Employee handbook section eight: educational benefits

Tuition Benefits for Dependent Children

Employee Eligibility Requirements

Tuition Remission and Tuition Exchange Programs:

  • New as of June 1, 2025: Waiting period reduced from five years to two years of eligible employment
  • Previous experience counts: Employment at another accredited higher education institution within the past two years may count toward the two-year requirement (must meet admission criteria)

Tuition Grant Program:

  • Requires five years of eligible employment
  • NEW REQUIREMENT: For schools that participate in Tuition Exchange, employees must first apply for Tuition Exchange. The Tuition Grant Program can only be used if the Tuition Exchange application is denied.

Dependent Children Eligibility

Requirements:

  • For employees hired after August 1, 1998: children must be naturally born or legally adopted
  • Must be unmarried
  • Must be seeking their first undergraduate degree
  • Must meet admissions requirements and application deadlines for their chosen institution

 Age Limitation:

Age Eligibility: Dependent students are eligible if they begin undergraduate studies before the age of 21. Students over 21 must apply for approval from the Educational Benefits Committee.

Committee Review: The Educational Benefits Committee includes the Vice President for Enrollment and Education, the Chief of Staff, and the Vice President for Finance and Administration. For applicants over 21, the committee will consider:

  • The student's educational goals
  • Reasons for delayed enrollment (such as military service)
  • The student's marital status and whether they have dependents

Global Study

Effective with the Class of 2027, dependent children of employees will no longer be eligible to study globally through the College’s tuition benefit program. Employees may reach out to the Center for Global Education at 717-337-6866 if they have questions or wish to consider other options for participation in study abroad.

Death or Long-term Disability of an Employee

The dependent children of qualified employees who have completed seven (7) years of full-time continuing service and who die or who are totally disabled while in active service at the College, will be eligible to receive the tuition benefit to which they would otherwise be entitled.

Tuition Remission

Eligibility Requirements

Reduced Waiting Period (Effective June 1, 2025): The employment waiting period has been reduced from five years to two years of eligible employment at Gettysburg College.

Prior Experience Credit (New Policy): Employment at another accredited higher education institution within the past two years may count toward the two-year requirement, provided all admission criteria are met.

Benefit Details

Dependent children of eligible College employees receive full remission of tuition and mandatory fees when admitted to Gettysburg College under the same admission standards applied to all applicants.

Application Process

  • Tuition remission is automatically processed using information from the Financial Aid Office
  • Both dependent children and their parent(s) must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the required deadline during the initial admission process
  • The Financial Aid Office will notify students if FAFSA submission is required in subsequent years

Tuition Grant

Eligibility: After five years of employment, a benefits-eligible employee will be eligible for the Tuition Grant program.

Dependent children of eligible College employees who are accepted at an accredited four-year college or university will be able to receive a tuition grant from the College. The grant equals up to 30% of Gettysburg College's current tuition and is paid directly to the student's institution.

How Grants Are Applied: We coordinate with other financial aid to maximize benefits for your dependent:

  • Scholarships and grants without restrictions are applied to room and board first, with remaining funds going to tuition and fees.
  • Scholarships and grants that must be used for tuition are applied there first, then our grant covers the remaining portion up to our maximum limit.
  • The total of our grant plus all other financial aid cannot exceed the student's total cost of attendance

Duration and Requirements: This benefit covers up to four full-time academic years (or eight semesters) of undergraduate study while the student is pursuing a bachelor's degree at a four-year American-accredited college or university. Summer courses do count as a semester. Distance learning programs are not covered.

NEW REQUIREMENT: If your child plans to attend a school that participates in Tuition Exchange, you must first apply for Tuition Exchange. Only if that application is denied can you use the Tuition Grant Program (after meeting the five-year employment requirement).

Financial Aid Requirements

  • Complete the FAFSA by the required deadline during initial admission
  • The Financial Aid Office will notify you if FAFSA is required in subsequent years
  • Report all outside awards or grants to Human Resources, noting any restrictions if applicable (see above for how scholarships and grants are applied)
  • Outside awards may cover room, board, fees, textbooks, or other required materials
  • If total aid exceeds cost of attendance, the Gettysburg College Grant will be reduced accordingly

Application Process:

Required Documents:

Deadlines:

Processing:

  • Submit the Tuition Grant Form as soon as you receive the invoice
  • Payment made directly to the institution
  • You will receive an email confirmation when approved and submitted to accounts payable for payment.

