The MSU Board of Trustees has approved updates to the "Tuition Benefit Program" benefit (formerly Course Fee Courtesty), which helps employees reduce the tuition costs for their dependents pursuing a first bachelor's degree or an agriculture certificate at MSU. Key changes include eliminating previous waiting periods of up to five years for some employees and increasing the maximum credit limit to 134 credits to accommodate programs requiring more than 120 credits.

The program will be fully implemented by the Fall 2025 semester, providing time for system conversion and application process testing. The target launch date is August 1, 2025.

Employees hired into positions or who have appointments for more than 90% time for nine months or more are considered full-time.

Once your student is enrolled and registered for Fall 2025, submit your application through the EBS portal under "My Career and Training" > "Tuition Benefit." You only need to apply once unless your student withdraws from MSU and later needs to be re-enrolled.

No, you do not need to do anything.

No, the benefit is only available for MSU degree-granting bachelor’s programs and the agriculture technology certificate.

The student is not eligible for the benefit because it is available only for the first bachelor's degree, regardless of institution or time since completion.

The student can use the benefit for the remaining credits to complete their first bachelor’s degree (up to a maximum of 134 credits).

The student must enroll and register with Michigan State University and remain in good standing. If the student leaves and must be re-enrolled, the employee must complete the Tuition Benefit application again. 

The following support staff employees are eligible:

• full-time, benefit-eligible support staff
• those eligible by virtue of a collective bargaining agreement.

The following faculty/academic staff employees are eligible:

• full-time, benefit-eligible faculty and academic staff
• full-time, benefit-eligible executive managers

For administrative purposes, the appointment must begin by September 1 for eligibility for the Fall semester, by January 15 for eligibility for the Spring semester, or by June 1 for eligibility for the Summer semester.

1. If you have a tenure system or other continuing system appointment, and the change to less than full-time is temporary, your eligibility will continue.
2. If you have a continuing system appointment and the change to less than full-time is open ended, and you are not yet vested for retirement, your eligibility will end at the end of the semester during which the change to less than full-time is effective. (Open-ended appointments at less than full-time are not available in the tenure system.)
3. If you have a fixed-term appointment, your eligibility will end at the end of the semester during which the change to less than full-time is effective. 

No. The requirement of full-time status for the Tuition Benefit is based on percent employment only. Percent of pay during leaves of absence is distinct from percent employment. Thus, leaves at less than 90% pay and leaves without pay do not affect eligibility for the Tuition Benefit.

Yes. Your eligibility will end at the end of the semester during which you terminate or your last appointment ends, whichever is earlier.

You remain eligible in the following situations:

1. You are a recipient of Long-Term Disability.
2. If you die while actively employed or as a recipient of Long-Term Disability benefits.
3. If you die after becoming an official retiree of Michigan State University.

For individuals participating in the Tuition Benefit, a check is made once a semester to determine whether eligibility will be continued for the following semester. In all cases the determination is made based on approved personnel actions that have been entered into the HR/Payroll system prior to the check date.

The check dates are August 1 for Fall semester, December 1 for Spring semester, and May 1 for Summer semester eligibility.

If an employee is not eligible based on information in the system on the check date, the Tuition Benefit will stop at the end of the semester during which the check is made. The employee will be notified by e-mail that the Tuition Benefit will stop at the end of the current semester. If personnel actions that change an employee from non-eligible to eligible status are entered into the database after the check date, the employee must reapply for the Tuition Benefit. The employee must reapply regardless of the reason the personnel action was not in the HR/Payroll system.

Check for Fall semester: On August 1, if the faculty/academic staff member is employed full-time at any time during the August 16 through September 1 period according to the system, the Tuition Benefit will continue automatically. If not, the Tuition Benefit will stop at the end of the current Summer semester.

Check for Spring semester: On December 1, if the faculty/academic staff member is employed full-time at any time during the January 1 through January 15 period according to the system, the Tuition Benefit will continue automatically. If not, the Tuition Benefit will stop at the end of the current Fall semester.

Check for Summer semester: On May 1, if the faculty/academic staff member is employed full-time at any time during the May 16 through June 1 period according to the system, the Tuition Benefit will continue automatically.  If not, the Tuition Benefit will stop at the end of the current Spring semester.

Yes, student applicants must be admitted or readmitted to MSU in accordance with the normal requirements for admission or readmission. Students taking classes in a status that does not require admission to MSU (such as but not limited to, lifelong education, or guest student status) are not eligible for the Tuition Benefit.

The student must be enrolled in Agricultural Technology or a degree granting program leading to a first baccalaureate degree (exploratory preference major students are eligible).
OR
Undergraduate students may be accepted into certain graduate professional programs after two years of undergraduate work, or before completing work for a baccalaureate degree. In these cases, a student who is otherwise eligible for the Tuition Benefit (except for the switch from undergraduate to graduate professional status) will be granted the Tuition Benefit as a special exception, through the semester in which the 134^th post-high school credit is attempted.

Dependent Children: Any of the following individuals, up to the age of 26, provided they are enrolled as an MSU student by December 31 of the year they turn 26 and meet the criteria for dependency under federal income tax regulations: (1) a biological child, (2) a stepchild, (3) a legally adopted child, (4) a child under an eligible employee’s legal guardianship.

This definition is specific to this policy only and is not applicable in other policies and benefit programs.

Spouse: The legally recognized spouse of an eligible employee.

Credits attempted must total less than 134. Credits attempted will be calculated by adding to the student‘s total credits earned, which includes transfer credits, P grades and CR grades and the total of credits for repeated courses and/or for courses in which the student received a grade as indicated in the Academic Programs Catalog.

The Tuition Benefit covers part-time student credit loads as well as full-time student credit loads.

Your student must be registered and enrolled before you will be able to apply for the benefit. The application date guidelines are:

• June 1 for Fall
• October 1 for Spring
• March 1 for Summer

Applications submitted in accordance with the above guidelines will have the Tuition Benefit credit appear on the student‘s bill as a credit. Applications submitted after the guideline including applications submitted after the student has already registered, will be processed. However, the Tuition Benefit credit may not be shown on the student‘s current bill but will appear on a subsequent bill.

Application for the Tuition Benefit must be submitted using online application in the EBS Portal.

Once approved, the Tuition Benefit will continue automatically from year to year as long as the faculty/academic staff member, regular support staff, and student retain their eligibility as outlined in the Tuition Benefit Policy statement.

Please contact Julie Rorick at rorick@hr.msu.edu for further assistance.