Staff Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)

To determine whether the STAP is right for you, please consider the following factors:

• Whether you want to audit a class or take one for credit.
  • If you do not want course credit, then you may be able to audit the course instead.For more information about auditing courses, review Auditing a Course in the course catalog.
• Whether you and your job meet the eligibility requirements for STAP.
  • To be eligible for STAP, you must be a full-time, staff employee, and have been employed by the university for at least one year prior to the day your course begins.
• Whether you want to apply and gain admission to The University of Texas at Austin and your preferred program of study.
  • To be eligible for STAP, you must apply to and be admitted to the university as a degree or non-degree seeking student. The application process and fees are the same as they are for all other applicants. For more information about applying to the university, review the Apply to Texas webpage.
    • If you were previously an undergraduate student at UT Austin and are ready to return after an interruption of at least one fall or spring semester, you may be eligible to apply for readmission as a former student and should complete a readmission application.
    • If you were previously a graduate student at UT Austin and are ready to return after an interruption of at least one long semester or more, you must apply for readmission as a graduate student.
• Whether your program of study allows you to work full-time and make satisfactory progress.
  • Some programs of study may offer more flexibility to those working full-time than others. To better understand the degree to which your preferred program lends itself to part-time study and full-time work, please contact an academic advisor in the college or school that administers your preferred program of study.
• Whether your work schedule and duties will allow you to attend your scheduled courses
  • In some cases, your work schedule may interfere with your ability to take coursework. If a schedule conflict arises, talk to your supervisor. Depending upon the specific business needs of your unit, your supervisor may be able to flex your schedule. Your supervisor may also authorize you to use up to three hours of work time each week for course attendance. For additional information, review Taking Coursework During the Workday.

To be eligible for the STAP, you must:

• Have a full-time (40 scheduled weekly hours) staff job in Workday at the time of enrollment, and through the course’s census date;
• Have worked for The University of Texas at Austin for at least one continuous year prior to the start of courses;
• Have received a rating of Meets Expectations or higher on your most recent performance appraisal, or are expected to be rated Meets Expectations or higher if you have not yet received an appraisal;
• Have been admitted to The University of Texas at Austin as a degree or non-degree seeking student; and
• Have registered for classes.

Your eligibility for the STAP will be assessed multiple times through a semester’s official census date. If you do not continue to meet all of the eligibility criteria through that date, then you will lose the STAP for that semester and be responsible for paying for the full cost of your tuition. 

The STAP covers:

• The in-state tuition cost of one eligible course per semester regardless of the number of credit hours; or
• The in-state tuition cost of more than one eligible course per semester provided the combined number of credit hours does not exceed three.

Eligible courses are those found in the UT Austin course catalog that are considered in residence, and that receive formula funding from the state. 

The STAP does not cover:

• Dissertation courses with numbers ending in 99
• Courses through the Texas Extended Campus (including University Extension Courses)
• Courses through Executive Education
• Courses offered through Option III programs
• Admissions application fees
• Auditing fees
• Student services, such as the Counseling and Mental Health Center, University Health Services, Recreational Sports, etc.

If you have already reviewed Is the STAP Right for Me and determined that it is, please take the following steps to utilize the program:

• Talk to your supervisor
  • Let them know that you would like to further your education and are considering the STAP. Have an open discussion about your goals and how your work schedule and duties might impact and be impacted by them.
  • Depending upon the specific business needs of your unit, your supervisor may be able to flex your schedule to accommodate your course attendance. Your supervisor may also authorize you to use up to three hours of work time each week for course attendance. For additional information about this option, review Taking Coursework During the Workday.
• Determine whether you are eligible for the STAP
  • Visit the STAP Online portal, select the semester you would like to verify your eligibility for, and click Am I Eligible?
  • If you are not able to verify your eligibility for STAP, and meet the criteria in Am I Eligible for STAP, please contact your benefits specialist.If your ineligibility is due to unpaid time off in conjunction with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you may qualify for an exception.
• Apply to the University of Texas at Austin
  • The application process for staff interested in the STAP is the same as it is for all other applicants. For more information about applying to the university, review the Apply to Texas webpage.
• Register for classes
  • Once you have been admitted to the university, you may register for classes. For more information about registration, review the Registering for Classes webpage.
• Apply the STAP
  • After you have registered for classes, visit the STAP Online portal, select the semester you would like to apply the STAP to, and click Am I Eligible?
  • If you meet the STAP eligibility criteria, you will receive a prompt, and should click on the Apply for … Assistance button to apply the STAP.
  • If you are not able to verify your eligibility for STAP, and meet the criteria in Am I Eligible for STAP, please contact your benefits specialist.
• Review and confirm your tuition bill
  • Once you have applied the STAP, you must review and confirm your tuition bill in My Tuition Bill before your balance will be updated to reflect the STAP.
  • Please be sure to pay any remaining balance due.If the remaining balance due is not paid by the tuition due date, all of your courses will be cancelled.

If you apply the STAP to a graduate course, it will be taxable, and you will be responsible for paying the additional taxes. If you apply the STAP to an undergraduate course, it will not be taxable. If you apply the STAP to both graduate and undergraduate courses, both will be taxable.

If you are regularly expected to work at a unit that is located 75 or more miles from the Austin/Travis County area (e.g. McDonald Observatory, Marine Science Institute, UT Los Angeles, UT New York, etc.), you may qualify for an exception that allows you to be reimbursed for:

• The tuition cost of one successfully completed course per long semester regardless of the number of credit hours; or
• The tuition cost of more than one successfully completed course per long semester provided the combined number of credit hours does not exceed three.
• The phrase “long semester” is defined as the equivalent semester at UT Austin.

To qualify for an exception, you must:

• Be expected to regularly work at a UT Austin unit that is located 75 or more miles from the Austin/Travis County area (e.g. McDonald Observatory, Marine Science Institute, UT Los Angeles, etc.);
• Meet all of the STAP eligibility criteria listed in Am I Eligible for the STAP above, with the exception of admission to UT Austin;
• Apply to and be admitted as a student to an accredited institution of higher education;
  • Per UT System Regents Rule 30112, UT System institutions are preferred for Texas Residents
• Register and pay for your course;
• Successfully complete your course; and
  • For undergraduate courses, you must receive a grade of C- or better
  • For graduate courses, you must receive a grade of B- or better
• Submit a STAP for Remote Employees Reimbursement request to Student Accounts Receivable and include your supporting documentation.
  • Reimbursement cannot exceed the in-state cost of an equivalent course at UT Austin

For more information about whether you may qualify for a remote employee exception, please submit a ticket in the HR portal using the "Need more help?" selection.