Education Benefits Frequently Asked Questions
To get your questions answered, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
The University of Pittsburgh offers education benefits to eligible faculty, librarians, research associates, post-doctoral associates, post-doctoral scholars, staff, their spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children. This benefit is available at the Pittsburgh campus and all regional campuses.
- Education Benefits for Employee (Self)
- Education Benefits for Spouse/Domestic Partner
- Education Benefits for Dependent Child(ren)
- Individuals hired on or before Sept. 1, 1994, may be eligible for education benefits for dependent child(ren) Attending an Outside Institution. Please submit an online inquiry for questions regarding eligibility for this discontinued benefit.
Eligibility for the education benefit does not guarantee admission to or retention in any academic program. For course or program enrollment, please reach out to the Office of Admissions or directly contact the school you wish to attend for further guidance on the application process.
Education Benefits by Role
Faculty & Librarians
Research Associates
Postdoctoral Associates & Scholars
Managing Your Education Benefits
Education Benefit Request forms for spouses, domestic partners and/or child(ren) must be submitted once each academic year to request the education benefit. A form is not required to process the education benefit for yourself as employee. For those who meet the eligibility requirements, the education benefit is applied automatically to your student account.
| Academic Year (AY) 2025-26 (*note: you can request the entire academic year in advance on one form) | Request Submission | Balance Due Date Please submit request two to three weeks in advance to allow processing time and to avoid late fees. | Deadline to Request Education Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Open | September 10, 2025 | December 13, 2025 |
| Spring 2026 | Open | January 28, 2026 | May 2, 2026 |
| Summer 2026 | Open | TBD | August 15, 2026 |
| Academic Year (AY) 2026-27 (*note: you can request the entire academic year in advance on one form) | Request Submission | Balance Due Date Please submit request two to three weeks in advance to allow processing time and to avoid late fees. | Deadline to Request Education Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Open*^ | TBD | December 13, 2026 |
| Spring 2027 | Open*^ | TBD | May 2, 2027 |
| Summer 2027 | Open*^ | TBD | August 15, 2027 |
*Note: requests for dependent children for the next academic year (Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027) will require the 2025 Federal Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Return listing the child claimed as a dependent.
^If requesting the benefit for an eligible spouse or domestic partner, please make sure your spouse is registered in coursework and enrolled in a degree or certificate program prior to requesting the benefit. Pre-Requisite courses are not eligible for education benefit usage.
- For information regarding tuition rates and other fees, please visit tuition.pitt.edu.
- For information regarding payments and billing, please contact the Student Payment Center by visiting payments.pitt.edu.
Eligibility for the education benefit does not guarantee admission to or retention in any academic program. It is at the discretion of individual schools on whether to participate in the education benefits program and what programs within the schools are eligible for the benefit. Individual schools within the University of Pittsburgh reserve the right to exclude certain programs from participating in the University's education benefits.
The Executive MBA and the Executive MBA in Healthcare programs through the Katz Graduate School of Business are not eligible for the education benefit. The Center for Executive Education programs and courses offered through the Katz Graduate School of Business, such as the Business Analysis, Project Management, and Customized Education courses/programs, are also not eligible for the education benefit.
For Spouses and Domestic Partners, the first term of the Coursera Master of Data Science (MDS) program is not eligible for education benefit use as the program requires performance-based admissions (PBA) and the benefit is only available for spouses and domestic partners after being formally admitted to a degree or certificate program. Once admitted, the benefit can be used the following term.
Other exclusions and restrictions may apply. For questions regarding a specific program, please contact the Benefits Department.
The University of Pittsburgh offers tuition remission scholarships to full-time employees, their dependents, and their spouses or domestic partners. Under IRS tax code, the value of certain educational benefits applied to graduate-level courses is considered taxable income. Learn more about the taxation of education benefits.
The education benefit is applied to tuition only, and remains on your account irrespective of the grade received. All other charges and fees are the responsibility of the employee. Any error in the distributed amount of the education benefit will result in the recalculation of the benefit. Education benefits are administered by the Benefits Department.
- Staff education benefits are governed by University Policies ER 06 and ER 05.
- Faculty education benefits are governed by University Policies AC 21, AC 20, and AC 69.
It is recommended that you review the University Policies for your position type prior to applying for the education benefit.
| Relationship Type | Definition |
|---|---|
Dependent Child (natural, adopted, or stepchild) | Under IRS guidelines, a dependent child is one who qualifies based on specific criteria, relies on you for financial support, and can be claimed on your tax return (Federal Form 1040) for tax credits. For detailed rules on claiming a dependent child, visit the IRS website: IRS Dependent Rules. Documentation that the child was claimed as a dependent on the employee's Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for the calendar year most applicable to the academic term being requested is required. |
| Spouse | The IRS defines a spouse as an individual who is lawfully married to another person. Proof of marriage must be furnished when requesting the benefit. |
| Domestic Partner | A domestic partner is an individual in a committed, unmarried relationship with another person, often sharing financial responsibilities and living arrangements. Employees must have an approved affidavit of domestic partnership on file with the University prior to requesting the benefit. |
To avoid full payment of the tuition if you voluntarily resign or move to an ineligible role during a semester, the following time frame applies:
| To avoid repayment for: | You must be employed in an eligible role through the last working day of: |
|---|---|
| Fall Term | October |
| Spring Term | February |
| Summer Term | June |
Visit tuition.pitt.edu for information regarding tuition rates and other fees. Contact the Student Payment Center at payments.pitt.edu for information regarding payments and billing.
Education benefits for staff and faculty members who are involuntarily separated (e.g., other than personal resignation or dismissal for disciplinary reasons) are retained for both the term in which the employee receives the final paycheck and the following term. Please submit an inquiry to Benefits if you have experienced an involuntary termination and wish to utilize the education benefit after separation.
Additional Programs
The Tuition Exchange (TE) Scholarship organization is a non-profit organization that serves as the coordinating body for a partnership of more than 550 schools nationally who offer "exchange" scholarships to dependent children of faculty and staff at member institutions.
