Tuition Assistance

Full-time employees, retirees, Salary Schedule H employees, and their dependents are eligible for tuition assistance for courses taught by community and technical colleges under the control of the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees and, when applicable, Athens State University. Tuition assistance is available after Years 1 and 2 in amounts of 1/3 and 2/3 tuition, respectively, and after the third year of employment for a full tuition waiver.

To be eligible, an employee must have been employed by the Alabama Community College system college or entity or the ACCS office for the equivalent of one full academic year for faculty or at least 12 months for non-instructional employees, prior to the first scheduled day of classes for the term for which the employee is applying. Eligibility terminates if the employee discontinues full-time employment or becomes ineligible for benefits at the College for any reason. Approved tuition assistance waivers are honored through the completion of the current term only. A dependent is defined as the spouse of any eligible employee or retiree; the unmarried children of any eligible employee or retiree residing in the household of the employee or retiree, residing in the household of the employee or retiree’s former spouse, or residing in temporary housing while enrolled in college such as college dormitories, apartments, or student houses; the unmarried stepchildren of any eligible employee or retiree residing in the household of the employee or retiree; or a legal ward when the guardian is a benefits-eligible employee or retiree.

Current definitions, eligibility requirements, and procedures for implementing such tuition assistance shall be set out in guidelines established by the Chancellor (Board Policy 612.02, 4/10/19) and available on the ACCS website. Tuition Waiver forms are available in the Financial Aid Office and on the Forms page on the College website. The application form should be completed prior to registration for classes and submitted to the Financial Aid Office for processing. A copy of the completed form must be maintained by the employing institution and the institution offering courses (if not the same).