Eligibility is dependent on your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and the number of children under age six (6) that you have in child care. If you have a spouse or legal partner, he or she must be employed or enrolled in school at least 15 hours per week, be actively looking for work, or have documentation that a disabling condition prevents full-time caregiving, to qualify for this program.

Faculty and Staff:

Full-time Johns Hopkins University faculty, staff, and bargaining unit members who are full-time benefits-eligible and have completed their 120-day probationary period (or 90 days for bargaining unit) may be eligible for the Child Care Voucher program.

Students and Learners:

The following graduate students are eligible for the Child Care Voucher program:

• Full-time doctoral and medical students
  • For the Whiting and Krieger Schools, this includes non-resident and post-certified full-time doctoral students
  • For the School of Nursing, this includes full-time PhD or DNP students, and all DNP Advanced Practice students; excludes Executive DNP students
• Full-time postdoctoral fellows
• Full-time house staff (including residents and interns)

• If your spouse/partner is a stay-at-home parent and will not have taxable income in the award year, you do not qualify for the child care voucher. Spouses or legal partners must be employed or enrolled in school at least 15 hours per week, be actively looking for work, or have documentation that a disabling condition prevents full-time caregiving, to qualify for this program.
• Children whom you do not claim as dependents on your tax forms, and foster children, are not qualifying dependents.
• Faculty and Staff: Those who are not employed by Johns Hopkins University; visiting faculty; temporary, limited, part-time, or casual employees; and those who are not benefits-eligible, are not eligible for this program.
• Students and Learners: Trainees, visiting scientists and researchers, undergraduates, and master’s students are not eligible for this program.
• Benefits-eligible School of Medicine fellows who receive their pay from a sponsoring institution, and are not paid by JHU, may have a conflict of interest with receiving child care voucher and/or scholarship funds. Contact your fellowship administrator to confirm. It is your responsibility to identify potential conflicts and decline to receive the funds as needed. Please notify [email protected] if you must decline due to conflict of interest.

International students here on a visa and individuals who do not have U.S. residency are eligible as long as they are otherwise in the eligible group and meet all other criteria. Individuals can check with their divisional administration about eligibility. As long as you are an enrolled student who meets the above criteria, you are eligible to participate.

The IRS requires that if you have a spouse or legal partner, they must be employed or enrolled in school at least 15 hours per week, be actively looking for work, or have documentation that a disabling condition prevents full-time caregiving, to qualify for this program. If your spouse or legal partner has a visa that does not allow them to work in the U.S., then actively looking for work in the U.S. is not an acceptable status, and you do not qualify for the voucher program. 

If your spouse receives an Employment Authorization Document, then this is a qualifying life event, and you must apply for the program within 30 days following receipt of their EAD.

For each additional pre-kindergarten child you have under the age of six, the AGI caps rise by $10,000. The IRS defines Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as gross income minus adjustments to income (AGI is line 11 on Form 1040.) Please review your family income and the award tier table above carefully.

Employees, please contact Benefits and WorkLife at 410-516-2000 or [email protected].

Students, please ask the divisional contact for your own school, listed below:

If you do not have a US tax form for the prior year, you may submit alternate documentation of income in the form of one of the options below. Documentation of spouse or domestic partner’s income is also required. If you have additional questions about alternate documentation, please contact (410) 516-2000 or [email protected].

• A letter from your supervisor, sponsoring organization, or national government stating your annual income. It must be on letterhead, be signed, and have legible contact information in case we need to verify income. In our experience, sponsoring organizations are happy to provide this type of letter.
• A W-2 or other annual income statement.

If someone else will claim the child as a dependent in the tax year of the award, then the child cannot be counted as your qualifying dependent, and you cannot receive voucher for that child. In order for you to receive the voucher for a child, you must claim that child as a dependent on your taxes in that award year.

The Child Care Voucher program is for care of dependents directly related to your work schedule (or school schedule for students). Dependents are those for whom you provide more than 50% of the financial support for the year. Eligible care is for dependent children up to the age of 6, who are not enrolled in kindergarten.

Child care vouchers can be used for any legal care, which includes licensed centers and family child care homes, as long as the caregiving individual claims the income on their taxes. To qualify, the care provider must claim the cost of care as taxable income.

The Maryland Family Network is the state expert in licensed child care, helping parents and caregivers navigate child care by providing information, tools, and support networks. Learn how to choose quality child care, or access the child care locate search to find child care that works for you and your family, where you can search all licensed child care programs near your home or work location and find immediate openings.

More information on finding child care is available on the HR website. For assistance finding state-licensed child care outside of Maryland, contact the Johns Hopkins Employee Assistance Program (JHEAP), 888-978-1262.

You must pay for care and provide documentation, such as a receipt, to receive the voucher. If your provider does not create receipts, you can use an alternative form, available on the WEX website.

