Children: Eligibility

Who's Eligible?
Important Notice to Children of Same-Sex Domestic Partners
When Eligibility Starts
Requirements
Undergraduate Tuition
Graduate Tuition
Changes in the Officer's Employment Status That May Affect Children's Eligibility

Who's Eligible?

Children of full-time, active, salaried Officers are eligible for different levels of Tuition Exemption at Columbia and Barnard College, at different times, based on the Officer’s hire date.

To be able to receive the Tuition Exemption Benefit, children must also be accepted into the school they want to attend. For information, visit Columbia’s Admissions page.

Important Notice to Children of Same-Sex Domestic Partners

Please see Benefits in Brief for Officers to understand the definitions of same-sex domestic partners for purposes of receiving University benefits.

When Eligibility Starts

Officer'sHire Date	When Eligibility Starts
After July 1, 2011	The Officer must complete four years of full-time continuous employment, without a break in service longer than 31 days, before children are eligible. Once the waiting period is met, the children of a full-time salaried Officer who is hired, appointed or promoted to an Officer after July 1, 2011, are eligible to receive Tuition Exemption for the next full term that begins after the Officer’s eligibility date. For details regarding terms, refer to the academic calendar of the particular school.
On or Before July 1, 2011	The children of a full-time, salaried Officer (as defined in Officers: When Eligibility Starts and Officers: What’s Covered) hired, appointed or promoted to an Officer on or before July 1, 2011 and without a break in service of more than 31 days after July 1, 2011, are eligible to receive Tuition Exemption for the next full term that begins after the Officer is hired or promoted. For details regarding terms, refer to the academic calendar of the particular school.

Requirements

Regardless of the Officer’s hire date, the child must meet the following requirements:

The child is registered in an undergraduate degree program at Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of General Studies, or the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences;

OR

The child has completed high school, is registered as a non-degree student in an undergraduate course (below 4000), at Columbia only, and can satisfy the following conditions:

Demonstrate in writing on the letterhead of the external institution, that the child is a candidate in good standing at another undergraduate institution, and that the courses taken at Columbia are part of the academic program. The child may enroll through the School of Continuing Education as a visiting special student for up to two terms;

or
The child is enrolled in courses specified in writing by an admissions officer of an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program as required for admission into such program.

Note that for Columbia University Officers' children who attend Barnard College, the Tuition Exemption Benefit is limited to 8 fall and spring terms. Courses taken at Barnard College during the summer are not counted against the 8-term limit.

Undergraduate Tuition

Eligible children are age 26 or under, and are the biological children, adopted children or stepchildren, or are under the legal guardianship, of:

A full-time, salaried Officer of administration, instruction, the libraries, or research; or
The spouse or same-sex domestic partner of a full-time, salaried Officer (for example, stepchildren of Officers are eligible).

Ineligible children are those who are over age 26, or are the children of:

A visiting Officer of instruction or research
A part-time Officer
A postdoctoral research scientist/scholar, postdoctoral research fellow or postdoctoral clinical fellow
The spouse or same-sex domestic partner of a visiting Officer or postdoctoral research scientist/scholar, postdoctoral research fellow or postdoctoral clinical fellow

Graduate Tuition

Eligibility for graduate tuition depends on the Officer’s hire date as a full-time, regular Officer of the University:

Hire Date	Eligibility
Officer was hired after June 30, 1993 and has been continuously employed at Columbia University	There is no Tuition Exemption Benefit for graduate school or graduate-level courses for these Officers' children.
Officer was hired between July 1, 1987 and June 30, 1993, at Columbia University	If the Officer has been employed continuously as a full-time regular officer at Columbia University since June 30, 1993, the child's Tuition Exemption Benefit for graduate school or graduate level courses is equal to 50% of tuition costs, regardless of age, financial dependency or marital status, with the following exceptions: children of Officers employed in the Law School are not eligible for this benefit, and those of other Officers may not use the benefit for courses in the Law School or at Teachers College.
Officer was hired before July 1, 1987, at Columbia	If the Officer has been continuously employed as a full-time, regular officer at Columbia University since June 30, 1987, the child's Tuition Exemption Benefit for graduate school or graduate level courses is equal to 100% of tuition costs, regardless of age, financial dependency or marital status, with the following exceptions: children of Officers employed in the Law School are not eligible for this benefit, and those of other Officers may not use the benefit for courses in the Law School or at Teachers College.

Changes in the Officer’s Employment Status That May Affect Children's Eligibility

Officer’s Employment Status Change	How It Affects Eligibility
Involuntary Termination	In general, if the Officer’s employment is terminated, discharged or released by Columbia University—other than for cause—during a term, the Tuition Exemption Benefit for that term will not be revoked. However, the Officer's child will not be granted Tuition Exemption for any subsequent term. If an Officer's employment is terminated for cause, the Officer will be required to refund the remaining portion of any Tuition Exemption Benefit received for the term, based on "Refunding Your Benefit" below.
Resignation (Voluntary Termination) or Part-Time Appointment	If the Officer resigns or switches from a full-time to a part-time appointment, the child's eligibility for the Tuition Exemption Benefit officially ends at the close of business on the last day of the Officer’s active, full-time employment. If any Tuition Exemption has already been granted for a term, the child or Officer may be required to refund a portion of the benefit, based on the “Refunding The Benefit” table below.
Leaves of Absence	Officers of Administration, Instruction, and the Libraries: If the Officer is granted a paid or unpaid leave of absence, children's eligibility is not affected. Officers of Research: If the Officer is put on a lapse-of-funding leave and a term has already begun, children's Tuition Exemption will not be revoked for that term. However, children will not be granted any further tuition benefits for the duration of the leave. If the Officer is granted a leave of absence other than for lapse of funding, children's eligibility for that term is not affected.
Retirement	Upon the Officer’s retirement, children remain eligible for the Tuition Exemption Benefit for which they were eligible under the terms in effect (at the time the application is submitted) for active Officers with the same hire date. To retire with this benefit, an Officer must be 55 years or older and must have completed ten years of continuous benefits-eligible service after age 45.
Death	For a deceased Officer at any age, if the Officer had completed: Ten years of benefits-eligible continuous service at death, children are eligible for the Tuition Exemption Benefit for which they were eligible under the terms in effect (at the time the application is submitted) for active Officers with the same hire date. Less than ten years of benefits-eligible continuous service at death, children are eligible to receive the Tuition Exemption Benefit only to complete a degree program begun before the Officer’s death.

Refunding the Benefit

PLEASE NOTE: These are estimates only; please refer to the tuition policy and calendar of your school's Registrar.

Per Term
If the Officer leaves employment or the family member withdraws from classes:	1/4 Through Term	1/2 Through Term	3/4 Through Term	End of Term
You must refund:	75%	50%	25%	0%