1. Division of Human Resource Services
  2. Current Employees
  3. Benefits
  4. Tuition Waivers
  5. Faculty and Staff Waiver

Faculty and Staff Waiver

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for a tuition waiver, you must:

  • Meet admission standards.
  • Be employed for a full-time equivalent of 50% or more in a status position.
  • Have an initial date of employment on or before the 30th calendar day following the scheduled beginning of the academic term involved, or the last day of registration, whichever is earlier.

Exceptions

  • If you have the rank of assistant professor or above, you may not pursue a graduate degree or certificate of advanced studies in your teaching field during your appointment.
  • Your spouse or domestic partner is not eligible for a tuition waiver.
  • The interdisciplinary Ph.D. in health sciences has a separate tuition remittance program.

Number of Classes

You can obtain a waiver for a certain number of credit hours each academic year, which consists of a fall, spring, and summer session. You don't have to attend the entire year to qualify for a waiver. The number of credit hours you're eligible for depends on your employment status:

  • Full-time employee: up to 20 hours
  • 3/4-time employee: up to 15 hours
  • 1/2-time employee: up to 10 hours

If you don't work full time during the summer, the maximum number of hours may be determined by the employment rate of either the summer or the semester immediately preceding the summer, whichever results in the higher waiver.

Covered Costs

  • The tuition waiver covers tuition, including differential tuition, up to the limit for your employment status. Course delivery fees (i.e. off-campus, online courses, etc.) and material fees are not covered.
    • Refer to "Class Notes" or "Finances" in MyNIU to see fees related to a particular course.
    • See Waivers and Scholarships for more information.
    • For a listing of common charges that students may incur at NIU see Fees and Common Charges (this is not an inclusive list).
  • If you enroll in more credit hours than your waiver covers, you're responsible for the additional cost.
  • Please note: If your tuition waiver for graduate and law level classes exceeds $5,250 in a calendar year, it's subject to employment taxes. You must report it as taxable wages on your W-2. The IRS requires NIU to withhold applicable state and federal income taxes on any taxable employee tuition waivers. We'll withhold federal and state income taxes in accordance with the W-4 form we have on file for you.

How to Apply

Civil Service, Supportive Professional Staff and Faculty Members of NIU who wish to attend classes at NIU complete the Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver.

Submit completed applications by the following deadlines:

  • March 1 - (Spring semester)
  • July 15 - (Summer semester)
  • October 1 - (Fall semester)