1A: An Academic Year begins in the Fall and runs through the Summer. A staff member may qualify for up to twelve (12) credit hours of approved study per academic year, not to exceed six (6) credit hours in a single academic semester or term.

2A: The maximum amount of reimbursement is based off of UNI's tuition rate. Please review the maximum rates for the most recent academic year.

3A: Electronic university bills (u-bills) are generated on the 1st of each month and they are due by the 20th of the same month. Each semester your u-bill will reflect the total amount of tuition and mandatory fees. For program participants who enroll in the Employer Reimbursement Deferred Payment Option, late fees will be imposed the month immediately following the last month of the term. Ensure that all tuition & mandatory fees are paid in full by the end of the term to avoid potential late fees. Please contact the Office of Business Operations at 319-273-2164 or student.accounts@uni.edu regarding questions on your student account.

4A: Once final grades are available in the Student Information System (SIS) for verification, Human Resource Services (HRS) will submit the request for reimbursement to Financial Aid for processing. Please allow for up to two weeks for the reimbursement request to be fully processed by Financial Aid.

5A: Please send a copy of your official final grades and a copy of an official receipt showing the tuition only cost for the course without fees to HRS. Both documents must have the staff member’s name included on the document. PDF document format is acceptable when submitting to HRS.

6A: The Program is for qualified tuition-only costs only, expenses for books and additional fees are not covered under the Program.

7A: Yes, a staff member may receive other financial aid from sources other than non-Program University funds. It is important to remember the Program will only reimburse the remaining tuition-only costs.

8A: The Program does not provide funding for courses determined to be a requirement of the Merit or Professional & Scientific staff member's current University position and the employing department is responsible for funding the tuition and any additional costs of study associated with such.

9A: Each year, regardless of prior participation, a signed and approved Annual Application form for the upcoming Academic Year must be received by HRS no later than July 1. Annual Applications are required to help determine award approvals for an entire Academic Year. Annual awards guarantee approval of funding for an entire Academic Year in lieu of semester by semester approvals which can make the staff members planning of both school and work schedules more difficult.

10A: Approvals for the upcoming Academic Year will be communicated shortly after the July 1 application deadline.

11A: Applications can be submitted after the July 1 deadline. Application approvals will be determined within the limits of the budgeted Program funds. Staff members who do not meet the July 1st deadline and are eligible, but are not awarded due to lack of budgeted funds, will be placed on the waiting list. Priority will be based on the date HRS received the annual application and they will be positioned after those who did meet the July 1 deadline. If additional funds become available, the staff member's application may be reassessed for eligibility.

12A: Yes, reimbursement may be awarded for University and other approved correspondence or guided independent study if the coursework carries credit by an accredited post-secondary institution.

13A: Even if you are not eligible for the Program until after the July 1 date, you can submit your application for the July 1 deadline. Please review your eligibility date before completing the Annual Application form if you are a P&S staff member with an appointment category of Contract, Probationary, or Term. If you are a Merit employee with an appointment category of Probationary or Trainee please review your eligibility date before applying. Instructions for accessing your total compensation statement which contains your Employment Date. One year from the Employment Date is your eligibility date. HRS will review your eligibility date and can approve any credits for courses that have a start date after your eligibility date. For more information on eligibility please review the Program Policy 4.75.

14A: Although this rarely happens, reimbursement can be denied for failing to meet the Program requirements outlined in the Policy 4.75. Some examples include, but are not limited to, failing to submit a Semester Request form, failing to meet the grade requirement, and the termination of a staff member’s UNI employment. For more information on eligibility and Program guidelines please review the Program Policy 4.75.

15A: The deferred payment agreement allows UNI students who qualify for the Program the option of deferring their u-bill until the end of a given semester. Iowa State University (ISU) students can also take advantage of this billing option when coordinated through the ISU Accounts Receivable Office.

16A: Yes, the overwhelming majority of staff members in the Program take courses at UNI and a small percentage take courses at other accredited post-secondary institutions.

17A: Termination of a staff member's UNI employment prior to the completion of the course will be considered a disqualification from the Program and payments will not be processed, unless termination is the result of layoff or death.

Termination of a staff member's UNI employment prior to their commitment to maintain employment at UNI or another State Agency for one month per credit after the semester or term end date will be considered a disqualification from the Program, unless termination is the result of layoff or death. The disqualified staff member will be required to pay UNI one hundred percent (100%) of the most recent tuition reimbursement.

18A: A key policy update effective June 1, 2015 is eligible staff members may take coursework at an accredited post-secondary institution under the program without pursuing a degree or certification. The standard annual application process applies for single course requests.

19A: Yes, staff members participating in the Program are still required to pay for all UNI mandatory fees.

20A: The Office of Business Operations has created a step-by-step guide to help you choose or setup a non-payroll direct deposit for your reimbursements from the Program.

21A: If you are thinking about withdrawing from coursework, please review the Registrar's Refund Percentages and Grade Assignments page for detailed information and potential tuition and fee charges. Please note, there is no reimbursement from the Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program for Withdrawal coursework.