No. Johns Hopkins University limits the use of child care vouchers to children up to age 6. However, if you are a full-time faculty, staff member, or SOM housestaff you may choose to use a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) for before/after school care costs. Employees see the DCFSA section for more information, and SOM housestaff contact [email protected].

Eligible expenses include paid child care provided during scheduled work or school-related hours. It must be for care during the parents’ work hours or school schedule. Examples include:

• Licensed day care centers and nursery schools;
• Family child care homes in which the caregiver reports payment as taxable income; or
• Individual caregivers who report your payments as taxable income, i.e. a neighbor, friend, or relative.

The following expenses do not qualify for the Voucher:

• Paid kindergarten;
• Before or after-care for children enrolled in kindergarten;
• Care during non-work or non-school related hours;
• Care that is unpaid or unreported as taxable income by the caregiver;
• Supplies, medical bills, or costs that are not for caregiving; and
• Tuition to hold a spot at a center.

If you have a spouse or legal partner, he or she must be employed or actively looking for work, enrolled in school, or have documentation that a disabling condition prevents full-time caregiving, to qualify for this program.

Just ask your provider. It is the responsibility of the caregiver to report care payments as income.

First, you must pay the center or care provider in full each month and obtain a receipt or documentation of payment. Then, submit your receipt each month to WEX to be reimbursed from your child care voucher fund. When you are approved for the voucher, your full award will be loaded into WEX for you to access up to two weeks after your award effective date. If you become eligible for the voucher with an effective date of February 1st through December 1st, the voucher award amount will be prorated.

See the “How to Spend Voucher Funds” tab above for more information.

Reimbursements can be expected 2-3 business days after your receipt has been uploaded to WEX. If you set up direct deposit, you will see those funds within 3-5 business days after your receipt has been uploaded. If you have not set up direct deposit, you will receive a paper check in the mail within 7-10 business days.

Visit your WEX dashboard to review the status of your reimbursement. Click here to create or log into your WEX online account, and beneath Participants, select “HSA, FSA, HRA/Wellness & Commuter Login.” Students who use the voucher are granted access to WEX as they are approved for funding.

You may only be reimbursed for care that occurs between your effective date and December 31 of the award year. People who apply mid-award-year due to a qualifying life event will have a mid-year effective date. You have until April 30 of the following year to submit any eligible expenses incurred during the prior calendar year.

Example: Parent elects child care voucher in October 2021 for the 2022 benefits period. Care provided during calendar year 2022 may be reimbursed, and parent must file receipts dated January 1, 2022-December 31, 2022 in WEX before April 30, 2023.

Vouchers are awarded on an annual basis, following the calendar year. You must apply during Annual Enrollment each fall, to qualify for funding the following year.

Applications are only accepted outside the annual enrollment period for new hires, new students, and those who have a qualifying life event, such as a birth, adoption, marriage, or a change in child care needs. Mid-year applications for voucher will be pro-rated according to your award effective date, then you may submit for reimbursements as care expenses are incurred through December 31st of the award year. Effective dates that crossover into the next calendar year are void. You must apply at annual enrollment for funding in the following calendar year.

• Newly Hired Employees: Apply for the voucher when you elect your benefits within 30 days of your hire date. Your voucher effective date will be the 1st of the month following completion of your 120 day probationary period, (90 days for bargaining unit).
• New Students/Learners: Apply for the voucher within 30 days of your enrollment date. Your voucher effective date will be the 1st of the month following completion of application and submission of all required documents.
• Qualifying Life Events: Birth, adoption, marriage, or a change in child care needs will allow you to enroll in the program outside of annual enrollment. You must enroll within 30 days of the life event and the benefit will become effective on the 1st of the month following the date of your life event.
• Mid-Year Student Enrollment Periods: There are three open enrollment periods for students. To receive a full-year of voucher funding in beginning January 1, you must apply in the preceding November. Additional enrollment periods occur during the months of February and September, to receive a prorated voucher award. Award effective dates for applications completed in the middle of the award year are March 1 and October 1, respectively.

If you apply mid-year, your voucher effective date will be the first of the month following the date of the following conditions for these circumstances:

• Newly Hired Employees: Apply for the voucher when you elect your benefits within 30 days of your hire date. Your voucher effective date will be the 1st of the month following completion of your 120 day probationary period, (90 days for bargaining unit).
• New Students/Learners: Apply for the voucher within 30 days of your enrollment date. Your voucher effective date will be the 1st of the month following completion of application and submission of all required documents.
• Qualifying Life Events: Birth, adoption, marriage, or a change in child care needs will allow you to enroll in the program outside of annual enrollment. You must enroll within 30 days of the life event and the benefit will become effective on the 1st of the month following the date of your life event.

