11.03.03 – Non-Resident Tuition Employment Waivers
Section: Funding and Budgets
Area: Tuition and Fees
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This document outlines the University of Houston's policy and process that a non-resident student must follow to apply for tuition employment waivers and to gain approval for such waivers, provided the student or spouse or parent of the student is employed in certain qualifying academic positions in accordance with Texas Education Code, Sections 54.211 and 54.212 . To ensure compliance with the state statutes governing these waivers, the University will monitor for policy compliance and notify the appropriate departments when an employee no longer qualifies for an employment waiver.
II. POLICY STATEMENT
A. Graduate Students employed in graduate student appointments at the University of Houston or another institution of higher education in Texas, and their spouse and children are entitled to the tuition and fees set for Texas residents without regard to the length of time the assistant has resided in Texas, provided:
1. The student is employed at least .50 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE);
2. The graduate student is employed in one of the following graduate student job titles: Research Assistant – Tuition Eligible (RA/TE), Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), Teaching Fellow (TF), Instructional Assistant (IA);
3. The student is employed in a position that relates to their degree program;
4. The student is employed on or before the official census date of the respective fall, spring, or summer term;
5. The student is employed through the last official class day of the respective term. Exceptions to this provision may be granted through the General Petition form for graduate/professional students if all degree requirements have been completed and employment conditions, therefore, are met.
6. The student must be enrolled full-time at the University of Houston as specified in the Graduate Catalog under Graduate Student Assistantships > Conditions of Service > #2.
B. Undergraduate students employed in qualified undergraduate academic support assistant appointments at the University of Houston or another institution of higher education in Texas, and their spouse and children are entitled to the tuition and fees set for Texas residents without regard to the length of time the assistant has resided in Texas, provided:
1. The student is employed at least .50 FTE;
2. The undergraduate student is employed by academic support programs in the following job title: Undergraduate Academic Support Assistant (ASA);
3. The student is employed in a position that directly relates to their degree program;
4. The student is employed on or before the official census date of the respective fall, spring, or summer term;
5. The student is employed through the last official class day of the term. Exceptions to this provision may be granted through the General Petition form for undergraduates if all degree requirements have been completed and employment conditions are met.
6. The student must be enrolled full-time at the University of Houston.
C. A teacher or professor at the University of Houston or another Texas institution of higher education, and their spouse and children are entitled to the tuition and fees set for Texas residents without regard to the length of time the teacher or professor has resided in Texas, provided:
1. The teacher or professor is employed at least .50 FTE on a regular monthly salaried basis;
2. The teacher or professor is employed on or before the official census date of the respective fall, spring, or summer term;
3. The teacher or professor is employed through the last official class day of the respective term. Exceptions to this provision may be granted with the approval and certification of the college business administrator of the employing college and the Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Faculty Affairs.
D. Students who have non-resident tuition added to their accounts as a result of non-eligibility must pay non-resident tuition or they will not receive credit for the term.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. Academic support assistant: Those undergraduate student positions employed by academic support programs whose primary duties involve either of the following:
1. Training University of Houston students enrolled in academic degree programs; or,
2. Research activities under the direction and supervision of a faculty member.
For example, academic support assistants qualifying for these positions may include computer science majors working in Information Technology, whose primary job responsibilities involve deploying their knowledge of computer science.
B. College business administrator: Refers to the chief business officer in each college. Actual titles may include College Business Administrator, Director, College/Division Business Operations, and Executive Director, College/Division Business Operations.
C. Graduate student appointments: Those graduate student positions defined in the University of Houston Job Code Master List and the Graduate Catalog .
D. Official census date: Twelfth class day of the regular term; fourth class day of session 1 for the summer term.
E. Teacher or professor: Those positions with academic rank (tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure-track) authorized in the 1000 series as "Teaching Faculty" in the University of Houston Job Code Master List and academic administrators with faculty appointments, such as deans.
F. Term and Sessions: Length of study for courses offered will vary depending on the session in which the course is scheduled. Refer to the Academic Calendar for specific beginning and end dates per session.
IV. PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION, APPROVAL, AND AUDIT
A. For Faculty: As soon as possible, prior to the start of the term, and no later than the official census date, the Application for Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Faculty form must be completed and certified by the appropriate signatory of the employing unit (college business administrator) and by the appropriate signatory of Faculty Development and Faculty Affairs (Associate Provost). Completed forms will be submitted to Student Business Services for certification and signature that eligibility requirements have been met. Student Business Services will bill approved students at the Texas resident tuition rate.
1. A University of Houston ID number must be provided on the application, or it will be returned to the college business administrator.
2. Application for non-resident tuition waiver must be submitted for each term respectively.
3. Fully executed forms will be maintained by Student Business Services in accordance with the agency's Records Retention Schedule .
