Staff Tuition Benefit: Frequently Asked Questions

These frequently asked questions, combined with the information located on the staff tuition benefit forms, will answer most questions. If you have questions not answered on this page, please email us at hrinfo@uoregon.edu or call us at (541)346-3159.

• Approval forms for your family members should be submitted to Human Resources two weeks prior to the start of classes.
• If you are using your tuition benefit for yourself, you may submit your form up to two days prior to the start of classes.

You're eligible to use or transfer the tuition benefit if your UO employment begins on or before the first day of the academic term. Human Resources will send all approved staff tuition benefit forms to the Registrar’s Office before the first day of classes.

The University of Oregon reserves the right to deny staff tuition rates for late submission. If the form is submitted after the deadline above, it may be approved at the discretion of both the employing and enrolling campuses; employees with approved late submissions will be responsible for accrued interest and billing charges. Denials may be appealed to the university.

What are Staff Fee Benefits? How Do I Apply?

Who is eligible to use Staff Fee Benefits?

University of Oregon employees appointed at half time (.5 FTE) or more (not including temporary employees, graduate assistants, and other student employees) may register for courses at one qualifying university.

The reduced tuition benefit may be transferred to eligible family members including a spouse or domestic partner and their qualifying dependents. For each individual using the staff tuition benefit, all courses for that individual must be taken at one qualifying university. Faculty and Officers of Administration may use the benefit for a second child who attends the University of Oregon as long as both children are enrolled as undergraduates. Employees and family members may only use the benefit for a maximum of twelve credit hours per term. An employee’s course enrollments must be approved by an employee’s supervisor or manager and may not take precedence over the performance of an employee’s duties. UO students are responsible for registering for their own classes, regardless of any courses listed on the Staff Fee Form.

How do I enroll in Staff Fee Benefits?

To enroll in Staff Tuition Benefits, you must:

1. Contact your department to confirm that you have access to a Staff Fee Benefit for the term
2. Contact the Community Education Program to register for classes if you are not enrolled in a degree program.
3. Contact Admissions and/or the Graduate School to become a degree candidate.
4. Contact the Registrar's Office for registration information, academic calendar and more.

For faculty or OA staff members looking to enroll in a graduate program, you must obtain approval from the Graduate School of the campus where admitted to a Masters or Doctoral Program. Petitions for concurrent faculty/graduate student enrollment are reviewed by the Graduate School for issues of conflict of interest to ensure compliance with OAR 580-20-0050. In addition the Graduate School must sign a staff fee privileges form each term.

Do I need departmental approval to use my Staff Fee Benefit?

Yes. Your department or supervisor must approve your use of Staff Fee Privileges to ensure that your department and job duties will not be affected by the number of credit hours you request.

When are Staff Fee Benefits Approval Forms due?

Employees are required to submit Staff Fee Approval Forms prior to the first day of classes when taking classes themselves. The expected number of enrollments by staff and eligible family members each term requires a cutoff date to adequately complete processing. The deadline for staff members to submit Staff Fee Approval Forms is two days prior to the start of classes.

How do I check on the status of my form?

To see the status of your submission, log into forms.uoregon.edu and visit "My Documents." Under UO Forms (Set B), you can view the document and check its status.

You can also access the form link in the email notification you received from UO Forms (Set B) when you submitted your form.

To see the status for each signature when the document is pending, scroll to the bottom of the form and view the signature status column on the left-hand side of the screen. This may include a signature stamp, a request sent, or an unsent status. You can send a reminder email to the signers if necessary. For more information on the status of your Staff Fee Benefit, contact the HR Service Center at hrinfo@uoregon.edu. 

What is the staff fee rate for tuition?

The staff fee rate is 30% of resident undergraduate tuition.

If my employment with the UO is terminated AFTER my Staff Fee Benefits were approved, am I still eligible to use them?

You must be actively employed on or after the first day of class in order to receive the staff fee privileges for that term (even if Human Resources has approved your request). If your termination is effective prior to the first day of class, you will be assessed the full tuition amount if you continue to be enrolled in the class. 

This policy also applies if you have transferred your staff tuition to your spouse, dependents, spouse’s dependents, domestic partners and/or dependents of domestic partners.

What Can I Do with a Staff Fee Benefit?

Can I use my Staff Fee Benefit to pursue an advanced degree?

Yes. All University of Oregon employees may purse a graduate level degree. However, Instructors, Senior Instructors, Research Assistants, Research Associates, Assistant Professors, Professors or Officers of Administration, are required, every term, to obtain signed approval from the Graduate School if seeking to pursue an advanced degree at the University of Oregon. This approval process must be completed before submitting the Staff Fees Approval Form to Human Resources.

Can I use my Staff Fee Benefit to audit courses?

Yes. Staff members may audit courses in addition to using Staff Fee Privileges. Tuition and Mandatory Fees (programmatic, universal, building, health, incidental) are not assessed to courses audited by employees. However, any applicable course, lab or material fees associated with auditing for-credit classes will be assessed by the institution and is the responsibility of the employee or family member.

