Dependent Tuition Scholarship Program

The Wesleyan dependent tuition scholarship is a payment toward the cost of tuition and nontaxable fees (as defined by the IRS) up to a maximum dollar amount equivalent to 50% of Wesleyan's tuition. 

Maximum scholarship: $33,358 for the 2023–2024 academic year ($16,679 per semester and $11,119.33 per trimester).

One scholarship is available per dependent and is paid directly to the dependent’s college or university. This allows the scholarship to be nontaxable to the employee. Please reference IRS publication 970 for information about taxability.

Eligibility Requirements – Employees

  • Beginning with the date of hire, eligible employees must have accumulated a minimum of five years of benefits-eligible service as a Wesleyan faculty member (tenured, tenure-track, retired tenured, adjunct faculty on multi-year appointments, and Professor of the Practice) in a .5 FTE capacity or as an administrative staff working in a .75 FTE capacity.
  • Verified prior service in a benefit-eligible position at other accredited colleges and universities will count toward the five-year qualifying period. If this requirement is met during a semester, the scholarship will apply the following semester.
  • The employee must be employed by Wesleyan at the time the application is made (May of each year) and the beginning of each academic term for which the scholarship is granted.  
  • If both parents are Wesleyan employees, the scholarship applies to one parent.
  • The dependent tuition scholarship amount is pro-rated based upon the employee’s FTE. All other program requirements must be met.
  • Bargaining unit employees should reference their contracts for plan information and eligibility requirements.

Eligibility Requirements – Dependent Children

  • In order for dependent children to be eligible for the scholarship, they must be claimed as a dependent on the employee’s most recent calendar year tax return and they must meet the IRS qualifying child criteria. Suitable proof of dependency in connection with the approval of your application may be requested.
  • Dependent children of domestic partners are eligible, provided they meet qualifying child criteria for the domestic partner. Per IRS regulations, the scholarship is taxable to the Wesleyan employee unless they meet the qualifying child criteria for the employee as well.
  • The dependent child must be enrolled in a 2 or 4-year undergraduate program working toward a first undergraduate degree on a full-time basis at Wesleyan or at another accredited college or university. The maximum award is 4 full-time undergraduate years, 8 semesters or 12 trimesters.
  • Provided the fall and spring semester benefit maximums are not exceeded, winter and summer session tuition and nontaxable fees will be covered. The total benefit for all semesters and sessions may not exceed the annual maximum.
  • If the annual benefit maximum is exceeded, winter or summer session(s) may be treated as separate semesters that will count toward the 8 semester or 12 trimester maximum.   
  • The student must retain full-time student status to be eligible for winter and summer session reimbursement as outlined above.
  • The dependent child must be under the age of 24 at the end of the tax year in which they receive the scholarship.
  • Human Resources will notify the Office of Student Accounts of any dependents who will attend Wesleyan and the appropriate accounts will be credited. 

Book and Supply Reimbursement

  • If the student’s benefit reimbursement is less than the Wesleyan scholarship maximum for the semester, the difference may be applied to nontaxable books and supplies. The reimbursement for books and supplies has a maximum of $500 per semester (total for the year will not exceed $1,000). 
  • Supplies expended during the applicable course are nontaxable and will be covered. Supplies that can be kept after the course are taxable and will not be covered (e.g. calculators).

Eligible and Non-Eligible Fees

Nontaxable fees (as defined by the IRS) are eligible for reimbursement under this program.
  • Eligible Nontaxable Fees*: Educational, Curriculum Support, Technology, Labs, New Student fees, Activity, Student Union/Center Community, Out-of-State Charges, Fine Arts, Matriculation, Non-Residential (commuter), enrollment, registration and the eligible nontaxable portion of General (or aggregated) fees.
  • Ineligible Fees: Room and Board, ID Cards, Personal, Student Societies, Health Insurance, Infirmary, Parking, Transportation, Orientation, Student Service, Campus, Athletics, Late Fees, and the ineligible taxable portion of General (or aggregated) fees
  • Tuition-based scholarships and grants will be offset against the Wesleyan scholarship amount as tax law prohibits double reimbursement of eligible expenses. If written documentation from the dependent’s institution is received documenting the scholarship(s) or grant(s) can be applied to ineligible, taxable fees or room and board, they will not be offset. Loans will not be offset.

*Must be paid to the institution for enrollment or attendance. The nontaxable portion of general (aggregated) fees will be eligible for reimbursement, and the taxable portion is not eligible for reimbursement.  The school must provide documentation showing the breakout of fees for the nontaxable portion to be reimbursable.

If a student drops a class(es) or otherwise disenrolls for a semester and receives funds back from the college or university, those funds, to the extent they were orginally paid by Wesleyan, should be returned to Wesleyan by the school, student or parent."

Example of Wesleyan's Dependent Undergraduate Tuition Scholarship Program calculation of scholarship

Total scholarship maximum is $16,679 per semester (2023–2024 Academic Year) and $11,119.33 per trimester.

Example - Amount Wesleyan pays after offsetting ineligible, taxable fees. 

Breakout of Charges and aid

Tuition & Fees

Amount

Tuition

$19,000

Room and Board

$7,500

Eligible, Nontaxable Fees

$750

Ineligible, Taxable Fees (Activity fee, health insurance, transportation, etc.)

$1,850

Subtotal of Charges

$29,100

Deduct:

     Room and Board

     Ineligible, Taxable Fees

 

$7,500

$1,850

Subtotal of Ineligible, Taxable Fees (offset against Wesleyan scholarship)

$9,350

Deduct:

     Merit Scholarship

     Federal and Private Grants

 

$3,000

$2,500

Subtotal of Scholarship and Grants (offset against Wesleyan scholarship)

$5,500

 

Breakout of Charges and Aid

Example of calculation

Total Invoice

$29,100

Minus Ineligible, Taxable Fees

-$9,350

Minus Scholarship and Grants

-$5,500

Subtotal

$14,250

 

 

Wesleyan Tuition Scholarship

$14,250

Balance Owed to School

$14,850

Application Information

The Dependent Tuition Scholarship Program site is located on WesPortal under “My Information”. Applications for each academic year should be submitted in late May/early June by the announced deadline. Employees will have the ability to make changes to their online applications until this date. 

Once the application is submitted, the employee will receive confirmation that their application has been received and approved. They will then be able to submit tuition invoices and track payments through the site.

All invoices submitted for the fall semester will be paid after July 1. Invoices must itemize all scholarships and grants along with a detailed breakout of all charges and fees. If any of this information is not provided, tehe invoice cannot be processed in a timely manner.  Please allow three (3) weeks for processing and payment.

Taxability of Tuition Scholarship

Scholarships paid for eligible dependent children of an employee are considered nontaxable income for the employee. Scholarships paid for dependents of a domestic partner are taxable to the Wesleyan employee in the year in which the scholarship is paid, however, scholarships paid in November or December will be taxable in the next calendar year as allowed by the IRS.