If you become eligible for the Childcare Voucher with an effective date of February 1st through December 1st, the voucher award amount will be pro-rated based on your award effective date. The chart below outlines the pro-rated voucher amounts based on effective date.

If you receive a voucher effective January 1st and you experience a qualifying life event that changes your award tier in the middle of the year, such as the birth of a child, you will not receive another full voucher in addition to your initial award. Your initial award remains as-is, and the increase in your award is pro-rated based on the effective date of the new award. Depending on the effective date of your qualifying life event, you may receive little to no additional funds.

For example, if your initial award is $1,000 effective January 1st, and your tier changes to $2,500 effective July 1st due to a life event, you will receive an additional $250, for a total award of $1,250 for the year. The new award amount is pro-rated based on the effective date of your new award, and your initial award is deducted from the total.

Voucher funding is awarded per family/household, not per child or per parent. If you have multiple children, you cannot receive multiple voucher awards. However, for each additional pre-kindergarten child you have under the age of six, the AGI caps rise by $10,000. Five thousand dollars ($5,000) is the amount allowed by the IRS to be excluded from income per family, per calendar year, for employer-sponsored dependent care assistance. This total includes voucher, dependent care flexible spending and backup care earned benefit; and it is not adjusted to accommodate multiple dependents.

WEX will track your usage of the child care voucher in total with your DCFSA up to the maximum benefit of $5,000 annually. Funds in excess of $5,000 will be reported as taxable income. The $5,000 cap is aligned with IRS guidelines for non-taxable employer contributions to dependent care flexible savings accounts.

No. Voucher awards are limited to one award per family/household, not per spouse or per child. If you and your spouse are both approved for the voucher, you will receive one award for your family.

• If both spouses are faculty or staff, then the voucher will default to the parent who carries the child(ren) on their insurance.
• If one spouse is faculty/staff and one is a learner/student, then the voucher will default to the faculty/staff member.
• If both spouses are learners/students, then the voucher will default to whomever has an existing WEX account; if no account exists, then we will ask you which parent should administer the voucher for your family.

We understand that paying for child care can be challenging. Many families consider flexible work schedules, part-time care or other informal arrangements to find an affordable solution. We encourage you to use the Maryland Family Network’s child care locate search to find child care that meets your budget.

The Maryland State Department of Education offers financial assistance to eligible working families. For more information about the Maryland Child Care Scholarship, visit the MSDE website.

You may be eligible for the Johns Hopkins Child Care Scholarship if your child is enrolled at one of the three JHU partner centers. If you would like to join the waitlist to enroll your child at one of our partner centers, read more here.

Yes. Eligibility is not affected by participation in other programs. If you are receiving assistance from the Child Care Scholarship, the state of Maryland, or another private or public funding source outside of JHU, you are still eligible for the child care voucher.

Yes, however, the combination of tax-free benefits from the Child Care Voucher, the DCFSA, and Backup Care through Care@Work cannot exceed $5,000 per year. You are responsible for monitoring your usage of these funds at WEX and Care.com. Five thousand dollars ($5,000) is the combined total allowed by the IRS per family, per calendar year, for employer-sponsored dependent care assistance. This total is per family, not per parent, for the pre-tax voucher. If you exceed $5,000 in any calendar year, the excess funds are reported as taxable income.

For more information about the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account:

• Full-time faculty or staff should visit the DCFSA webpage, or contact [email protected] 
• SOM housestaff should contact [email protected]
• Salaried postdoctoral fellows should contact [email protected]
• Medical and doctoral students and non-salaried postdocs are not eligible for the DCFSA

For more information about Backup Care, available at a reduced rate for staff, faculty and students according to specific eligibility guidelines, visit the Backup Care webpage.

No, you cannot receive a second voucher award. If you move to a new position that is also JHU benefits-eligible, then your original voucher award carries over. The voucher is an annual award, so if your family’s income did not decrease, then your award will not change. Only if your family’s income decreases, then your award tier can be reassessed.

If you move to a new position that is not JHU benefits-eligible, then your voucher award will become ineffective on your date of separation.

Your federal income tax return indicates your AGI. It is on line 11 if you filed a Form 1040 or 1040-SR.

We understand and accept that a new dependent might not be claimed on last year’s tax forms. When enrolling for the Child Care Voucher, the system will request documentation of your new dependent. If you have not yet received a copy of your child’s birth certificate, dated live hospital discharge papers are acceptable.

You must provide a copy of your most current, complete, US federal 1040 tax form that lists your dependent(s). Your family’s annual adjusted gross income, (line 11 on the IRS 1040) determines your award.  If you have a spouse or domestic partner, their income must be included.

• If you and your spouse were married filing separately, BOTH tax forms are required.
• If you filed as Head of Household and have a spouse or domestic partner living in your home who contributes to household or child care expenses, BOTH of your tax forms are required.

