Fee Waiver FAQ's

If your question is not answered below please contact Tuition Fee Waiver.

General

• As a faculty or staff member, when can I start using the fee waiver?

  • If you meet the eligibility requirements, your position must be active by the start of the term to use the fee waiver for that term.

• Are winter and summer courses fee waiver eligible?

  • No. Only regular session state-funded courses are fee waiver eligible. Special session and self-support courses are not eligible. We recommend asking the program/department if the class(es) you want to take are regular or special sessions to confirm their eligibility.

• Can fee waiver be used for the University of California (UC) schools or community colleges?

  • No. Fee waiver can only be used at California State Universities.

• Do I have to fill out a student admission application in order to take classes using fee waiver?

  • It depends on the type of fee waiver you choose to use.

    If you are working toward a degree using the Career Development fee waiver, you are required to apply to the CSU of your choice. Applying for CSU admission is a separate process from applying for fee waiver.

    If you are not working toward a degree but are taking job-related or personal development classes, the Job Related Fee Waiver Application acts as an application to the University.

• What are the tax implications for participating in this benefit?

  • The value of fees waived for the employee's use of their Fee Waiver benefit is non-taxable for undergraduate courses.

    For graduate and doctorate level courses the value of fees waived is nontaxable up to $5,250 (unless job-related) per tax year.

    Please note, if you are taking both undergraduate and graduate or doctoral level courses at the same time, the fees are taxable if the combined total for the tax year exceeds $5,250.

• Does my dependent have to be a matriculated student to use this benefit?
  • Yes. Dependents must be matriculated toward a degree or attainment of a teaching credential in the CSU to use fee waiver.
• What happens if my dependent child turns 24 or 26 (depending on bargaining unit) during the semester?
  • Your dependent child is eligible for the program until their birthday. If that occurs during the semester, your dependent child is allowed to complete that semester using this benefit but will not be eligible for the following semester.
• Can my dependent enroll in more than 2 classes?
  • Yes, however, this program covers only any combination of 6 units or 2 classes, whichever is greater, per semester. For example 2 four-unit courses are eligible, just as 1 one-unit course, 1 two-unit course, and 1 three-unit course are eligible through this program. There are several other combinations of courses that are eligible through this program. If you or your dependent take more than 2 classes or 6 units you will need to pay all additional fees.
• Do I qualify for a fee waiver if I am in the Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP)?
  • You qualify for the fee waiver only during the semesters for which you are FERPing.
• I am a lecturer working one semester this academic year. Do I qualify for the fee waiver?
  • In order to qualify, lecturers must have a 3 year contract.
• Can my fee waiver be applied if I take a recreational class?
  • No. Courses must be for credit toward the degree’s requirements, career development courses or job-related courses.
• I work for an auxiliary at SJSU. Do I qualify to use the fee waiver program?
  • No.
• Can the employee attend any CSU or does that only apply to the dependent?
  • Employees and dependents can attend courses at any of the 23 campuses.
• Can the $70 application fee be reimbursed?
  • The employee must upload a copy of the "Cal State Apply" receipt to the application (DocuSign form). In addition, the employee can submit a separate email to fee-waiver@sjsu.edu with a copy of the receipt.
• How far in advance do we need to turn in the application?
  • Submit your application before the start of the semester. The deadlines are posted on the website for reference.
• My daughter attends another CSU campus. Will I need to do the reimbursement application with SJSU or the campus where she attends?
  • You will submit the application to SJSU.
• How do I know if I’m qualified for tuition fee waiver?

  • Fee waiver eligibility is determined by employment status and bargaining unit. Generally, full-time and part-time permanent employees are eligible. See the Eligibility page on the CSYou website (requires SJSUOne/CSU login) for eligibility requirements.

• How often do I have to apply for the tuition fee waiver program?

  • You must submit an application to this program each term you or your dependent intends to register for classes. 

• Are winter and summer courses tuition fee waiver eligible?

  • Only regular session, state funded, courses are fee waiver eligible. Special session and self-support courses are not eligible. At SJSU many winter and summer course are special session.

    We recommend asking the program/department if the class(es) you want to take are regular session or special session to confirm their eligibility.

• How many units does tuition fee waiver cover?

  • Fee waiver covers 6 units or 2 courses per term, whichever is greater.

• What other course fees are waived or reduced?

  • The fees waived or reduced through fee waiver are determined by your Collective Bargaining Agreement

• Can tuition fee waiver be used for the University of California (UC) schools or community colleges?

  • No, fee waiver can only be used at California State Universities.

Employees Staff Fee Waiver

• I am an SJSU employee but I will be attending another CSU. What do I do?

  • SJSU employees complete the SJSU fee waiver application and submit them to fee-waiver@sjsu.edu. The SJSU fee waiver coordinator will process the application and send it to the appropriate CSU for processing. Applications must be received by the deadlines posted by the CSU the student is attending.

• Do I have to fill out a student admission application in order to take classes using fee waiver?

