1. Employee Eligibility
   
   Tuition reimbursement is available to regular, benefit-based employees continuously employed with at least six months of services. Tuition reimbursement for graduate courses is limited to full-time, regular, benefit-based employees.
   
   
2. School Eligibility
   
   Baccalaureate and graduate level courses must be taken for academic credit through colleges and universities accredited by the following regional organizations: Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Courses leading to certification must be taken at a school or through an organization that is authorized by the certifying authority to provide such educational programs.
   
   Tuition reimbursement is also available for Caltech undergraduate and graduate courses taken on an "audit" (no grade) basis.
   
   
3. Course Eligibility
   
   (1) Programs leading to professional certification must be in a specific job-related field of professional discipline, and should provide the participating employee with skills, knowledge and competencies applicable to their current position. For participation in such programs, employees may be approved for reimbursement of tuition and eligible fees up to a maximum of $3,000 per calendar year.
   
   (2) Undergraduate and graduate level academic courses taken as part of a career development program should provide an employee with skills, knowledge and development plans. For undergraduate, graduate, university extension, university continuing education, and audited courses, tuition and eligible fees may be approved for reimbursement up to a maximum of $5,250 per calendar year.
   
   (3) Job-related graduate level academic programs, up to and including those leading to a doctoral degree, must provide an employee with skills, knowledge, and competencies that are specifically applicable to their current position classification and enhance her or his performance in that job. For participation in such graduate level courses at an accredited university, tuition and eligible fees may be approved for reimbursement up to a maximum of $10,000 per calendar year.
   
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4. Tuition and Fee Provisions
   
   (1) Reimbursable
   

   (a) For courses that are taken for credit as part of a degree program, tuition and eligible fees are reimbursed only for courses taken and completed with a final grade of "C" or equivalent, or higher. For courses leading to professional certification, course registration costs will be reimbursed only after the participating employees submits evidence of having successfully completed course requirements leading to professional certification. (b) In order to be eligible for reimbursement, first the employee's supervisor must review and certify that the program for which the employee is applying meets the specified criteria. Following certification by the employee's supervisor, the proposed course(s) must be assessed and approved in advance by Staff Education and Career Development section of Human Resources. (c) Graduate tuition reimbursement is generally limited to one Master's and one Ph.D. per employee. Tuition reimbursement for any additional graduate degree requires the approval of the employee's Division Chair (for employees working in academic divisions) or Vice President (for all other employees). (d) Approval of graduate tuition reimbursement for a law degree may be granted only if the employee's supervisor certifies that the program is specifically relevant to the applicant's current position classification and will enhance her or his performance in the job. Approval of tuition reimbursement for courses taken as part of a law degree will not be granted for "career development" program (e) Employees completing a graduate course which is not part of a Masters or Ph.D. program, and graduate students granted "special status" (e.g., completing undergraduate deficiencies due to a change in field of study), may be approved for reimbursement of tuition and eligible fees up to a maximum of $5,250 per calendar year. (f) The maximum reimbursement for all courses of study, including certification, career development and job-related graduate study combined, will not exceed $10,000 per calendar year. (g) Required fees eligible for tuition reimbursement subject to the limitations set forth in (a)-(e) above include the State of California's equivalent to tuition fees (i.e., state education fees, state university fees, state college fees, junior and community college enrollment and registration fees for California residents), continuous enrollment fees for thesis/dissertation, microfilming or binding of dissertation or thesis fees, computer fees, and laboratory fees charged to all students and that are directly applicable to the approved course(s). (h) If eligible employees are laid off, their hours are reduced, or they go on a disability leave of absence, any approved course(s) in progress will be reimbursed, provided the course is completed with a final grade of "C" or equivalent, or higher, and fulfills the other provisions of this policy.

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   (2) Not Reimbursable

   (a) Except for courses leading to professional certification as described above, the following do not qualify for tuition reimbursement: professional seminars and workshops, symposia, short (non-credit) courses; college/university entrance exams; review programs for entrance exams; or courses at non-accredited institutions. (b) Itemized fees not reimbursable to employees include application/pre-admission registration fees, transcript fees, test preparation fees, admission testing fees, placement fees, course waiver or challenge fees, book costs, travel costs (i.e., transportation, housing, meal, etc.), parking fees, equipment/kit purchase costs, tutoring fees, deferred tuition fees, registration fees, late registration fees, course addition, deletion or transfer fees, student activity fees, student union fees, petition fees, recreation fees, health coverage costs, dissertation or thesis typing fees, development or foundation fees, institution fees, alumni fees, and other similar fees. (c) Tuition and eligible fees are not reimbursable when employees:

   1) receive duplicate or comparable fees from another institution or agency, grant, scholarship, Veterans' Education Benefit, or other financial aid; or 2) voluntarily terminate employment, or are terminated for cause, prior to course completion, or 3) have not received advance approval, particularly those associated with a degree program

   (d) Reimbursement Exceptions: An employee normally is not reimbursed for a course the tuition of which was previously reimbursed under this policy. However, some courses involving research or extended study can be repeated, but reimbursement for them will require specified advance approval of the chief of human resources officer or designee.

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5. Tax Considerations
   
   The taxability of payments under the tuition reimbursement plan is in accordance with current Internal Revenue Service guidelines.
   
   
6. Work Schedule Limitations
   
   (1) Unless specific approval of both the employee's supervisor and the Compensation Section of Human Resources is obtained in advance, an employee may not take a course during scheduled working hours unless the course is offered on Campus or at JPL as part of its on-Lab education program. When the educational program requires being away from one's job during normal work hours, the employee and her or his supervisor must agree on such a schedule in advance and make necessary arrangements to assure that expectations for ongoing work assignments are met. No legal or contractual obligations for overtime premium can be incurred as a result of employees  taking a course that will be reimbursed under this policy during their scheduled working hours. For additional information on Caltech's wage and hour policy, see Personnel Memoranda 11 and 11-1.
   
   (2) Participation in the tuition reimbursement program should not in any way interfere with the employee's ability to perform her or his job.

 Link to full text of the Institute Policy (.pdf)