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Tuition Grant Program for Dependent Children

 
The College provides tuition grants for eligible dependent children of benefit-eligible employees who have completed at least three years of continuous benefit-eligible service.
 

Benefit Amount

  • The Tuition Grant Program provides a Tuition Grant equal to 50% of the tuition of the eligible educational institution attended, including Hamilton, not to exceed 50% of Hamilton's then current tuition. Tuition means, for purposes of this program, the actual fees charged for the academic program. It does not include any other fees, including, but not limited to, health service fees, student activity fees, laboratory fees, miscellaneous fees, room, board, books, or supplies. In the case of two employees who are eligible to apply for a Tuition Grant for the same eligible child, the total Tuition Grant the two employees can receive together for the child will not exceed 50% of the tuition of the eligible educational institution attended, including Hamilton, not to exceed 50% of Hamilton's then current tuition (this limit applies regardless of whether the employees apply together or separately).
  • The Tuition Grant is available for up to four academic years (eight semesters or twelve trimesters) of undergraduate education for each eligible dependent child. The terms do not have to be consecutive. Any Tuition Grant that is provided with respect to a semester or trimester shall count towards the total number of semesters or trimesters, regardless of the number of courses taken during the applicable semester or trimester (e.g., if an eligible dependent child is enrolled as a half-time student in a semester, that semester will count as one of the eight semesters of Tuition Grants the eligible dependent can receive). A Tuition Grant that is disbursed for a summer session also counts toward the total number of semesters or trimesters.
  • Hamilton's Tuition Grant and tuition payments from all sources (including New York State TAP payments) cannot exceed 100% of the tuition of the institution attended.

Additionally the following provisions apply:

  • For full-time eligible employees who accepted employment at the College prior to June 3, 2000 – eligible dependent children who qualify for admission to Hamilton will receive full remission of tuition charges at Hamilton for up to but not more than four years, less any scholarships awarded from other sources that are restricted to tuition only.
  • For full-time eligible members of the faculty and administration who accepted employment at the College prior to June 3, 2000 – for eligible dependent children studying at other accredited eligible educational institutions, the College will provide a Tuition Grant equivalent to the lesser of the cost of the tuition of the institution attended or 50% of Hamilton's then current tuition. In the case of two employees who are eligible to apply for a Tuition Grant for the same eligible child, the total Tuition Grant the two employees can receive together for the child will not exceed the lesser of the cost of the tuition of the institution attended or 50% of Hamilton's then current tuition (this limit applies regardless of whether the employees apply together or separately). 

Eligibility 

  • You must be a benefit-eligible employee (regular employee working half-time or more) of Hamilton College who has completed at least three years of continuous benefit-eligible service with the College by the end of the first month of the term for which a Tuition Grant is requested. If you have satisfied all of the requirements of the preceding sentence except for the fact that you are on a College-approved paid leave after completing at least three years of continuous benefit-eligible service with the College, you only will be eligible to receive a Tuition Grant under such terms and conditions as are specified by the College's Human Resources office.
  • Benefit-eligible employees with half-time or more schedules and less than full-time schedules are eligible for this benefit on a pro-rated basis (assuming they satisfy the other eligibility requirements).
  • In the event of the death or disability of an eligible employee, eligible dependent children at the time of death or disability will remain eligible for benefits provided the employee has completed at least ten years of regular, half-time or more employment with the College.
  • In the event of the retirement of an eligible employee, eligible dependent children at the time of the retirement will remain eligible for benefits providing the employee has a combination of age and years of service equaling at least 75 at the time of retirement.
  • If you leave the College and are not entitled to a benefit under the death, disability or retirement provisions outlined above, you are responsible for reimbursing Hamilton for a prorated portion of any Tuition Grant you are receiving for the current term. If you fail to promptly provide the College with such reimbursement, the College reserves the right to take any action permitted by law to collect such reimbursement.
  • An individual only will be eligible for benefits under this program if he or she has first been classified as being eligible for a Tuition Grant by Hamilton College's Human Resources office. 
 

Eligible Dependent Children

There is no limit on the number of eligible dependent children in a family who may benefit from this program. Each eligible dependent child must satisfy all of the applicable requirements described below.
 