Separate Program: Guest Student Option at Gettysburg College

Dependent children may enroll as guest students at Gettysburg College if approved by the Director of Admissions.

Benefits: Tuition remission for up to two courses per term during the regular academic year (other fees still apply)

Important Note: Any courses taken as a guest student will count as a quarter semester against the student's eligibility for tuition aid if they later become a degree candidate at Gettysburg or another accredited four-year institution. Summer courses count as a semester.

Tuition Exchange for Qualified Dependent Children

Reduced Waiting Period (Effective June 1, 2025): The employment waiting period has been reduced from five years to two years of eligible employment at Gettysburg College.

Prior Experience Credit (New Policy): Employment at another accredited higher education institution within the past two years may count toward the two-year requirement, provided all admission criteria are met.

Program Overview

The Tuition Exchange (TE) program provides dependent children of eligible Gettysburg College employees the opportunity to earn scholarships at participating colleges and universities nationwide. A complete list of participating institutions, along with school-specific deadlines and procedures, is available on the Tuition Exchange website.

Important: TE operates as a competitive award process. Employee eligibility does not guarantee student acceptance into an institution or scholarship award.

Application Process

  1. Create an account on the Tuition Exchange website
  2. Complete an EZ online application for each participating school (import school)
  3. Also apply directly to each import school through their admissions office

Certification Process:

Angela Sontheimer, Gettysburg College's TE Liaison, will certify all export applications online through the TE website. Upon certification, both the student and import school will receive email confirmation.

Award Decisions:

Import schools have full jurisdiction over awarding TE scholarships. Both students and Gettysburg College will be notified of decisions. Students must notify Angela Sontheimer whether they will attend the institution where accepted.

Academic Requirements

New Applicants:

  • Must meet admission criteria for the import institution
  • May need to meet additional standards if the institution has implemented selective criteria for TE applicants

Continuing Students:

  • Must maintain academic and behavioral standards required by their import school
  • Must meet standards outlined on their original Certification/Application form

Scholarship Details

  • Awards cover 8 semesters of undergraduate study
  • Employee and dependent eligibility must be confirmed annually
  • TE scholars must email Angela Sontheimer by January 30 each year to confirm they will remain at the same Tuition Exchange school for the following academic year

Contact Information

Tuition Exchange Liaison: Angela Sontheimer

Educational Opportunities at Gettysburg College for Employees and their Spouses/Partners

After one year of service, regular full-time employees and/or their spouses/domestic partners become eligible for tuition benefits at Gettysburg College. Up to four (4) courses a year for credit may be taken a year for credit and/or audit. Employees who choose to audit courses and receive no course credit should complete the Audit Application and submit it to the Admissions Office for review and approval. This program is meant to support employees that are working towards their first bachelor’s degree. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you may audit the course(s).

Gettysburg College employees who wish to receive academic credit should enroll through the Admissions Office as Guest Students. Employees are eligible to take up to a total of 32 courses. This program is meant to support employees that are working towards their first bachelor’s degree. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you may audit the course(s).

For more information regarding eligibility, application process, enrollment terms, etc., please read the guest student enrollment policies for college employees.

Tuition Aid for Support Staff Outside Gettysburg College

The Support Staff Tuition Aid Program is designed to provide financial assistance to Support Staff members who are taking undergraduate college courses at other colleges and universities in the local region. It is intended to aid Support Staff in increasing their knowledge and abilities and thereby enhancing their professional development and employment opportunities with the College.

Program Requirements

The program is available to support staff members who meet the following requirements:

  1. The individual must be a full-time support staff employee.
  2. The employee must be employed by the College for a minimum of two years.
  3. The employee must enroll in an American-accredited undergraduate bachelor's degree program.
  4. The employee must be enrolled in a credit course. A maximum of four (4) courses per fiscal year may be taken for credit.

This program is designed to support employees who are working towards their first bachelor’s degree.

How to Apply

Eligible employees interested in applying for tuition aid should submit a proposal form to the Human Resources before enrolling in the course. Request for Support Staff Tuition Aid forms can be obtained from a Human Resources Office staff member.

Program Approval

The approval of the aid and the amount of the aid provided will be at the discretion of the Human Resources. The amount will not exceed the cost of four courses per fiscal year (June 1 - May 31). Once a decision has been made, the employee will be notified.

Funding will not be considered when:

  1. The course is through distance learning or correspondence.
  2. The course is not an undergraduate course, that is part of a bachelor's degree program.
  3. The course is not part of a diploma program.

