Rule 3337-40-16 | Educational benefits for qualified dependents.
The version of this rule that includes live links to associated resources is online at
https://www.ohio.edu/policy/40-016.html
(A) Overview
This policy provides benefits to eligible employee's domestic partners, spouses, and children, whether the employee is active, on approved leave, retired, on disability retirement, laid-off, or deceased, regarding participation in the Ohio university educational benefits program.
(B) Eligibility
For dependents of employees to receive benefits under this policy, they must meet the requirements for employees, dependents, and courses and fees listed in paragraphs (B)(1) to (B)(3) of this policy.
This policy does not apply to any dependent of an employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement or any dependent of a retiree or deceased former employee whose final active employment by the university was covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Those employees should refer to the current applicable bargaining agreement for their eligibility.
(1) Employees
Eligible employees are defined under policy 40.015, and active employees must be on the payroll by the first day of the academic term.
(2) Dependents
(a) Eligible dependents include:
(i) Legally married spouse,
(ii) Domestic partner (subject to policy 40.013),
(iii) Biological, legally adopted, or legal guardianship children of the employee, employee's spouse, or employee's domestic partner.
(b) If an employee is affected by a reduction-in-force, qualified dependents remain eligible based on the employee's eligibility, as defined in policy 41.015.
(c) No standing is necessary for the original awarding of this benefit except that the student must meet the admission requirements.
(3) Courses and fees
The program applies only to courses offered for credit by Ohio university.
To receive the benefit, a dependent of an eligible employee does not need to be a full-time student and may take as many undergraduate or graduate courses as academically permissible.
The educational benefit represents one hundred percent of the instructional and non-residency fees when applicable. These are pro-rated for qualified dependents of part-time employees, according to the employee's full-time equivalency, as described for the employee in policy 40.015.
Benefits may be subject to withholding taxes under regulations of the internal revenue service. For more information, please see the link provided at https://www.ohio.edu/hr/benefits/educational-benefits.
Fee structures of the university are subject to change without notice at the university's discretion.
The educational benefit covers the instructional and non-residency fees (when applicable) per semester for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. Graduate and medical program educational benefits are limited to full time (nine to eighteen credit hours) Athens campus comprehensive graduate fees.
(C) Additional information
Benefits
Benefits under this policy shall not be applicable to non-credit courses and workshops, audited courses, courses, or programs delivered with an outside vendor who has not agreed to waive applicable fees, or special course fees.
Any unit offering courses or programs to be delivered in partnership with an outside vendor shall promptly identify those courses or programs to university human resources (UHR), so that benefits will not be provided under this policy. UHR shall inform employees by ensuring that the information is available online, linked through https://www.ohio.edu/hr/benefits/educational-benefits
Courses and programs that are unique in structure and fee arrangements will be identified by the sponsoring departments. Educational benefits for these programs are limited to the maximum full-time instructional fee rate allowed for a regular program.
(D) Application process
The employee's application for the dependent(s) participation in the educational benefit program must be submitted annually using the "Educational Benefits Request Form." The employee and the applicant must each sign the completed form and return the signed form to UHR.
The employee should submit an application as soon as possible after the dependent is admitted to the university to ensure the credit is applied correctly for the dependent's first semester of enrollment.
The version of this rule that includes live links to associated resources is online at
https://www.ohio.edu/policy/40-016.html
Last updated May 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Supplemental Information