Tuition Remission, New Employee FAQs

Tuition Remission is a benefit that waives 50% to 100% of tuition for certain NYU courses taken by full-time, regular employees, their spouses or registered domestic partners, and their dependent children. (Refer to the Tuition Benefits plan documents for your employee code: Faculty or Employee.)

In order to be eligible for Tuition Remission you must be a full-time, regular employee in an eligible job category. Your spouse/registered domestic partner and dependent children (age 23 or younger as of the end of the calendar year) are also eligible to participate in the Tuition Remission Program. Retired employees who meet University eligibility requirements and retirement criteria are eligible for the same Tuition Remission benefits for which they were eligible immediately prior to retirement. Certain former employees and their dependents who meet the service and eligibility requirements may be eligible for Tuition Remission (see Separation Policy).

You must be accepted and matriculated in an NYU degree, maintain the same academic standards as any other applicants or students, and must comply with all student rules and regulations. Certain waiting periods may apply.

Tuition Remission covers 50% to 100% of tuition, the largest expense of attending NYU. For employees, the benefit will also cover 50% of the course registration fees. Spouses/registered domestic partners and dependents will pay 100% of the course registration fees. In addition, you are responsible for service fees, or any other incidental expenses. (Refer to the Tuition Benefits plan documents for your employee code: Faculty or Employee.)

When you apply for Tuition Remission for your spouse, registered domestic partner, or dependent child (age 23 or younger as of the end of the calendar year) for the first time, be prepared to provide a copy of their birth certificate, your marriage certificate or domestic partnership registration as proof of the relationship. You may register your domestic partner with the NYU Benefits Office, if you have not already done so. Their Social Security number will also need to be on record. Note: Employees using the Tuition Remission benefit for spouses and children must add them as dependents in the Benefits Resource Center even if they are not enrolling them in any other benefits.

When you apply for Tuition Remission for your dependent child for the first time, be prepared to submit a copy of their birth certificate and proof of dependency (e.g. a tax return). Note: A dependent child (age 23 or younger as of the end of the calendar year) means your biological or legally adopted child, your stepchild, or the child of a registered domestic partner whom you claim as a dependent when filing income tax.

Special Student Status may be granted when your acceptance into a degree program is pending, because

• Prerequisite course work is needed and these prerequisite courses will be taken as a Special Student.
• Additional paperwork is needed to complete your application for matriculation into a degree program.

Tuition Remission eligible employees and their spouses/registered domestic partners are granted nine credits of tuition remission per term (or the equivalent of nine credits for non-credit courses at SCPS), for a total of 27 per academic year. The employee or spouse/partner may carry over up to three unused credits from one term to the next within the same academic year, providing that the total for the academic year (September 1-August 31) does not exceed 27. The summer is counted as one semester for Tuition Remission purposes, although individual schools may divide it into a number of sessions for course scheduling.

Any credit limits stated may be superseded by a regulation of a particular department, school, or college that permits fewer credits.

Only credits earned but not used may be carried over. There can be no borrowing of a future term's credits.

Three unused credits from the fall may be carried over to the nine for the spring for a total Tuition Remission benefit of 12 for the spring term. Three unused credits from the spring may be added to the summer 9 credits for a total of 12 for the summer term. Unused credits from the summer may not be carried over to the fall because the fall is a new academic year.

You, your spouse, or your registered domestic partner, and your dependent children may use Tuition Remission for eligible degree programs at NYU.

In addition, as an employee, you may receive full or partial Tuition Remission for diploma programs, certificate programs, approved work-related courses, and non-credit non-work-related programs at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). You are also eligible for Tuition Remission for certificate and diploma programs at degree-granting schools.

Exclusions:
Tuition Remission is not available for courses in the School of Law, School of Medicine, Post Graduate Medical School, Stern School of Business (except the Langone part time MBA program which is available to employees but not spouses, registered Domestic Partners, dependent children and retirees), or for certain courses in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). Tuition Remission is not available at the College of Dentistry, except for the AAS in Dental Hygiene, BS in Dental Health Education, MS in Biomaterials, MS in Clinical Research, and MS in Bio/Oral Bio Programs.

Whether the Tuition Remission benefit is taxable is based upon the Program in which you or your eligible family member is enrolled, according to IRS regulations.

In general, you do not have to pay income tax on Tuition Remission benefits for undergraduate degree programs for yourself, your spouse and your dependent children (age 23 or younger as of the end of the calendar year). 

Because the IRS does not recognize the tax exemption of benefits extended to domestic partners, all Tuition Remission for registered domestic partners and their dependent children is considered taxable.

Under IRS regulations, up to $5,250 per year of graduate Tuition Remission benefits for employees are non-taxable. This means the first $5,250 of your graduate tuition costs will not be taxed. Anything over $5,250 will be considered taxable income, and the tax on the value of the benefit will be withheld from your paycheck. If the graduate level course work is job-related, it will be excluded from taxable income.

Under IRS regulations, any graduate-level Tuition Remission benefits for a spouse/ registered domestic partner, or dependent children are fully taxable.

NYU employees can apply for Tuition Remission online through the Tuition Remission System and process requests for themselves or eligible family members. To find the Tuition Remission System, log on to home.nyu.edu, click on the Work tab, then log in to Administrative Systems. The Tuition Remission System can be used to apply for degrees at all NYU schools and programs eligible under Tuition Remission, with the exception of SCPS non-credit courses. Employees still need to submit a paper Tuition Remission Form for SCPS non-credit courses.

Former NYU employees and Retirees still need to use a paper Tuition Remission Form.

If the link to the Tuition Remission System is not displayed on the Administrative Systems screen, you will need to contact ITS Client Services at (212) 998-3333.

Note: You will need to allow at least one business day after registration (two days if you are a Stern Graduate Student) before applying for Tuition Remission.