Tuition Exemption
Washington state employee tuition exemption
Eligible University and state of Washington employees may enroll for and receive a tuition exemption for up to six credits each quarter, provided they enroll on a space-available basis. Eligible students are allowed to enroll for more than six credits and will be charged tuition accordingly for the additional credits. Tuition-exempt students may register beginning the third day of the quarter (UW staff and faculty) or the fourth day of the quarter (all others). If students are registered before tuition exemption is applied, they will be asked to drop their courses and re-register the third or fourth day of the quarter. Any credits in excess of six are subject to the same “space available” registration dates.
Space-availability applies to degree programs as well as courses, and fully enrolled programs may not have space to accommodate students using the tuition exemption. Also, certain schools or majors may be limited or have exclusions to the tuition exemption program, please see the program restrictions listed below.
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Restrictions
Certain restrictions apply to the following programs:
Who is Eligible?
The University’s Tuition Exemption Policy is governed by Chapter 28B.15.558 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and UW Administrative Policy Statement 22.1.
For questions about if your position is eligible to participate in the tuition exemption program, please contact the Professional & Organizational Development (POD) office at pod@uw.edu, and include your Employee Identification Number (EIN) and quarter you wish to attend in your email. The Registration Office cannot determine an employee’s eligibility for this program.
University of Washington Employees
Professional staff, faculty and permanent classified staff who meet all of the following criteria are eligible to participate in the Tuition Exemption Program:
- Employed half-time or more;
- Employed on the first day of the quarter;
- Paid monthly (except for employees in the Print Plant Craft Bargaining Unit) and not hourly; and
- For classified staff new to the University, have completed the probation period prior to the first day of the quarter.
State of Washington Employees
State of Washington employees who are employed half time or more and who meet one of the following criteria are eligible to participate in the Tuition Exemption Program:
- The employee is not a University of Washington permanent classified or contract state employee employed half-time or more; or
- The employee is a permanent classified or exempt paraprofessional employee of technical colleges employed half-time or more; or
- The employee is a faculty member, counselor, librarian, or exempt employee at another state of Washington public higher education institution; or
- The employee is a K-12 instructor.
Eligible state employees must hold this status on the day the exemption form is approved and must be in that status on the first day of the quarter for which the tuition exemption is granted.
Steps to Apply
- Apply for admission (you will be required to pay the application fee) and be accepted into a University Program, apply as a non-matriculated student, or reapply as a returning former student. Admission is based on program approval. If you are interested in a Graduate Program, contact their office to determine if the program is eligible for tuition exemption and for steps to apply.
- Request Tuition Exemption.
Your request for tuition exemption must be submitted by the quarterly deadline listed in the Academic Calendar.
Fees
- A $30 non-refundable registration fee and any additional tuition for credits over 6 will be billed to the employee’s student account upon registration and is due on tuition due date (3rd Friday of the quarter).
- A $25 late registration fee will be assessed if the student initially registers for the quarter on or after the eighth calendar day of that quarter. A $75 late registration fee will be assessed if the student initially registers for the quarter on or after the 15th calendar day of that quarter.
- A $20 fee will be charged for all registration changes made on a single day beginning the eighth calendar day of the quarter.
- Tuition Exempt students must pay the quarterly Technology Fee.
- If a student using the Tuition Exemption withdraws from a quarter, the tuition exemption may be removed and regular tuition forfeiture charged to the student.
- Under the University of Washington’s Internal Revenue Code, University of Washington employees who are taking non-job-related graduate courses are subject to taxation if the amount of the tuition exemption exceeds $5,250 in a year. Please read Employee’s Tuition Exemption Tax Withholding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register at the University of Washington Bothell?
After the tuition exemption request has been received by the Office of the Registrar, you can register on MyUW on or after the appropriate registration eligibility dates. See the Academic Calendar for specific registration dates. Course enrollment is not permitted prior to the appropriate space-available eligibility date for all courses when using a tuition exemption. However, students may attend classes with instructor permission prior to their registering during the first week of the quarter. Students registering before the assigned tuition exemption registration date will not be permitted to convert to the tuition exemption program and will be required to pay regular tuition for all registered credits.
Do I need to apply for Tuition Exemption each quarter?
Yes, A separate Tuition Exemption Form must be submitted each quarter to be eligible for the tuition exemption. Forms must be submitted no later than two (2) weeks or (10) business days before the start of the quarter. We accept forms by mail, in person, or emailed to uwbreg@uw.edu.
If I will be taking more than 6 credits and paying the tuition myself, can I register for those credits early?
No. If you’re using the Tuition Exemption Program, you must wait to register for all courses until your assigned registration date- either the third or fourth day of the quarter.
Are there courses that are not covered by the Tuition Exemption?
Generally, all state funded courses 599 and below are covered. Check with the school or your adviser to verify that the course you wish to take is eligible. Other courses that aren’t eligible:
- Fee based courses and degree programs
- Early start courses that begin and end prior to the beginning of the quarter
- Graduate-level independent study courses numbered 600, 700, and 800
- Independent study, thesis, dissertation, research internships, tutorials, private lessons, culminating projects or practicums
- Distance Learning courses
What if I need to withdraw from a quarter?
Withdrawing from a quarter may cause the tuition exemption to be cancelled and regular tuition forfeiture to be charged to the student. It is suggested that you explore other options such as Satisfactory/Non-Satisfactory grading if you are not going to be able to complete the quarter as planned.
What if I need to take a quarter off?
Subject to college, school and departmental enrollment policies, an undergraduate or non-matriculated student who has completed a quarter at the University of Washington Bothell may take the following quarter off and remain eligible to register for the subsequent quarter without submitting applications as a returning student. Students who have completed a quarter at the University but do not maintain continuous enrollment must submit a Returning Student Application by the published deadline.
Do I get all the same student services under the tuition exemption program?
Tuition-exempt students who register for 6 credits or less do not pay the student services fees and therefore are not entitled to services funded by those fees, such as those available from the ARC (Activities & Recreation Center), nor are they eligible to purchase tickets to athletic or performing arts events at student rates. Tuition-exempt students who do register in excess of 6 credits may use these services as long as they have a student ID card.
May I use the Libraries?
For participating UW employees, your Husky Card (faculty/staff identification card) may be used for library services. Participating Washington State employees may obtain ID cards for library services in Husky Hall.
Am I eligible for a UPASS?
Washington State employees exempt students may purchase a UPASS at the student rate from the Cashier’s Office.