  • You have to apply to the CSU of your choice only if you are taking classes toward a degree program. Applying for CSU admission is a separate process from applying for fee waiver.

    If you are not working toward a degree, but are taking job-related or personal development classes, the Job Related Fee Waiver Application acts as an application to the University.

• Do I have to be enrolled in a degree program to utilize fee waiver?

  • No, the fee waiver program may be used by employees for classes outside of a degree program. Employees may take courses specifically to improve their performance in their current job or to prepare for anticipated upcoming changes in their job duties through Job Related. These employees are not matriculated students and are not registered through Open University.

• Can I take classes as part of my work schedule using state time?

  • Appropriate administrators may authorize the use of state time for all units (except unit 8) for one on campus class depending on the needs of the department, or they may allow changes in work schedules to accommodate a class schedule. Appropriate administrators are not obligated to do either, and employees may have to take fee waiver classes on their own time. The operational needs of the department must be met. Participants in unit 8 may not take classes on state time.

• Can I use fee waiver to audit a class?

  • No, all classes taken through fee waiver are for credit and the grades will appear on your transcript.

     
• What are the tax implications for participating in this benefit?

  • The value of fees waived for the employee's use of their Fee Waiver benefit is non-taxable for undergraduate courses.

    For graduate and doctorate level courses the value of fees waived is nontaxable up to $5,250 (unless job-related) per tax year. Please review the Taxation Implication page for more information.

Dependent Fee Waiver

• To whom can I transfer this benefit?

  • Employees are allowed to transfer their fee waiver benefit to a spouse, domestic partner or dependent child.

    In order to qualify for fee waiver a dependent child must be:

    • Your child or stepchild under age 23 (for UAPD and SUPA) or under age 25 (for CSUEU, APC, SETC, MPP and Confidential) who has never been married
    • A child under age 23 (for UAPD and SUPA) or under age 25 (for CSUEU, APC, SETC, MPP and Confidential), living with you in a parent-child relationship who is economically dependent upon you and has never been married
    • Your child or stepchild age 23, 25 or above who is incapable of self-support due to a disability which existed prior to age 23 (for UAPD and SUPA) or age 25 (for CSUEU, APC, SETC, MPP and Confidential).
• Does my dependent have to be a matriculated student to use this benefit?

  • Yes, dependents need to be matriculated toward a degree or attainment of a teaching credential in the CSU to use fee waiver.

• Can I take one class and my dependent take one class through this program in the same semester? Or, can my two dependent children take classes through this program at the same time?

  • Only one person can use this benefit per semester. The benefit cannot be shared.  Only one dependent is eligible per semester. You may, however, alternate the benefit between you/your dependents every other semester.

• What happens if my dependent child turns 23 or 25 (depending on bargaining unit) during the semester?

  • Your dependent child is eligible for the program until his/her birthday. If that occurs during the semester, your dependent child is allowed to complete that semester using this benefit but will not be eligible for the following semester.

• I am an SJSU employee but my dependent will be attending another CSU. What do I do?

  • SJSU employees complete the SJSU fee waiver application and submit them to fee-waiver@sjsu.edu. The SJSU fee waiver coordinator will process the application and send it to the appropriate CSU for processing. Applications must be received by the deadlines posted by the CSU the student is attending.

• Can my dependent enroll in more than 2 classes?

  • Yes, however, this program covers only any combination of 6 units or 2 classes, whichever is greater, per semester. For example 2 four-unit courses are eligible, just as 1 one-unit course, 1 two-unit course, and 1 three-unit course are eligible through this program. There are several other combinations of courses that are eligible through this program. If you or your dependent take more than 2 classes or 6 units you will need to pay all additional fees.

• What are the tax implications for utilizing this benefit?

  • Graduate courses taken by spouses or dependents and all courses taken by domestic partners or children of domestic partners are eligible to be taxed under Internal Revenue Code Sections 117(d), 127 and 132(d).

    Imputed income related to participation in the CSU Employee Fee Waiver & Reduction Program is subject to specific tax rates-- federal tax is mandated at a flat 25% tax rate and CA State at 6.6%. Social Security and Medicare taxes are taken at their normal rates of 6.2% and 1.45%.

    The imputed income is reported to the State Controller's Office once each term. The reporting is done after Census for the term, so there is no adverse tax reporting on imputed income when an employee or an employee’s dependent drops courses.

Request to Get Application Fee Waived/Reimbursed

• How do I request to get my application fee waived/reimbursed?

  • The application reimbursement process is different for each CSU. For SJSU, when you apply through CSU Mentor, indicate you will be paying the application fee by check and then email fee-waiver@sjsu.edu with:

    • Employee name and SJSU ID number
    • Student name and ID (if not the employee)
    • Term
    • Indicate if application is for undergraduate or graduate admission

    If you are requesting a reimbursement, send all of the information above to fee-waiver@sjsu.edu along with notice that it is for a reimbursement. Please note that reimbursements may take several weeks to process.

    If you are requesting a waiver/reimbursement from another CSU, contact fee-waiver@sjsu.edu and we will work with you to submit the request.