Eligibility and the Benefit

Am I Eligible for a PTS?
How Soon Am I Eligible?
What Is the Benefit?
How the Benefit Works
PTS Coverage

Am I Eligible for a PTS?

For Full-Time Officers of the University (includes Officers of Instruction, Administration, the Libraries, and Research) and their Eligible Children:

YES if:

• You are  a full-time salaried officer of administration, instruction, the libraries, or research; and
• You or your spouse/same-sex domestic partner has a dependent child—a natural child, adopted child, or stepchild, or a child for whom one of you has legal guardianship—who is enrolled in grades K–8 at a private school;
  AND:
• Both you and the child must live within the five boroughs of New York City; and
• The school must be an accredited, private academic institution located within the five boroughs of New York City.

• You are a visiting officer of instruction or research, or you are a postdoctoral research scientist/scholar, postdoctoral research fellow or postdoctoral clinical fellow; or
• The child is in nursery school, pre-kindergarten, or grades 9 through 12.  Note: A PTS will cover only one year of kindergarten.

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How Soon Am I Eligible?

You can receive a PTS as soon as you are eligible for benefits, although you will be only partially covered for a school year if one is already under way.  The table below illustrates the portion of the PTS you are entitled to receive if you are newly hired.  Note: The day of the month does not have an impact on your benefit. 

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What Is the Benefit?

For eligible Officers on payroll on or before 7/1/2011, and without a break in service of more than 31 days after 7/1/2011:

A Primary Tuition Scholarship (PTS) pays between 10% and 35% of your child’s tuition, depending on eligible family income. You’re entitled to as many scholarships as you have eligible children.

A child with two parents eligible for the benefit can receive two scholarships simultaneously, adding up to a maximum of 70%.

For eligible Officers on payroll after 7/1/2011, or with a break in service of more than 31 days after 7/1/2011:

A Primary Tuition Scholarship (PTS) pays between 10% and 35% of your child’s tuition, depending on eligible family income. You’re entitled to as many scholarships as you have eligible children.

A child with two parents eligible for the benefit can only receive one scholarship.

How the Benefit Works

"Tuition" is defined as the portion of the bill that covers the academic program. Other fees (such as those for extra-curricular activities, books, or materials) are not covered, even if the bill from the school combines them with "tuition."

If your child receives awards and scholarships from other sources, the amount of PTS will not be affected, except that the PTS amount will be capped at your actual tuition liability. A PTS will never pay you more than you need to cover your actual tuition costs.

If your child departs from the school that you listed on your PTS application during a school year, you will be required to refund a portion of the PTS to the University.  See the table below to determine what portion of the scholarship you would be entitled to retain.

The School at Columbia

The PTS program pays 50% of your child’s tuition for grades K–8 at The School at Columbia University. Only a child with two parents eligible on or before July 1, 2011 can receive two scholarships for a 100% tuition benefit.

As with all private schools, admission to The School is a separate process not related to the PTS program. For more information, contact the Admissions Office or visit their website.

How is eligible family income calculated?

The PTS program looks at the most recent year’s federal, state and city income tax return(s) of the child’s family. This will always include your return(s). In addition, if you do not claim the child as a dependent, you may be required to provide the tax return(s) of the person who claims the child.

On the federal tax return (and, if applicable, the federal tax return of the person who claims the child as a dependent, if not you), the “total tax” you pay is subtracted from your “taxable income.” The resulting “eligible family income” is used to determine coverage, as shown in the accompanying table.  (Note: On the federal 1040EZ form, the equivalent of “total tax” is simply called “tax.”)

PTS Coverage