Tuition-Free Courses

REGULATIONS OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

1.012 Tuition-Free Courses.

(1) The University of Florida deeply values the education of its employees and strongly encourages its staff to pursue educational opportunities for professional growth and development. To this end, the university has adopted the Employee Education Program (“EEP”), which is described in section (1) of this regulation.

(a) Full-time University of Florida Academic Personnel (AP), Technical, Executive, Administrative and Managerial Support (TEAMS) employees and University Support Personnel System (USPS) employees in good standing who have been employed for at least six (6) months are eligible to apply for enrollment in up to six (6) credit hours of instruction per semester at the University of Florida. Such employees with a principal place of employment outside of Alachua County are eligible to apply for enrollment in up to six (6) credit hours of instruction per semester at the state university in Florida closest to the place of employment. Alternatively, full- time TEAMS employees in good standing who have been employed for at least six (6) months are eligible to apply for enrollment in up to six (6) credit hours of instruction per semester at a public community college closest to their assigned work location in Florida, at a Florida state university closest to their assigned work location, or at a vocational technology center closest to their assigned work location. It shall be the sole discretion of the employee’s department chair or equivalent unit administrator as to the number of credit hours, up to six, that may be registered for under this program each semester. Participation in the EEP is neither a benefit of employment nor a guaranteed right.

1. Participating employees must meet academic requirements and be in an established position on the date that fees are due. The University will establish the periods of enrollment each semester for employees registering for courses provided under this program.

2. This program does not permit enrollment in thesis, dissertation, internships, directed individual study, individual performance courses, non-credit courses, and sponsored credit programs, off-book programs, and some distance education course offerings. A participating employee must be admitted to the respective institution as a degree or non-degree seeking student. Courses taken in a non-degree seeking status may not apply to a degree program.

3. In order to continue to participate in the EEP, an employee must achieve a passing grade in and complete all courses taken in the EEP program.

(b)  This program is not available to OPS or part-time personnel or employees assigned to temporary, visiting or probationary appointments. As a result, graduate assistants, residents, and some faculty members are not eligible to participate.

1. The costs associated with non-credit courses and program offerings otherwise required as an extension of regular employee training are not covered under this program. The University’s fee petition and fee refund policies and procedures are not applicable to courses taken through this program. Therefore, there is no petition process for a refund of any fees paid.

2. No employee may participate in both the EEP and either the Department of Management Services’ State Employee Education Voucher Program or the State Employee Fee Waiver Program in the same semester.

(c) To the extent possible, class attendance should be scheduled during non-working hours. If any University employee enrolls for a course during working hours, all time taken during that period, including time taken in traveling to and from classes, shall be charged to vacation or compensatory leave or leave without pay, unless the work schedule has been adjusted to accommodate the class, subject to approval by the appropriate supervisor or administrator.

(d)     The employee must complete the application form, available from the Office of Human Resource Services at 903 W. University Avenue and from the HRS website at https://learn-and-grow.hr.ufl.edu/education-programs/ and must secure written approval from his or her supervisor and department chair or equivalent unit administrator. The employee’s department chair or equivalent unit administrator must certify that the employee meets the employment requirements for participation and that the time used is covered by appropriate leave or schedule adjustment. The completed form must be submitted to the University Registrar, 222 Criser Hall, by the published EEP application deadline each semester. In the case of an employee with a principal place of employment outside of Alachua County who wishes to attend another state university, the completed form must be submitted to the Education Coordinator for Human Resource Services, 903 W. University Avenue, by the published application deadline.

(e)     Unless otherwise required by applicable law or regulation, the value of courses in which the employee has enrolled under the provisions of this program shall not be used to compute the employee’s base rate of pay or regular rate of pay; however, certain courses may be subject to taxes as defined by the United States Internal Revenue Service. Employees are responsible for any individual tax liability that may result from participation in this tuition program and should refer any tax questions to their tax advisor.

(f)     The employee shall pay any additional fees including, but not limited to:

1. Application fees.

2. Out-of-State Tuition and Fees (in-state tuition rates apply for exempt TEAMS employees and faculty regardless of residency requirements).