B. For Undergraduate Students: As soon as possible prior to the start of the term, and no later than the official census date, the Application for Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Undergraduate form must be completed and certified by the appropriate signatory of the employing unit (college business administrator) and by the appropriate academic signatories in the college in which the student is enrolled (faculty advisor and department chair). Completed forms will be submitted to Student Business Services for certification and signature that eligibility requirements have been met. Student Business Services will bill approved students at the Texas resident tuition rate.
1. A University of Houston ID number must be provided on the application, or it will be returned to the college business administrator.
2. Application for non-resident tuition waiver must be submitted for each term respectively.
3. Fully executed forms will be maintained by Student Business Services in accordance with the agency's Records Retention Schedule .
If the applicant becomes ineligible prior to the last day of the term, the college business administrator is responsible for notifying the Bursar by memo or with a copy of the relevant form noting, "Cancel for term."
C. For Graduate Students employed within the academic unit that houses the respective academic program : As soon as possible, prior to the start of the term, and no later than the official census date, the college business administrator will prepare a spreadsheet on the TA_RA Waiver Spreadsheet Template of all persons for which a waiver is being requested. The spreadsheet will be approved by signature of the respective faculty advisor, department chair, and college business administrator on the TA/RA Employment Waiver Memo . Completed spreadsheets and memos will be submitted to the UH Graduate School for certification and signature that eligibility requirements have been met. The approved waiver list will be forwarded to Student Business Services. Student Business Services will bill approved students at the Texas resident tuition rate.
1. The UH Graduate School will send an e-mail communication to all TA/RA waiver recipients stating the requirements that must be met in order to receive this waiver.
2. Fully executed spreadsheets and memos will be maintained by the UH Graduate School and Student Business Services in accordance with the agency's Records Retention Schedule.
D. For Graduate Students enrolled in an academic program residing outside of the student's employing unit : As soon as possible, prior to the start of the term, and no later than the 10th class day for the fall and spring terms or by the 2nd class day of session 1 of the summer term, the Application for Non-Resident Tuition Waiver Graduate form must be completed and certified by the appropriate signatory of the employing unit (college business administrator) and by the appropriate academic signatories in the college in which the student is enrolled (faculty advisor and department chair).
Note: A student employed in a center is considered to be employed outside of their academic unit and is required to complete this form as well.
Completed forms will be submitted to the UH Graduate School for certification and signature that eligibility requirements have been met. The approved forms will be forwarded to Student Business Services. Student Business Services will bill approved students at the Texas resident tuition rate.
1. A University of Houston ID number must be provided on the application, or it will be returned to the college business administrator.
2. Application for non-resident tuition waiver must be submitted for each term respectively.
3. The UH Graduate School will send an e-mail communication to all TA/RA waiver recipients stating the requirements that must be met in order to receive this waiver.
4. Fully executed forms will be maintained by the UH Graduate School and Student Business Services in accordance with the agency's Records Retention Schedule.
E. If the student is employed at another state institution of higher education, written verification of employment, title and FTE must be provided on that institution's letterhead.
F. After the official census date -- as soon as payroll records are current for the term involved -- and prior to the third installment billing in spring or fall, Student Business Services will audit the enrollment and billing records against employment records to verify position, FTE, and hours enrolled of each applicant. Adjustments will be made to the student's account to reflect non-resident tuition if the audit results in non-compliance.
At the time of the third installment billing, students will be billed to reflect the additional tuition, and the college/department business administrator (for undergraduate students) or the UH Graduate School (for graduate and professional students) will be notified of any rejections for non-compliance. In the summer, charges will be posted to the student's account as soon as the waiver is denied and the charges calculated.
G. On or about the last class day, Student Business Services will again audit the employment and qualifications of students and make final adjustments to the student's account, if needed. Student Business Services will notify the college business administrator (for undergraduate students) or the UH Graduate School (for graduate and professional students) of any rejections for non-compliance.
Any student completing degree requirements, meeting employment conditions, and departing before the last official class day of the term must initiate a request to maintain the waiver using the General Petition form for undergraduates or the General Petition form for graduate/professional students . Upon approval, a copy will be maintained in IRIS and forwarded to Student Business Services.
H. Students who have non-resident tuition added to their accounts as a result of non-eligibility must pay non-resident tuition within the time period allowed or they will not receive credit for the term.
REFERENCES
Texas Education Code Section 54.211: Faculty and Dependents
Texas Education Code Section 54.212: Teaching or Research Assistant
State of Texas Attorney General's Opinion No. JM-370 , dated October 25, 1985; Interpretation of "teaching assistant" and "research assistant" in Section 54.212 of the Texas Education Code
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Summer 1991) Rules – Determining Residence Status
Records Retention Schedule
Graduate Catalog
IRIS
Application for Graduate Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
Application for Undergraduate Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
Application for Faculty Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
Application for Dependents Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
General Petition (Undergraduate)
General Petition (Graduate and Professional Studies)
Issued: 01/12/1994
Last Reviewed/Revised: 07/20/2022
Responsible Office(s): Finance; Academic Affairs