Employees or family members may audit classes on a space-available basis and are required to obtain the instructor’s consent. Courses approved for audit by the instructor confer no credit to the student. Institutions are required to maintain a record of the courses audited and staff members must indicate any audited courses being taken on the Staff Fees Privileges Approval Form each term. If auditing UO courses, auditors must also obtain and complete a UO auditor registration form from the UO Registrar's Office.

Does the Staff Fee Benefit apply to online classes?

Yes. Generally, on-line courses are treated the same as other classes. How a class is delivered is not a question that determines whether specific classes are included or excluded within a given program. However, certain Distance Education classes as well as other classes excluded from the reduced tuition benefit are identified on the list of excluded programs at the following link: https://brp.uoregon.edu/content/Tuition-and-Fees.

Are there any programs or classes excluded from the Staff Fee Benefit?

Yes. There are certain programs and classes that are excluded from the benefit. For a comprehensive list of classes and programs not eligible for the reduced tuition benefit, please go to: https://brp.uoregon.edu/content/Tuition-and-Fees.

What Tax Information Do I Need for My Staff Fee Benefit?

Are there other fees associated with using my Staff Fee Benefit?

Staff members are not assessed application, health services, building and incidental fees, and are therefore not eligible for services covered by these fees. No breakage or other deposit is required when registering for classes. However, employees are required to pay any applicable course fees, lab fees, payment deadline fees, registration fees, etc. A one-time matriculation fee also applies to employees admitted into a program. Fees assigned to participating self-support programs are paid by employees unless waived by the university.

What tax information do I need regarding my Staff Fee Benefit if my employment is terminated with the UO?

You are still responsible for the income tax liability on the difference between the reduced tuition benefit received and the full cost of tuition. The university will send you a letter requesting a tax payment if you have:

a) Exceeded the IRS annual limit of $5,250.00 for taking graduate courses
b) Transferred the staff fee to family members taking graduate courses
c) Transferred the staff fee to domestic partners and/or dependents of domestic partners who take either undergraduate or graduate courses.

If I am taking classes as a UO retiree, will I receive a Staff Fee Benefit? What tax information would I need?

Retirees are not taxed on tuition reductions when taking for-credit undergraduate courses or graduate courses taken to complete an undergraduate degree. Retirees are taxed on tuition reductions associated with for-credit graduate courses if the aggregate reduction for the class course work in a calendar year exceeds $5,250.

Can I Transfer My Staff Fee Benefit? Who Can I Transfer it to?

How does the UO define an eligible family member?

Per the Oregon Department of Justice, an eligible family member is defined as a spouse, dependent child of the employee or spouse, domestic partner or dependent child of a domestic partner and dependent qualifying relative (i.e., child over age 23, as well as brother, sister, niece, or nephew of employee taxpayer).You must certify that your family member is eligible on the Staff Fees Approval Form. For example, with regard to a spouse, you certify that you are legally married; for a domestic partner, you complete and submit an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership with the approval form or obtain a “Certificate of Domestic Partnership.” For a dependent child, you certify that the child or qualifying relative is your dependent, or the dependent of your spouse or domestic partner, for tax purposes. Note: You may be required to submit a copy of your last year’s tax return if asked to do so by the university.

How does the UO define "dependent" in terms of transferring the Staff Fee Benefit?

Staff Fee Privileges are transferable to eligible dependents of the employee, spouse, or domestic partner as defined in Internal Revenue Code Section 152. IRC Section 152 describes two types of dependents, a “qualifying child” and “qualifying relative.”

a) Qualifying child criteria: 23 years or younger, student, not disabled, lives w/parent (guardian) at least 6 months of the year or financially supported by parent (guardian) and is a dependent for tax purposes.
b) Qualifying relative criteria: 24 years or older, student, not disabled, lives w/parent (guardian) at least 6 months of the year or financially supported by parent (guardian) and is a dependent for tax purposes.

The Internal Revenue Service Code Section 152 and the University of Oregon generally define a dependent child, or “qualifying child,” as a son, stepson, daughter, or stepdaughter of the taxpayer (employee, spouse or domestic partner). Additionally, the criteria for “qualifying relative” applies to a child over age 23, as well as a dependent brother, sister, niece or nephew of the employee, spouse or domestic partner so long as they meet the IRS conditions for tax purposes as listed above.

Please consult an Oregon tax professional if you have any questions regarding whether or not your dependent meets the IRS qualifications. Note: A disabled “qualifying child” or “qualifying relative” who is a dependent for tax purposes of the employee, spouse or domestic partner, at any age, is eligible to receive the staff fee benefit.

What is the rate for Staff Fee Benefits available to a family member?

