Educational Assistance

Eligible employees working in a full/part-time position wishing to further their education may register for up to two courses (maximum 7 combined credit hours) of instruction (graduate or undergraduate) at Radford University each semester and/or intersession terms. Once the Employee Tuition Waiver Request form is completed and approved (for each course), tuition and fees for the course(s) are waived. Application and registration for course work are subject to conditions involving eligibility and other participation requirements as stated in the Employee Tuition Waiver Policy | PDF.

Employee Tuition Waiver Request Form | PDF

Employee Tuition Waiver Request forms for each semester are due to Human Resources on or before the add/drop date for the semester or session listed in the Academic Calendar on the Office of the Registrar's Website.   Tuition waiver requests received in Human Resources after the add/drop date for each semester or session will be returned without further action.  HR determines eligibility for the tuition waiver and forwards all Employee Tuition Waiver Request forms to the Office of the Bursar.  Employees planning to enroll in a class using a tuition waiver may not register until the first day of classes and must register through the Office of the Registrar.  This policy ensures tuition-paying students have access to classes before those who are receiving fee waivers. 

Graduate Level Courses:

• Submission Window:  1 month before the start of the term until the add/drop date for Graduate Students.

Undergraduate Level Courses:

• Submission Window: 1 month before the start of the term until the add/drop date for Undergraduate Studen

• Completed forms can be submitted to Ethan Jones by email, mail (PO Box 6889),  in-person (2nd Floor Tyler Place), or by fax (540-831-6278).  Employees should ensure that the form is completed in its entirety and the certification and approval section is signed and dated. Incomplete forms will be returned without processing.
• Tuition Waivers received earlier than one month out from the start of the Academic Term on the request will be returned to be submitted closer to the beginning of the term. Tuition Waivers received after the deadline will be returned and will not be processed.  
• Employees will be notified by email upon receipt of their form and of the status of their request prior to the start of the Academic Term, typically the status notification occurs within the month leading up to the term.  

• Employee Tuition Waiver Policy | PDF.
• Employee Tuition Waiver Request Form | PDF
• Academic Calendar
  

• Admission as an undergraduate student- Contact Radford University Undergraduate Admissions Office.
• Admission as a graduate student- Contact Radford University Graduate Admissions Office. 
• Admission as a non-degree-seeking student - Contact the Radford University Registrar's Office.
• Course Registration & Information - Contact the Radford University Registrar's Office.
• Student Fees & Accounts - Contact the Radford University Office of the Bursar.
• Employee Tuition Waiver Employee Policy, Eligibility & Process - Contact Ethan Jones with our Benefits Team.

Employees choosing to further their education at another educational institution in a part-time or full-time educational program may apply for tuition reimbursement. To qualify for tuition reimbursement funds must be available from the employee’s department budget and all approvals obtained prior to enrollment in full-time or part-time educational programs.

Part-TIme Educational Programs

An educational program is considered part-time if only one class is taken during work hours. If authorized by their department head, full-time, salaried faculty and staff are eligible to take classes at institutions of higher education other than Radford University.

Full-Time Educational Programs (including resident study)

An employee cannot take more than one class within an academic session during working hours without having his/her employment reduced to part-time. A department head may agree to reduce an employee's hours of work without agreeing to the payment of tuition and fees for job-related courses. Educational leave can be granted with partial or no pay.

Tuition Reimbursement Agreement | PDF

Educational leave may be granted, at the discretion of the agency, to allow employees time to further their education through study related to their work or that of their agencies. At an agency's discretion, employees may be allowed to take educational leave with full, partial, or no pay. (The provisions of Policy 4.45, Leave Without Pay, Conditional and Unconditional, apply to an educational leave without pay.) Educational leave is limited to 12 months. Extensions to this leave, up to an additional 12 months, may be granted by the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM), or by agencies that have decentralization agreements regarding extensions of educational leave.

As a higher educational institution, it is our goal to promote educational growth and opportunities for our employees. If you have any questions, please contact Danette Poole with our Benefits Team.