Fall Semester: July 1-15
Spring Semester: November 1-15
Summer Semester: April 1-15
Please note: If either date should fall on the weekend, applications will be accepted on the Friday before that date.
The Board of Regents and Augusta University are committed to helping employees pursue growth and development. The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is designed to promote professional growth and development of full-time employees and part-time nursing faculty of the Medical College. Tuition assistance is the waiver of up to nine (9) hours of tuition and certain fees for employees enrolled in courses on the Augusta University campus and at other University System of Georgia (USG) institutions per semester.
This program is available to both full-time (100% work commitment) employees who have completed six continuous months of regular employment and are working towards a degree, and part-time nursing faculty who are seeking a graduate degree in Nursing at one of the 31 participating USG institutions. The amendment to the current TAP policy affecting part-time nursing faculty is due to the current shortage of nursing faculty in the State of Georgia. Any part-time nursing faculty member taking advantage of this program shall be required to work full time within the University System at least two (2) years following receipt of the graduate degree in Nursing (or Education, if such would allow one to teach Nursing at the University level). Such eligibility for all employees participating in TAP must exist by the application deadline.
TAP participants may enroll in distance learning and web-based courses offered by the University System of Georgia. If the tuition for these courses is greater than the System-approved normal tuition amount, USG institutions may elect to waive only that portion of the tuition that does not exceed the System-approved normal tuition amount. An employee will be responsible for paying the remainder of the tuition cost.
Augusta University employees and faculty applying for TAP benefits who are living out of state, will need to apply for the USG Employees and Dependents Out of State Tuition Waiver and also file the TAP waiver. For the Out of State Tuition waiver, the Augusta University Registrar's Office requires that an application be submitted to the Registrar's Office at the same time TAP paperwork is submitted.
The federal government currently allows up to $5,250 annually, in employer-provided educational assistance benefits, to be “tax free” to TAP participants. This applies to both undergraduate and graduate-level courses. This “tax free” exemption currently applies through 2014. An employee must generally pay taxes on employer-provided educational assistance benefits in excess of $5,250. This amount will be included in your wages (Box 1 of your Form W-2). A tax professional should be consulted for further information concerning taxable tuition.
An explanation of the USG Employees and Dependents Out of State Tuition Waiver may be accessed here.
For additional information about TAP, access our recorded TAP Information session or contact our TAP Coordinator.
Kimberly Hayes
TAP Coordinator
Email: kihayes@augusta.edu
