs to be submitted (i.e. your child is attending multiple schools in the same semester), this will need manual review from EdAssist. Be aware this might slightly delay the payment process.

Your application must be submitted within 30 days after the term start date.

If you apply after the deadline, once approved the payment will be made to the school if they accept the Letter of Credit (LOC). If the school does not accept the LOC, then the payment will be made to you via payroll.

Yes, an application must be completed for each semester/term for each dependent in order to receive the benefit for each semester/term.

The following information is required to complete your application:

• Documentation of dependent’s identity (to confirm they are a qualifying dependent)
• Degree being pursued
• Name of school/institution
• Dependent’s student ID
• Term type, start and end dates
• Total amount of tuition and fees
• Total amount of other grants and scholarships

You should enter the term’s total eligible tuition and fees in the expense field. EdAssist will calculate the correct Tuition Assistance amount and pay 50% of eligible tuition and fees, after restricted financial aid, not to exceed the plan maximum.

You will need to submit a new application in EdAssist for each dependent, for each semester/term, even if your child is attending the same school as last semester.

Since a new application must be submitted each term, you will indicate the new school when you apply for that term.

Submit a new application in EdAssist up to 60 days in advance of the term start date, or within 30 days following.

Each parent is eligible if both are full-time members of the faculty, staff, or Bargaining Unit and have completed two consecutive years of employment with the university. Both parents must apply individually through EdAssist for each eligible dependent to receive the benefit at 100% each semester.

The LOC will be available within 24 hours after your application is initially approved.

The Letter of Credit describes the Tuition Grant Plan, specifies the percent of coverage for the participating student, and indicates the documentation that the school must provide for payment to be issued, including tuition and fees, and other scholarships and awards.

When your application is approved, the Letter of Credit (LOC) is provided in EdAssist. You must obtain the LOC and send it to your child’s school billing office that collects tuition payments. The school’s website or invoice should indicate where tuition payments should be sent, and exactly where to send the LOC differs across schools. Some examples are the bursar’s office, financial aid or financial services office, student accounts office, or the cashiers office. Please check with your child’s school to confirm which office handles tuition payments.

The LOC indicates that your child is participating in the Tuition Grant program and requests information required to approve your application and pay the school.

For schools that do not accept the LOC, you must select the Reimbursement program open in your application and provide an itemized invoice. Once approved, payment is made directly to you in your paycheck within 1-2 pay cycles. The award is not taxed for dependents, however it is taxed for dependents of domestic partners. Proof of payment to the school is not required.

If you don’t want to use the Direct Bill process, you can select reimbursement instead.

Upon application approval, you will be issued a Letter of Credit (LOC) by EdAssist. You must submit this LOC to your dependent’s school as a payment voucher. The school will submit proof of full-time enrollment, an itemized invoice of tuition and fees, and grants/scholarships to EdAssist. Once received, EdAssist will review documentation and process payment for 50% of the eligible tuition and fees up to the maximum annual benefit amount. The eligible payment amount will be sent by EdAssist directly to your dependent’s school within 5-7 business days after the school sends their invoice. The employee and/or dependent are responsible for making payment to the school for any tuition and fees not paid under the plan. You can check the status of your application at any time in EdAssist.

If you apply over 30 days after the term start date, once approved the payment will be made to the school if they accept the Letter of Credit (LOC). If the school does not accept the LOC, then you must follow the reimbursement process: the payment will be made to you via payroll, and you will need to make payment in full to your dependent’s school.

US domestic schools can expect to be paid within 5-7 business days after providing EdAssist with the required information.

If the school accepts the LOC, payment is not made based on an invoice provided by the employee. The employee must send the LOC to the school, and the school will correspond with EdAssist to invoice and complete payment.

If the school does not accept the LOC, it is over 30 days past the term start date, or it is an international school, then the employee must upload an itemized invoice and will receive payment via payroll.

EdAssist will send you an email when payment has been made, and the application status will show as paid in EdAssist.

EdAssist will process payments as soon as applications are approved and the school provides all the necessary information, within the school’s deadlines. The employee and/or dependent are responsible for making payment to the school for any tuition and fees not paid under the plan.

If you believe that the payment issued from EdAssist is incorrect, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

If you have already provided the LOC to the school, check the EdAssist dashboard to review the status of your application. Dedicated support for JHU employees is available by phone, email, and direct chat through the EdAssist Contact Center available on the portal.

The benefit is not taxable for children who meet the IRS definition of a “qualifying child” or “qualifying relative,” within Internal Revenue Code section 152.

The benefit is considered taxable income for employees participating with the dependent child of their domestic partner.

In situations where an OIE-approved disabled dependent participates beyond the end of the calendar year in which they turn 26, the benefit is considered taxable income for the employee.

Restricted aid includes scholarships and financial support that must be spent on tuition and fees. If restricted financial aid is received in addition to the JHU Tuition Grant, the total combined support may not exceed 100% of tuition and eligible fees. If the total exceeds 100%, the tuition grant will be reduced.

Non-restricted aid includes scholarships and financial support that may be spent on all educational expenses, (i.e., housing and books) and will not affect your child’s tuition grant.

Federal loans, whether subsidized or unsubsidized, are not financial aid and will not affect the tuition grant.

In some cases, the child’s school will notify EdAssist if there is additional support from other sources, but it is the employee’s responsibility to disclose restricted support that may affect the child’s tuition grant. The employee will be responsible for any overpayments that may result if all aid and scholarships are not disclosed.

Yes. Any restricted aid (support that must be spent on tuition and fees) is first subtracted from eligible tuition and fees, then the JHU Tuition Grant will cover the remaining balance, up to 50% of total eligible tuition and fees. Total combined support may not exceed 100% of eligible tuition and fees. If the total exceeds 100%, the tuition grant will be reduced.

Non-restricted aid (support that may be spent on all educational expenses, i.e., housing and books) will not affect your child’s tuition grant.

When you view your application in EdAssist, there should be comments associated with your application status that explain any actions you must take. Use the live chat feature in EdAssist for support. If it is still unclear, you can also reach out to [email protected] for clarification and guidance.

EdAssist might notify you to submit your Completion Documentation as required to complete payment. If you are using direct bill, you must download the LOC (Letter of Credit) from EdAssist, sign and send it directly to the school. If you are using reimbursement, then you must upload in EdAssist an itemized invoice from the school.

Your application is under review by the Benefits Service Center and should be approved within 5 business days. Reach out to [email protected] if the status does not change after 5 business days, and an update can be provided.

Upon accessing EdAssist, you will land at the Workforce Education dashboard that shows your Tuition Grant benefit balances. From here you can open an application or explore EdAssist’s Workforce Education Network.

Benefits & Support provides information about JHU’s policy where you can also chat live with an EdAssist representative or create a support ticket.

History is where you can view your current application’s status.