3. Photo I.D. Fees.

4. Late Registration Fees.

5. Late Payment Fees.

6. Material and Supply Fees.

7. Off-campus Course Fees, which include but are not limited to, distance education or online course fees.

8. Any other fees not covered by this program.

(g)     The University shall be responsible for the in-state portion of the following fees:

1. Matriculation Fees.

2. Building Fees.

3. Captial Improvement Fees.

4. Student Financial Aid Fees.

(h)     The University shall waive the following local fees and the employee will not be eligible for services provided by these fees. (For students attending another state institution these fees will be paid by the University). The services provided through these fees are, therefore, not available to the employee, and the employee does not have the option to pay any of these fees to take advantage of these services:

1. Activity and Service Fees.

2. Athletic Fees.

3. Student Health Fees.

4. Transportation Fees.

(i)     As of May 2008, an employee whose principal place of employment is in Alachua County may participate in the EEP only at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. Any such employees who were enrolled in degree programs at institutions other than the University of Florida or Santa Fe College under the EEP prior to the summer 2008 terms may complete their programs using EEP funding for a period not to exceed three years beginning in the fall 2008 semester, subject to all the terms and conditions set forth in section (1) of this regulation.

(j)     Continuation of this program of instruction is contingent upon the University’s continuing ability to meet workload requirements and meeting the financial obligations of the program. At any time and with 10 days’ notice, the University may terminate or modify this program. Participation in a course by an employee is contingent upon the department’s continuing ability to meet workload requirements. At any time, with 5 days’ notice, the University may terminate an individual’s participation in this program.

(k)     The Office of Human Resource Services shall be the administrator of this program and shall make available application forms on their website at https://learn-and-grow.hr.ufl.edu/education-programs/.

(2)     Persons who supervise interns from the University of Florida will be given one non- transferable Certificate of Participation for completion of an approved internship experience (or its equivalent) in a program area, upon the recommendation of the President or the President’s designee. A certificate will also be awarded to persons who attend a required training session for the preparation of intern supervisors provided that the training session is approved for this purpose by the President or the President’s designee.

(a)     For purposes of this regulation an internship experience shall be defined as a supervised field experience in an identified program area of the University which has been approved by the University’s Director of Internship Programs in the Office of Academic Affairs.

(b)     Verification of the supervised internship experience for all areas shall be made by the program area college or unit. All requests for Certificates of Participation shall be forwarded to the Director of Internship Programs for review and processing.

(c)     Each Certification of Participation is valid for one term only except that for the Summer terms, the Certificate may be used for registration during both Summer terms. The Certificate entitles the holder to register at the University of Florida after paying only the building fee and the capital improvement trust fund fee for each credit hour attempted each term of instruction, including courses offered through Continuing Education programs of the University. Refer to Regulation 3.0375, for the cost of said fees at the University of Florida. No Certificate will be valid after three (3) years from the date of issue.

(d)     The University of Florida will honor Certificates of Participation issued by other state universities in Florida on the same terms as set forth in this section.

(3)     A State of Florida employee with the approval of the agency head or equivalent is permitted to enroll at a state university for up to six (6) credit hours of courses per term on a space-available basis. Tuition and fees for these credit hours are waived pursuant to Section 1009.265, F.S.

(a)     Space-available courses do not include TBA (to be arranged), directed individualized study, distance learning courses, internships, thesis and dissertation courses, individual performance courses, and non-credit courses.

(b)     A state employee participating in the program must be admitted to the University of Florida as a degree or non-degree seeking student and meet all academic requirements for enrollment in the course(s).

(c)     The State Agency Employee Tuition Fee Waiver Application, Rev. 03/23, must be filled out, including all approvals.  The form is available from the Office of the University Registrar, 222 Criser Hall, or online at https://registrar.ufl.edu/registration/employee-education and must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar, 222 Criser Hall, by the published deadline each semester.

Specific Authority: BOG Resolution dated January 7, 2003.

History: New 3-26-80, Formerly 6Cl-7.35, Amended 3-6-85, Formerly 6C1-1.12, Amended 3-2-87, 5-l9-93, 10-7-99, 5-22-01, 6-27-02, 1-19-03, 03-14-08 (BOT approval), 6-12-09 (BOT approval), Formerly 6C1-1.012, Amended 7-10-23 (technical changes only).