Tuition-Waiver Policies
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Employees:
Full-time employees occupying permanent positions are eligible to enroll, at no cost, in up to eight credits per semester. Employees must be in good financial standing with the College to enroll in a course(s). Employees are to complete an Employee Education Benefits Authorization Form (Tuition Waiver) and return it to Human Resources for approval.
Employees may, with approval of their supervisors, take one course during working hours, provided all lost work time is made up. Employees who terminate their employment with the College, or are terminated, shall be permitted to complete the course(s) in which they are enrolled, provided the course(s) is in progress.
All fees and other course-related expenses are the employee's responsibility. Internships, independent studies, and non-credit courses are eligible for tuition waiver only when such programs do not result in additional expense for the College.
Dependent Children and Spouses of Employees:
Dependent children and spouses of full-time employees occupying permanent positions are eligible for full tuition waiver for up to four years (equivalent of four years full-time, or eight semesters and four summer sessions, or 128 credits), less any scholarship aid awarded from other sources. Employees are to complete a Dependent Education Benefits Authorization Form (Tuition Waiver) and return it to Human Resources for approval.
For purposes of this benefit, dependent children are defined as unmarried natural, step-, or adopted children of the employee, receiving at least 50% of their financial support from the employee, and who are not over 25 years of age. Dependents of terminated employees shall be permitted to complete the course(s) in which they are enrolled, provided the course(s) is in progress. Faculty and staff members at St. Mary�s College may send their dependents to St. Mary�s College 100% tuition remission after two years of continued employment. This benefit is unrestricted and applies only to staff employed after December 1, 2001.
Fees and other course-related expenses are the employee's responsibility. Internships, independent studies, and non-credit courses are eligible for tuition waiver only when such programs do not result in additional expense for the College.
Senior Citizens:
The Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver is available for anyone who meets all of these requirements:
- 60 Years of Age or Older
- Retired, and whose chief income is derived from retirement benefits
- Not employed full-time
Use of the senior citizen waiver:
- The Senior Citizen Waiver is used for waiver of the basic instructional charge. This waiver applies to tuition only but does not apply to any other fees such as registration, parking, laboratory, mandatory, facility, or any additional class fees.
- In order to use the Senior Citizen Waiver, the person must wait until the schedule-adjustment and late-registration period (first two weeks of classes) when classes are available only on a space-available basis.
- Senior Citizens may register during the regular registration time; if so, however, they are not able to use the Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver and are expected to pay the regular tuition rates.
- The Senior Citizen Waiver is effective only for the semester for which the person is registered. A new waiver form must be completed and processed for each semester.
- The Senior Citizen Waiver is good for no more than three courses. If a person using the waiver is a non-degree-seeking student and wants to enroll for more than 11 credits, he/she must follow the College�s policy of requesting special permission to enroll in more than 11 credits. If a person registers for more than 11 credits, he/she is responsible for payment of the mandatory and facility fees required of a full-time student.
Process:
- The Senior Citizen Waiver form is available from the Office of Continuing Education and the Office of the Registrar. The senior citizen must complete this form at the time of his/her registration.
- A representative from either the Office of Continuing Education or the Office of the Registrar verifies the age of the senior citizen from an official document. A photocopy of the document is made and attached to the waiver form.
- Retirement income and employment need not be officially verified. By signing the waiver, the senior citizen is legally attesting to the fact that he/she is 60 years of age or over, retired, not employed full-time, and that his/her chief income is derived from retirement benefits.
- The Registrar�s Office or the Continuing Education Office sends the completed form along with a copy of the official document to the Financial Aid Office for processing.
- Because registration will take place during the schedule-adjustment period, the student will need to complete a drop/add form with the signature of the professor as well as the registration form.
National Guard
Certain Members of the Maryland National Guard, July 8, 1996:
This tuition waiver policy will permit certain members of the Maryland National Guard who are enrolled at St. Mary's College of Maryland to register for academic classes during the fall and spring semesters on a space available basis. Members will be permitted to register for credit courses as regular or special students with an amount equal to 25% of the total amount of tuition charge waived. The tuition waiver applies to all degree and non-degree seeking students. All fees and other course-related expenses are the responsibility of the student.
Eligibility to participate in this program includes the following:
- Maryland National guard member must have at least twenty-four (24) months remaining to serve or has agreed in writing to serve for a minimum of twenty-four (24) months in the Maryland National Guard as certified by the Maryland Adjutant General.
- Maryland National Guard member must be admitted through SMC's normal admissions procedures prior to enrolling for course work.
- Maryland National Guard member's active status and eligibility for participation in this program must be certified by the Maryland Adjutant General at least thirty (30) days prior to the first day of SMC's normal registration period.
- Maryland National Guard members may register for up to eight (8) credits per regular semester at reduced tuition rates and will be on a space available basis.
- Maryland National Guard members will be entitled to and have access to all normal academic support services, such as the library, career counseling services, and other services provided to full- and part-time students.
- Maryland National Guard members who are discharged from the Guard for a reason designated by the Maryland Adjutant General, will result in termination of the tuition waiver and the Member will be billed by the business office for the full amount of the tuition waiver for that semester.
- St. Mary's College of Maryland will identify benefits provided under this policy to Maryland National Guard members separately in the annual financial aid reports to the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's College and the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
Contact: Patricia Murray, Director of Human Resources
Telephone: 240-895-4309 Fax: 240-895-4997