A qualified family member may use the benefit for a maximum of twelve (12) credit hours per term at the staff tuition rate. At the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Eastern Oregon University, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University and Western Oregon University; the family member staff fee rate is 30% of regular (not differential) resident undergraduate tuition for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Tuition rates vary by institution and should be confirmed with the institution where classes will be taken. Note: There is no tuition plateau available to family members using the staff fee rate.

How often do I have to renew the form transferring my Staff Fee Benefit to a family member?

The Staff Fee Privileges Approval Form for staff and family members must be completed each term. Family members’ completed approval forms must be submitted to Human Resources at least two (2) weeks before the first day of classes to ensure enrollment offices have them prior to the start of each term. When enrolling for undergraduate courses, the approval form may be turned in before a family member officially registers for classes.

Do I need departmental approval to transfer my Staff Fee Benefit to a family member?

No. You do not need department or supervisor approval to transfer staff fee privileges.

How Can I Use My Staff Fee Benefit for My Family?

Is my child eligible to use the Staff Fee Benefit to enroll in UO classes while still in high school?

Yes. If your dependent child meets the enrollment requirements of the university where classes are taken, he or she may use the reduced tuition up to the maximum of 12 credit hours per term.

How many people are allowed to use a Staff Fee Benefit in any given term? Can I transfer my benefit to more than one family member during a single term?

Faculty or Officers of Administration may transfer the benefit to a second child if one child attends the University of Oregon as long as the children are enrolled as undergraduates.

A maximum of twelve (12) hours per term may be used, and the benefit may not be subdivided between the employee and family members during a term.

Regarding transferring the benefit to a second child, unclassified employees may use the benefit for a second child who attends the University of Oregon.

Does the Staff Fee Benefit allow a family member to audit classes? What fees are associated with auditing?

Yes. Eligible family members may audit courses in addition to using transferred staff fee privileges during a term. Only one person in a family, including the staff member, may audit or use staff fee privileges during a term. Because universities track workload for audited courses, family members must provide a completed Staff Fee Privileges Approval form to the campus Human Resources Office in order to audit classes. Space availability and the instructor's approval are required just as they are for staff members.

If my spouse works at the UO, can we combine our Staff Fee Benefits?

No. An employee or transferee may use staff fee benefits only once per academic term, limited to twelve (12) academic credit hours per term.

Where Does My Staff Fee Benefit Apply?

Does my Staff Fee Benefit apply to other Oregon public universities?

Yes, your family member may use your staff fee privilege at any of the Oregon public universities with the exception of Oregon Health & Science University.

What are the residency requirements for Staff Fee Benefits? How do they apply if a family member does not meet residency requirements?

University of Oregon employees, who work at least half-time as well as their eligible family members, may enroll at the campus where courses are taken at the resident undergraduate rate. Staff fee privileges are not affected by residency.

For non-resident family members, Staff Fee Benefits are calculated as follows: staff fee rates for up to 12 credit hours per term are based on resident undergraduate rates for eligible, non-resident family members. A non-resident qualified family member or same- sex domestic partner enrolled for more than twelve (12) credits per term pays the campus resident rates for credits in excess of the allowable credit hours.

What Tax Information Do I Need if I Transfer My Staff Fee Benefit?

If I transfer my staff fee privileges, will it affect financial aid for my family member?

The value of the reduced tuition is considered a resource available to the family member and is added into the calculations for determining the total financial aid package. It may affect the type of award or amount of award given. Contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for more information.

Do student fees apply to family members using a Staff Fee Benefit?

Yes. Staff fee privileges reduce only tuition amounts for family members. Except for courses taken on audit status, all applicable student fees are charged to eligible family members using the transferred benefit.

How Can I Use My Staff Fee Benefit for My Domestic Partner?

How does withholding work when transferring a Staff Fee Benefit to my domestic partner?

The dollar value of the tuition reduction is reported to the University of Oregon, and taxes are withheld based on this “imputed income.” You do not see the tuition reduction as an increase in your paycheck; the tax withholding for the value of the benefit is all that is shown. State and federal income taxes, plus Social Security withholding, is taken on the value of the benefit for both undergraduate and graduate tuition for your domestic partner and dependents of domestic partners.

Same-sex domestic partners who take undergraduate classes are not subject to Oregon income tax on the imputed value of the benefit.

The University of Oregon will provide the amount of the imputed income withheld on the employee’s W-2 form. The employee is advised to seek tax advice regarding how to claim the associated Oregon income reduction.

Are my domestic partner's children eligible to take classes using my Staff Fee Benefit?

Yes. Your domestic partner’s children are eligible if they are considered your domestic partner’s dependents for tax purposes. You will pay state and federal withholding on the imputed value of the tuition benefit for both undergraduate and graduate tuition for a dependent child who is the natural or adopted child of your domestic partner. However, if your domestic partner’s child is also your child, or if you have adopted the child and are able to claim the child as a dependent on your tax return the tuition benefit is not taxed.

Are there fees associated if my domestic partner audits a course?

No. There are no fees assessed to audit a course. See information on fees applicable to family member who is auditing for-credit courses, above.