Employee Tuition Assistance Benefit
Visit Employee Services for all instructions, forms and deadlines.
Overview of the Tuition Assistance Benefit (TAB)
The Tuition Assistance Benefit (TAB) is a CU systemwide program that helps support continued learning for eligible employees and their dependents. TAB provides up to 12 waived credits per academic year for employees, while dependents may receive either waived credits or a 40% tuition discount, depending on the campus and benefit option selected. The benefit applies directly to tuition and cannot be issued as cash. Students are responsible for all campus fees and additional educational costs.
TAB can be used at CU Boulder, CU Denver, CU Anschutz, and UCCS for eligible undergraduate and graduate coursework. A new application is required each semester, and employees and dependents must meet CU’s benefit eligibility requirements outlined in APS 5024.
Application Requirements
- A new TAB application must be submitted each semester for both employees and their dependents who plan to use the benefit.
- Submit through the Employee Portal, following the deadlines for the campus of enrollment.
Admissions and TAB applications can be submitted simultaneously, but all individual deadlines must be met.
Employee Eligibility
Employees must meet all the following criteria to qualify for TAB:
- Hold a regular, non‑temporary position
- Work 20 hours or more per week (50% or greater appointment)
- Be in an eligible job code
- Maintain an active appointment through the TAB application close date for the campus of enrollment.
If an employee is eligible for CU medical benefits, they are typically eligible for TAB as well.
Dependents must undergo Dependent Eligibility Verification (DEV) where required and must remain under the same dependent option (A or B) for the full academic year (fall–summer).
TAB Benefit:
- Eligible employees may receive a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition (space-available basis) each academic year.
- Employees already enrolled full-time can use the benefit during the fall or spring semester.
- Mandatory student fees and other applicable education costs still apply. You will log in to UCDAccess to see your bill.
- Employees can use the benefit on any University of Colorado campus (excluding Continuing Education, audited courses, extended studies, Outreach Programs, Study Abroad, and/or noncredit courses).
- Employees must reapply for the benefit every semester or term.
- Employees and dependents can use the Tuition Assistance Benefit simultaneously in the same academic year and during the same semester.
Please visit Tuition Assistance Benefit Highlights for Employees on the Employee Service Tuition Assistance website for more information.
TAB Options for Dependents of CU Employees
Dependents must select Option A or B at the beginning of the academic year, and the option applies for the entire year (Fall → Summer) for all dependents of that employee.
Please visit Dependent Options on the Employee Service Tuition Assistance website for full details.
Option A - Home Campus
The dependent attends the same campus where the employee works.
University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz, University of Colorado Colorado Springs: Eligible to waive up to 12 credits per academic year.University of Colorado Boulder: Eligible to receive a 40% tuition discount each semester throughout the academic year.
System Administration: If dependents attend the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, they are eligible to waive up to 12 credits per academic year. If they attend the University of Colorado Boulder, they are eligible to receive a 40% tuition discount each semester throughout the academic year (you must apply each semester).
Dependents may take eligible undergraduate and graduate courses.
Option B - Other Campus
Dependent attends the University of Colorado campus other than the campus where the employee works.
All Campuses: The employee may receive $270 per credit hour for up to 12 credits ($3,240) per academic year to apply to their dependent's tuition.
Dependents may take eligible undergraduate courses.
Course and Program Eligibility
Courses must have a “University of Colorado Denver Main Campus” designation to qualify for TAB. You can verify this in the course details or through Class Search.
Courses Not Eligible
The following CU Denver | Anschutz course types do not qualify for TAB:
- Continuing Education courses
- Audited courses
- Extended Studies (D2)
- Outreach Programs
- Study Abroad
- Noncredit courses (D3)
Additional CU Denver | Anschutz Employee Usage Rules
- Employees may not participate in concurrent registration with other CU campuses.
- Coursework must be taken outside scheduled working hours, unless the employee’s department approves an adjusted work schedule of equivalent hours.
- Employees classified as nonresident undergraduates cannot enroll in more credit hours than those covered by TAB in any given semester.
- Employees who are enrolled full-time can use the benefit during the fall or spring semesters.
Professional Programs Not Eligible
Students enrolled in the following CU Denver | Anschutz programs are not eligible for TAB:
- School of Dental Medicine
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy
- School of Medicine
College of Nursing (CU Anschutz)
Nursing courses delivered through the Extended Studies Campus are not eligible for TAB.
Timing of Tuition Waiver and Payment of Student Fees
Once you register for classes following the appropriate employee or dependent guidelines, the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Bursar’s Office will verify your eligibility and apply the Tuition Assistance Benefit (TAB) to your student account before the published billing deadlines. You can view your bill and pay any required student fees through the UCDAccess student portal.
Bill and Payment Dates
The Bursar's office begins processing these requests on the first day of classes, when enrollment opens for employee tuition assistance beneficiaries.
Dependent Waivers - Tuition waivers for dependents will be applied to the bill before the first billing due date of the term (please review our billing calendar for specific term dates), provided all employee, dependent, and course eligibility requirements are met.
Dependents attending CU Denver | Anschutz are responsible for paying the same fees as all other students. Additional details are available in the Tuition & Fee tables.
Employee Waivers - Tuition waivers for employees will be applied to the bill before the second due date of the term (please review our billing calendar for specific term dates), once all eligibility requirements are confirmed.
The tuition waiver (reduction) appears on the student bill as “Employee Tuit Waiver...” or "Empl Tuit Wv...".
Benefits will be applied to your student account no later than:
| Fall Term | Spring Term | Summer Term |
|---|---|---|
| September 30th | February 28th | June 30th |
Please review the add/drop date of the semester if you do not plan to take a course for which you requested TAB, as you may remain financially responsible for dropped courses.
Student Fees
TAB applies only to tuition. It does not cover student fees or other educational costs. Eligible Colorado resident undergraduates will see the College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend subtracted before the waiver is applied.