Understanding the UNM Tuition Remission Policy
The University of New Mexico (UNM) offers a tuition remission policy to benefit eligible staff, faculty, retirees, and their dependents. This article provides a detailed overview of the policy, its eligibility requirements, application process, covered expenses, and potential tax implications.
Who Can Benefit?
The UNM Tuition Remission program extends benefits to several groups:
- Eligible UNM Staff, Faculty, and Retirees: This group can use Tuition Remission for Professional Development, Customized Training, Personal Enrichment, Online Classes, and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) classes.
- Dependents of Eligible Employees: The Dependent Education Program requires an application, with eligibility required for both the student and the employee. The award is not guaranteed.
- Spouses or Domestic Partners of Eligible Employees: They may receive resident tuition for up to four (4) credit hours per semester for UNM courses taken for academic credit, including graduate courses.
- Spouses and Domestic Partners of Retirees: They are eligible for up to four (4) credit hours of academic credit each semester.
Application Process for Dependents
For dependents seeking tuition remission, the following steps are crucial:
- Online Application: Complete the online Dependent Education Application by the Fall or Spring application deadline for best consideration. Applications received after the deadline will still be processed, but approval and awards may be delayed.
- Eligibility: Ensure that both the student (dependent) and the employee meet the eligibility requirements for the Dependent Education Program.
- Award Guarantee: Understand that the award is not guaranteed, even if all eligibility criteria are met.
How to Use Tuition Remission for Continuing Education
Eligible UNM staff, faculty, and retirees can utilize tuition remission for various continuing education opportunities:
- Benefit Amounts: The benefit is equivalent to 8 undergraduate credit hours (4 credit hours during the summer term) or a dollar amount equivalent to 3 undergraduate credit hours per calendar year.
- Eligible Programs: The benefit is applicable for programs with a start date between January 1 and December 31, 2026. For online, self-paced programs, the enrollment date must fall within these dates.
- Enrollment: Sign in as a returning visitor or sign up as a new user on the UNM Continuing Education platform.
- Payment: On the checkout page, under “Select payment method”, choose Tuition Remission and submit.
- Submission: Submit your Tuition Remission Form directly to UNM Continuing Education by 5:00 PM on the Enrollment Cancellation deadline date. Note that employee status does not exempt you from being canceled if the form is submitted late.
Important Considerations and Restrictions
Several important points must be considered when using tuition remission:
Read also: University Tuition Policies
- Monitoring Usage: Employees are responsible for monitoring their own use of tuition remission to ensure they do not exceed benefit limits and comply with the Tuition Remission Policy.
- Bursar Holds: UNM employees with Bursar holds on their accounts are ineligible for dependent education until the hold is released.
- Late Starting Courses: The list of sections being offered will be available the first Monday of November for Fall.
- Credit Hour Definitions:
- Full-time: 12 or more credit hours (Undergraduates/Non-Degree Fall/Spring Semesters)
- Three Quarter-Time: 9-11 credit hours (Undergraduates/Non-Degree Fall/Spring Semesters)
- Half-time: 6-8 credit hours (Undergraduates/Non-Degree Fall/Spring Semesters)
- Covered Expenses: Tuition Remission can only be used to pay for tuition, differential tuition, and mandatory student fees. It cannot be used for other costs like course fees, books, supplies, exams, travel, food, or lodging expenses.
- Other Institutions: The Tuition Remission benefit will not cover costs at other institutions other than those specifically stated in Section 3 of University Administrative Policy #3700.
- NMSU Courses: If completing a tuition remission request for courses at New Mexico State University (NMSU), you must complete the PDF Tuition Remission Form and include your NMSU ID on the top of the form, along with the UNM ID field.
Tax Implications
Understanding the tax implications of tuition remission is crucial:
- Taxable Income: According to University Administrative Policy #3700, item 3.5.1, if the amount of tuition paid during the calendar year exceeds the published IRS maximum amount, the excess will be added to the employee's wages as taxable income.
- Health, Fitness, and Personal Enrichment Programs: The value of these programs will be included in the employee's taxable income and be subject to withholding.
- Graduate Courses: If the amount of tuition and mandatory student fees paid during the calendar year for graduate courses exceeds the IRS maximum ($5,250 per calendar year), the excess will be added to the employee’s wages as taxable income.
- Tax Withholding: The amount of tax withheld depends on the individual's tax status as indicated on their W-4 form.
- Exceeding Credit Hour Limitation: Any amounts exceeding the semester credit hour limitation will be reported to the Bursar’s Office, and the excess amount will be charged to the employee's bursar’s account.
Specific Scenarios
- New Employees: To utilize the tuition remission benefit, new employees must be employed as of the last day to register for the applicable semester.
- Course Enrollment: Tuition Remission can only be used to pay for tuition, differential tuition, and mandatory student fees, and cannot be used to pay for other costs associated with courses including but not limited to course fees, books, supplies, or exams.
Benefits for Retirees
UNM retirees have distinct advantages under the tuition remission policy:
- Unlimited Benefits: UNM retirees are eligible for unlimited employee tuition remission benefits for academic credit and non-credit professional development courses.
- Health, Fitness, and Personal Enrichment: Retirees may also use tuition remission for health, fitness, and personal enrichment courses, subject to the credit hour limitations for the calendar year.
Read also: Understanding Drexel's Tuition Policy
Read also: Tuition Remission at USM
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