Tuition Remission Policy

Under Wisconsin Statute 36.27(3)(g), the University remits the full tuition for Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Program/Project Assistants and Lecturer Student Assistants, and the non-resident tuition for certain Instructional Academic Staff and University Fellows who hold eligible appointments.

Students are responsible for paying their segregated fees and any other fees such as the Official Document Fee, the International Student Fee and the Late Initial Enrollment Fee.  These fees must be paid by deferred due date, regardless of when the Bursar’s Office is notified of the eligible appointment.

Students who finish their degree in the middle of a term will be eligible to keep their tuition remission for that term, as long as they remain on payroll for no less than a 33.33% appointment, through the date that they receive their degree.

Students who withdraw in the middle of a term will lose their tuition remission if the duration of their appointment is not sufficient to meet the 33.33% for 4.5 months appointment requirement.

Students enrolled in a program with a service-based pricing tuition structure may accept graduate assistantships (including those above 33.33%); however, they will not receive the tuition remission that is typically part of the compensation package for a graduate assistantship. For more information, please refer to your department.

Under Wisconsin Statute 36.27(3)(g), the contract with the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), and University policy, the University remits the full tuition for Teaching Assistants, Program/Project Assistants, Research Assistants, Lecturer Student Assistants, and the non-resident tuition for certain Instructional Academic Staff and University Fellows who hold eligible appointments.

Students are responsible for paying their segregated fees, which must be paid by the due date specified on the tuition and fee bill – regardless of when the Bursar’s Office is notified of the eligible appointment.

The following requirements determine graduate student eligibility for a full tuition remission/waiver based on a TA, PA, RA or LSA:

Continuing Graduate students with TA, PA, RA and LSA Appointments who earned remission of their instructional and non-resident (if applicable) tuition, in the Spring term:

Based on eligible Appointments, will have their eligibility carry over automatically to the following Summer term of that year. Departments do not need to provide any additional information to the Bursar’s Office for the summer tuition remission/waiver to occur.

An example of a student who has an eligible appointment for the Spring term, but would become ineligible for the Summer term, is a student who graduated at the end of the Spring term and is no longer considered a graduate student for the Summer term.

Graduate students who have TA, PA, RA, or LSA appointments during the summer and did not have a Spring term full tuition remission:

Must have at least a 33.33% appointment for eight weeks during the Summer term, or an appointment of different percentage and length that nets to the equivalent, (see below) to be eligible for Summer term tuition remission.

For nonstandard courses that occur during the Summer term, the automatic rollover of tuition remission from the Spring term can be cancelled if the following criteria are met.

1. Alternative funding is available in the department or through a third party (not including personal financial aid); AND
2. The graduate assistant will not incur additional personal costs above what the student would otherwise have normally paid (i.e. segregated fees).

To request cancellation of automatic rollover of the Summer term remission, the department must notify the Bursar’s Office by submitting a tuition remission form. Indicate in the ‘comments’ box that you are requesting a cancellation of the Summer term remission and then fill in the rest of the remission list as normal.

The Bursar’s Office grants student tuition remission/waivers upon notification from campus departments.

• When possible, notify the Bursar’s Office of eligible students early enough before the start of the summer term, so students receive correct tuition and fee bills.
• An audit is done mid term against the UW Appointment System to verify that students held the appropriate percentage appointment during the summer.
• Students who do not meet the requirements will have their tuition remission/waiver cancelled, and will be sent a tuition and fee bill for the full tuition amount. (See Tuition Remission Procedures section for specifics).
• Use the following formula to determine if a shorter length and higher percentage summer term appointment qualifies for a tuition remission/waiver:
  • A student must work the equivalent of a minimum of 33.33% for 8 weeks.
• Students who finish their degree in the middle of a term retain their tuition remission/waiver for that term, as long as they remain on the payroll through the date they receive their degree.
• Students who withdraw in the middle of a term lose their tuition remission/waiver if the duration of their appointment is not sufficient to meet the 33.33% for an 8 week appointment requirement and they have not finished their degree in the middle of the term.