Events that Affect Participation

It is important that you understand how your Tuition Remission Program benefits are affected when you experience a life event (e.g., taking a leave of absence (paid or unpaid), an extended military leave, or a medical leave of absence).

Your Tuition Remission Program benefits are also affected if you retire or are disabled.

Paid Leaves of Absence and Sabbaticals

Tuition Remission benefits continue while you are on an approved leave of absence with pay. Tuition Remission benefits also continue if you are a faculty member on an approved sabbatical with pay. The period of time you are on a leave of absence or sabbatical counts toward any service requirements specified in the program.

Unpaid Leave of Absence

With prior approval from Human Resources, Tuition Remission benefits may be continued during an approved unpaid leave of absence that is taken for one of the following reasons:

  1. Research purposes
  2. Instruction
  3. Government or other service deemed by the University to be in the public interest
  4. Other activities that may be approved by the University

If you take an approved leave of absence without pay for any reason other than those listed above, Tuition Remission benefits will terminate for the duration of your leave on the earlier of:

  1.  The beginning of a semester following or coincident with the first day of your leave; or
  2.  At the end of any semester in which you begin your leave.

While you are on approved leave of absence without pay, you can accrue service (up to 24 months) toward meeting the program’s service requirement.

Extended Military Leave

If you go on an extended military leave, you will accrue service toward meeting the program’s service requirements for the entire period of the leave, provided you return to regular, full-time employment with the University following military service and within the time when your veteran’s re-employment rights are protected.

Medical Leave of Absence

During an approved leave of absence due to temporary disability, benefits continue for your dependent children until the end of a semester in which you complete six months of such leave without pay. You can accrue up to six months of service toward meeting the program’s service requirements while on a temporary disability.

Termination of Employment

How Your Family’s Benefit Is Affected

Generally, if your employment ends before the first day of class, your spouse and dependents will be required to pay full tuition for the courses taken that semester. If your employment ends before the last day of classes, your spouse’s and dependents’ benefits will continue until the end of the semester.

How Your Benefit Is Affected

If You Were Hired on or Before June 30, 1985

  • If your employment ends before the first day instruction begins* you will be required to pay the full tuition for all courses you take that semester.
  • If your employment ends after the first day instruction begins* but before the final exam end date** for the semester, your benefits will continue until the end of the semester.

If You Were Hired on or after July 1, 1985

  • If your employment ends before the first day instruction begins* you will be required to pay the full tuition for all courses you take that semester.
  • If you are involuntarily terminated from your position after the first day instruction begins, your benefits will continue until the end of the semester.
  • If your employment ends before the final exam end date** or the end of session date** for the semester, you will be required to pay full tuition for all courses you take that semester.

* The first day “Instruction Begins” for the semester is defined as the date published in the Boston University Office of the University Registrar Official Academic Calendar: Charles River.

** The “Final Exam End Date” or the “End of Session” date for the semester is defined as the date published in the Boston University Office of the University Registrar Official Academic Calendar: Charles River. For the fall and spring semesters, it is the “final exam end date”; for summer session, it is the Summer II “end of session” date.