An employee's child who attends an eligible Illinois Senior Public University may be eligible for the Interinstitutional Child of Employee 50 percent Tuition Waiver. Select one of the following for more information:

Policy Information

The Interinstitutional Child of Employee Tuition Waiver provides the following benefits and has the following limitations:

• A 50 percent tuition waiver excluding fees, for up to four years, each year consisting of two semesters and one summer term.
• Non-credit and graduate/professional academic programs or certifications are excluded from coverage.
• The child covered by the waiver must make satisfactory academic progress toward graduation at the university they attend.
• The waiver may be used at any campus of the Illinois senior public universities where the child has been accepted for admission. The child must be admitted under the same general admission standards and requirements applicable to all students who are accepted.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a child of employee tuition waiver, the child must attend and the parent must be employed at one of the Illinois senior public universities. Additional eligibility requirements are as follows.

Child Eligibility

To be eligible for the interinstitutional 50 percent tuition waiver for children of Illinois senior public university employees, the child must be both:

• Under age 25 at the beginning of any academic year (defined as the first day of instruction) in which the waiver will be effective.
• The natural child, adopted child, stepchild, or ward of an eligible employee.

Employee Eligibility

For an employee's child to be eligible for the interinstitutional 50 percent tuition waiver, the employee must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a current employee at an Illinois senior public university and employed at 50 percent time or more.
• Be eligible to participate in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). Employees are eligible to participate in SURS if they are employed at least 1 percent time and continuously for at least four months. Individuals whose employment is irregular, intermittent, or temporary are excluded from SURS eligibility. This affects staff (Civil Service) employees whose only employment is Extra Help or a temporary appointment. It also affects academic employees whose only appointments are for zero-percent time or are expected to continue for less than four months, and all academic hourly employees. By law non-U.S. citizens with a J-1 or F-1 visa employed on or after July 1, 1991, are not eligible to participate in SURS. If a non-U.S. citizen with a J-1 visa has been designated as a resident alien for tax purposes, then they become eligible for SURS participation. Students, including graduate assistants, are also ineligible.
• Be in active employment status as of the first day of the child's academic term. Active status includes employees on approved leaves of absence, but not those on permanent layoff status. Changes in status after the first day of class will only affect future academic terms.
• Have completed at least seven years of eligible employment cumulatively at one of the eligible institutions, by the first day of the academic term where the child is enrolled. The seven years do not have to be consecutive. The seven years can be a combination of employment among the eligible Illinois Senior Public Universities.

Ineligible Employees

Ineligible employees include SURS annuitants (retirees), State Survey employees covered under the personnel policies of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, employees of University-related organizations (i.e. Foundation, Alumni Association), academic hourly, Civil Service temporary and Extra Help, graduate and undergraduate assistants, and students.

How to Apply for a Waiver

To apply for the Child of Employee 50% Tuition Waiver, follow these steps.

• Complete both the student and the employee sections of the Interinstitutional 50 percent Tuition Waiver for Children of Public University Employees Application form (Print Only PDF). IMPORTANT: Children of employees who are attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale, should instead complete the SIUC Application and Benefit Utilization Record. Children of employees who are attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, should instead complete the SIUE Application and Benefit Utilization Record.
• Have the student complete the Tuition Waiver Benefit Utilization Record (BUR Form: Fillable PDF | Print Only PDF). If this is the first time you have applied for the 50 percent tuition waiver for this child, he or she will indicate no benefit usage, but the student must complete the form. IMPORTANT: Children of employees who are attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale, should instead complete the SIUC Application and Benefit Utilization Record. Children of employees who are attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, should instead complete the SIUE Application and Benefit Utilization Record.
• The following Universities also require proof of relationship the first time a tuition waiver is submitted - the child's birth certificate, as well as a marriage license for a step child.
  • Illinois State University
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Indicate on the form if employment has not been continuous or has been through a different human resources office (Academic or Civil Service) or at a different Illinois senior public university. Your campus Human Resources office will verify your University of Illinois employment and qualifying employment at other institutions to confirm your eligibility as a University employee. Human Resources will forward the form to the appropriate office at the campus your child plans to attend.
• Email the signed forms to the campus Human Resources office handling your current employment. You may also hand deliver forms, but due to COVID restrictions, please call ahead to confirm a date and time when your HR office will be staffed.
  • Urbana-Champaign: tuition-HR@mx.uillinois.edu
  • Chicago: uichrtuitionwvr@uillinois.edu
  • Springfield: uishr@uis.edu
  • System Offices: erhr@uillinois.edu
• Verify that the tuition waiver is reflected in your child's tuition assessment. If it is not, contact the appropriate office at the school in which your child is enrolled. The Financial Aid office or other designated office at the university your child attends will notify you of your child's financial aid awards.