Reimbursement of aid will be required when:

  1. The Support Staff member does not pass the course.
  2. The Support Staff member withdraws from the course.
  3. The Support Staff member leaves the employment of the College prior to the completion of the course.

Program Follow-up

Following the completion of the course, the Support Staff member must provide the Human Resources with a copy of their transcript indicating the successful completion of the course. Aid may not be provided if the employee is on probation or processes the request for aid after course enrollment.

Professional Development for Administrators 

Administrative Educational Support Policy

The Administrative Advisory Council’s Educational Support Program is designed to provide financial assistance to administrators for registration, tuition, and purchasing textbooks and materials that are part of continuing educational activities. This can include coursework that is part of obtaining a bachelor's degree or graduate school, or non-degree program coursework. The amount will not exceed $500 for any one person per fiscal year. Funds are limited; therefore, members of the AAC will assess each request against the availability of funds each fiscal year.

Program Requirements:

  • The employee must be a regular full-time or regular part-time employee (working at least 1,000 hours annually) designated as an administrator at Gettysburg College, and employed by the College for a minimum of one year.
  • Funds must be spent within the fiscal year for which they were approved.
  • Funds are for physical or digital materials that are required as part of the course, workshop, or program the employee is attending (for example, textbooks).

Funding will not be considered when the educational program is required as part of the administrator’s job responsibilities (in that case, funding should come from the administrator's department).

How to Apply:

Eligible employees interested in applying for funds must submit an online request form for review. The proposal should outline how attending this program will benefit the employee and what materials will be purchased. You must submit an itemized receipt with your online form.

Program Approval

The approval of the program and the amount of the grant given will be at the discretion of the Administrative Advisory Council. Requests are considered on a rolling basis as funds are available, and the amount will not exceed $500 for any one person per fiscal year.

Once a decision has been made, the employee will be notified.

Research/Study Leave for Administrators

A research/study leave may be granted for research or for an advanced education that is a direct requirement of the position. A research/study leave is a potential privilege of employment, not an entitlement. Only the President of the College may grant research/study leave at their discretion.

Administrators considering application for a research/study leave should first receive approval from their immediate supervisor and their Division Head. All approvals must be in place prior to making a financial commitment. Applications may be made at any time, but normally should be made at least three months prior to the beginning date of the requested leave. The President of the College will make the final decision on all research/study leave applications.

Administrators become eligible for a one-month research/study leave after every two continuous years of service and up to a maximum of six months leave after six years of continuous service. Not more than five of the six months may be taken during the academic year. Regardless of how it is accrued or used, no more than a total of six months leave may be taken in any six-year period of employment. If not used, this leave does not accumulate. Additionally, the College will not compensate an administrator for research/study leave time that is not used.

Salary and fringe benefits shall be continued intact during any period of research/study leave.

Support Staff Development Grant

Statement of Purpose

The Support Staff Development Program is designed to provide financial assistance to support staff members for purchasing required textbooks and materials and for the cost of fees when attending courses offered by Gettysburg and other colleges. We will also provide financial assistance for attending off-campus seminars, workshops, and educational programs that promote and foster professional and personal growth and development.

Program Requirements

The program is available to all support staff members who meet the following requirements:

  • The individual must be a full-time or a permanent part-time employee (working at least 1,000 hours annually) designated as a support staff member of Gettysburg College.
  • The employee must be employed by the College for a minimum of one year.
  • The employee must have his/her supervisor's approval if the program falls during normal working hours.

How to Apply

Eligible employees interested in applying for funds must submit a proposal FORM to the Support Staff Council. The proposal should outline how attending this program will benefit the employee and should include any substantiating material (brochures, etc.). Anticipated costs should be itemized: textbooks, course materials, lab fees, and registration.

Program Approval

The approval of the program and the amount of the grant given will be at the discretion of the Training and Development Committee, the Support Staff Council, and the Director of Human Resources. The amount will not exceed $500 for any one person per fiscal year.

Proposals for grant funding will be considered by the Training and Development Committee at their regular monthly meeting. Further review and selection will be determined by the Support Staff Council and the Director of Human Resources. Once a decision has been made, the employee will be notified.

What is Not Funded

Funding will not be considered when:

  • Program or additional training is required by the support staff member's department due to shifting job responsibilities. Employee should seek funding with his/her own department.
  • Employee has received maximum of $500 in Support Staff development grant(s) during current fiscal year.
  • Off-campus program is available at Gettysburg College. (Exceptions may be made with written rationale.)