The child must be unmarried and enrolled as a student in an undergraduate program at an eligible educational institution and meet the definition of a dependent under the Internal Revenue Code. The next three paragraphs describe some of the Internal Revenue Code dependent definition requirements that must be satisfied, as well as the College's eligibility requirements for dependent children that are in addition to those Internal Revenue Code requirements.
 
The unmarried child must be (1) your biological or legally-adopted child, your stepchild, or your eligible foster child, or (2) the biological child, legally-adopted child, stepchild, or eligible foster child of your eligible domestic partner. In the case of an eligible child of your domestic partner, an approved Acknowledgement of Domestic Partnership must be on file with Human Resources.
 
To be considered an eligible dependent, an eligible child must also meet one of the following tests:
a)   The child must be under the age of 24 at the end of the applicable calendar year; the child must be enrolled as a full-time student at an eligible educational institution; the child must claim your residence as his or her official residence while away at school; and you must provide more than one-half of the child's support.  Or, 
b)   The child must be under the age of 26 at the end of the applicable calendar year; the child must have gross income less than the dependent exemption amount for the applicable year ($3,500 for 2008); and you must provide more than one-half of the child's support.
 
The Internal Revenue Code has a number of special rules that apply when determining whether a child qualifies as an eligible dependent (e.g., special rules for divorced or separated parents, and special rules relating to multiple support agreements), and you should consult with your tax advisor regarding questions specific to your situation.  You will be required to certify on the Tuition Grant application form that each child receiving a Tuition Grant satisfies the applicable requirements for qualifying as a dependent under the Internal Revenue Code, and that you will provide any information and/or documentation that the College may determine, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate to verify such qualification (including, but not limited to, copies of applicable tax returns).
 

Eligible Educational Institutions

An eligible educational institution is any college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it carries on its educational activities.
 

Taxability of Benefit

This benefit generally will not constitute taxable income to you as long as the applicable tax requirements are satisfied, with the exception that current IRS regulations do not allow for the tax exemption of payments on behalf of eligible dependent children of domestic partners (however, if any such child also qualifies as your eligible dependent child for federal income tax purposes, a tax exemption still could be available). Due to the complexity of IRS regulations, please consult with your tax advisor regarding questions specific to your situation.
 

How to Apply for a Benefit

You must apply for a Tuition Grant each term. To insure that the student's eligible educational institution receives the check in time, you should submit to Human Resources an Application for Tuition Grant for Dependent Children with an itemized copy of the bill from the eligible educational institution as soon as you receive the bill. Payment will be made directly to the eligible educational institution within 3 weeks of receipt of a properly completed application and supporting documentation that satisfies the applicable requirements of the program. You will be mailed a written confirmation that payment was made to the eligible educational institution. Applications must be submitted before or during the term for which payment is requested and will not be accepted after the term ends.
 

General Rules and Procedures

  • All Tuition Grants are sent directly to the eligible educational institution for credit against your eligible child's account. In no case will the Tuition Grant be disbursed for the child's personal use or refunded directly to the parent or the child.
  • Hamilton College will not be responsible for late payment fees or finance charges.
  • If your child is receiving a Tuition Grant and withdraws from an eligible educational institution during an academic term that is covered by the Tuition Grant or is no longer a student in an undergraduate degree program, or if there is any other change in your child's educational status or relationship to you, you must notify the Human Resources office immediately.
  • Any false statement, misrepresentation or factual error when applying for a Tuition Grant, any attempt to abuse a Tuition Grant, and/or any failure to abide by the rules, requirements, or procedures of this program may result in disciplinary action or termination of employment. Each employee who is eligible to receive a Tuition Grant agrees that if any of the events described in the preceding sentence occurs, he or she will:  (1) repay immediately to Hamilton College on demand any Tuition Grant made that would not have been made had such event not occurred; (2) consent to any other action that Hamilton College considers necessary or appropriate to recover or recoup any Tuition Grant made on his or her behalf that should not have been made under the terms of the program; and (3) forfeit the right to receive any future Tuition Grants.
  • Colleges and universities consider all tuition benefits in determining a student's eligibility for need based financial aid; eligible children may experience a reduction in financial aid due to the eligibility for the Tuition Grant benefit.
 
If any issue arises about how this program should be interpreted or applied, such interpretation or application will be made by Hamilton College in its sole discretion and will be binding upon all interested persons. Hamilton reserves the right to change or terminate the Tuition Grant Program for Dependent Children at any time and from time to time.

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