Purpose:
The College recognizes the valuable contribution that each employee can make in carrying forward its mission and wishes to provide special encouragement to employees, their spouses, and their children to study on campus. Accordingly, the College will provide tuition waivers as outlined in this policy.
In addition to waivers for study at McPherson College, the College has entered into multiple tuition exchange agreements that may be attractive to certain employees or dependents (See the Financial Aid office for a list of the applicable agreements and/or institutions). The College cannot guarantee the continued availability of such exchange agreements, but will make a good faith effort to maintain or create such agreements in the future.
Base Benefit:
Each full-time employee (faculty; exempt and non-exempt staff), and their spouse is eligible for the tuition waiver. In addition, the employee’s children and stepchildren, up to the age of 24, are also eligible. For the purpose of this policy, foster children and children for whom the employee is the guardian are not eligible. The benefit, as detailed in the following table, is available immediately upon beginning employment with the College (or in the case of non-exempt employees, at the satisfactory conclusion of the introductory period). The tuition benefit ends on the date employment ends.
Qualification Period Percentage Rate of Waiver:
First Year 50%
Second Year 75%
Third Year* 100%
*Eligible for CIC waiver only upon completion of two years of employment with a limit of one CIC waiver per year for the Auto Restoration program by the college.
Part Time Employees:
An employee working at least halftime but less than full-time is also eligible for partial tuition awards. The amount of the waiver is the ratio of hours scheduled in their letter of employment, divided by 2080 multiplied by the Percentage Rate of Waiver and then multiplied times the amount of tuition due after the application of available federal and state awards (2080 hours constitute full time annual employment).
For example, an employee working for 1040 hours annually would be considered one-half-time, and would be eligible for a tuition waiver equal to 50% times the Percentage Rate of Waiver, multiplied times the tuition due.
Application For Tuition Waiver:
To be eligible for the tuition waiver, the prospective student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by the date requested by the College (currently March 1 of each year) and take any other steps necessary to become eligible for and/or receive available federal and state grants. (See the Admissions and Financial Aid Office for assistance with the necessary applications).
Other Information:
All full-time students, except those with dependents who live with them, married students, or students who are at least 23 years of age on the first day of classes for a given semester, are expected to live on the McPherson College campus and participate in the College meal plan. As such tuition waivers are based on full-time students living in campus housing. Students that qualify for tuition waivers that choose to live off campus will receive a reduction in institutional awards consistent with the reduction applied to all other students.
The tuition awards apply to eligible persons, even if they have received a baccalaureate degree. Tuition awards apply to summer sessions and degree completion courses that are offered by McPherson College. However, the College reserves the right to cancel courses that do not have the necessary minimum number of paying students and courses offered by appointment are excluded from the tuition waiver benefit.
The tuition waiver award will be applied to a student’s bill after all federal and state grants have been recognized and applied.
For purposes of recognizing the accomplishments of prospective students, the College may designate the Tuition Award as any applicable College awards (Brethren, Academic, Athletic, Fine Arts, etc.). Such designations are within the total amount of the eligible Tuition Waiver award.
Any exception to the above policy must be approved in writing by the President of the College. To be effective, copies of any written approval from the President must be on file in the Business Office and the Financial Aid Office.
The tuition benefit does not apply to persons on the student payroll.
Surviving Dependent Tuition Waiver:
In the event of the death of an active employee of the College, the tuition waiver will be extended to the employee’s surviving spouse and children subject to the conditions described in the Tuition Waiver Benefit Policy and the following conditions.
- The benefit will apply to surviving children until they reach the age of 24 years at which time the benefit expires.
- The benefit is also available to the surviving spouse for ten (10) years following the death of the employee of the college.
- This death benefit applies only to enrollment at McPherson College; it does not extend to other institutions participating in tuition exchange agreements.
This policy was amended July 1, 2021.