ONLY if you have never completed US taxes, may you submit alternative documentation. Documentation is required for both you and your spouse or domestic partner, unless you are single or divorced. If you have additional questions about alternate documentation, please contact (410) 516-2000 or [email protected]. Accepted alternative income documentation includes:

• A letter from your supervisor, sponsoring organization, or national government stating your annual income. It must be on letterhead, be signed, and have legible contact information in case we need to verify income. In our experience, sponsoring organizations are happy to provide this type of letter.
• A W-2 or other annual income statement.
• If your spouse/domestic partner is enrolled in school, then proof of enrollment for at least 15 hours per week, as well as stipend or income statement if any.

For those who receive a W-2 from the university: You are allowed to exclude from income up to $5,000 of employer-provided, dependent care assistance in any taxable year, in combination with your dependent care flexible spending account and backup care earned benefit. These child care dollars are considered employer-provided dependent care assistance. The maximum amount that may be excluded from income is $5,000 from all sources. Refer to IRS Publication 503, IRS Form 2441, and IRS Form 2441 Instructions for guidance pertaining to child and dependent care expenses.

For students who do not receive a W-2 from the university: The child care dollars awarded to you are taxable. It is your responsibility to claim these funds when filing your tax return.

For students who are non-resident aliens and receive a W-2 from the university: The child care dollars are not taxable income. You do not need to claim these child care dollars when filing your tax return (1040NR).

For students who are non-residents and do NOT receive a W-2 from the university: The child care dollars awarded to you are taxable. The university is obligated to report and withhold (14%) on the child care dollars awarded to you. To determine your residency status, you may be required to complete a Foreign National Information Form (FNIF).

If you need tax help, eligible employees and students may receive financial and tax services through the Johns Hopkins Employee Assistance Program (JHEAP). Call 888-978-1262 to request services or visit CCA@YourService – company code: JHEAP for additional online resources.

Eligibility for childcare voucher and scholarship is determined primarily by family income (AGI). If you experienced a qualifying life event that has caused your AGI at the time of this application to be lower than your AGI from your taxes last year, you will need to provide additional documentation. Approved Life Events included: divorce or separation, change in student status, death of a spouse or partner, or spouse job loss or layoff. Documentation is required in all cases. Please refer to the list below for acceptable documentation. When entering your AGI in the application, you should enter your revised AGI based on the life event experienced.

In order to be considered, the revised AGI must fall within the income ranges for eligibility. Families whose AGI is outside of the stated ranges are not eligible. You will still need to submit the required tax documents and dependent verification if your income circumstances last year are different from this year.

Additional Required Documents:

• Divorce or separation – 1. Official court document on letterhead or court stationery, must clearly state the effective date; 2. Proof of applicant’s wages (i.e. W-2, Box 1). Temporary separation can only be considered if the separated spouse is not contributing whatsoever to child care or household expenses. 
• Death of spouse or partner – 1. Death certificate; 2. Proof of applicant’s wages (i.e. W-2, Box 1)
• Job loss or layoff – 1. Employer’s letter on letterhead outlining terms of layoff; 2. Proof of unemployment benefits; 3. Proof of family’s wages (i.e. W-2, Box 1)
• Change in student status – 1. Official enrollment or transcript to demonstrate student status, and wage/stipend statement if any; 2. Proof of family’s wages (i.e. W-2, Box 1)

Yes. If your family’s AGI changes at any point in the award year and becomes lower than your AGI at the time of application, this is a qualifying life event that allows you to resubmit your application and provide new documentation. Reasons for this change include divorce or separation, change in student status, death of a spouse or partner, job loss or layoff; as well as a more recent, completed tax filing. Documentation is required. If approved, your award will be incrementally adjusted according to the pro-rated voucher amounts based on effective date. In the application, select the proper life event, “A change in child care needs,” or “Other.”

Hopkins must report all of the dependent care assistance provided to you in Box 10, whether you spend it or not. When completing your tax returns, you can enter any amount you forfeited or didn’t spend, which is then excluded. Refer to IRS Publication 503, IRS Form 2441, and IRS Form 2441 Instructions for guidance pertaining to child care and dependent care expenses.

There is no wait list however, there are defined enrollment periods. Refer to the FAQs about funds to read about enrollment periods.

Vouchers are awarded on an annual basis, following the calendar year. You must apply during Annual Enrollment each fall, to qualify for funding the following year.

Faculty and Staff apply in myChoices Benefits Enrollment.

Students and Learners apply in the OnBase form.

Applications are only accepted outside the annual enrollment period for new hires, new students, and those who have a qualifying life event, such as a birth, adoption, marriage, or a change in child care needs. You must apply within 30 days following the date of your life event. Mid-year applications for voucher will be pro-rated according to your award effective date, then you may submit for reimbursements as care expenses are incurred through December 31st of the award year.