Go Further. UTC’s Got You.

The Employee Fee Waiver helps eligible staff and faculty advance their education and their careers.

Finishing a degree. Building new skills. Preparing for your next opportunity. Whatever your goals, UTC’s Employee Fee Waiver helps make continued education more accessible by covering maintenance fees and tuition for eligible employees taking courses at UTC, another UT System institution, TN Board of Regents or Locally Governed Institutions. Please refer to UT Policy HR0330 – Educational Assistance (Fee Waiver) for full details of this benefit.

“This benefit is one of the most powerful tools we have for investing in our own people,” said Dr. Ethan Carver, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. “When our employees pursue new degrees, they bring stronger skills, sharper leadership, and fresh perspectives back to their work every day. That’s a win for them and a win for UTC.”

For Charlene Davenport, Faculty Affairs Administrator, the Employee Fee Waiver helped make a major personal and professional achievement possible. While balancing a full-time role in UTC’s Academic Affairs office and family responsibilities at home, she earned her M.B.A. – completing the program in just over two years by taking a couple of classes each semester.

“Earning my master’s degree significantly increased my confidence by proving to myself that I can achieve challenging goals through consistency and hard work,” Davenport said. “It strengthened my ability to solve complex problems as I continue to grow both professionally and personally.”

Davenport’s experience reflects the opportunities available to eligible UTC employees through the Employee Fee Waiver program.

How to Enroll

1. Apply to your program at utc.edu/apply
2. Once accepted, complete the Employee Fee Waiver Form and get your supervisor’s signature
3. Submit to HR for eligibility verification
4. Submit to your institution’s bursar’s office by the tuition deadline
5. Contact your advisor/admissions office to finalize registration

Eligible Hours

Your eligible credit hours per semester are based on your employment effort level: 100% effort earns 9 hours, 75–99% effort earns 6 hours, 50–74% effort earns 4 hours, and employees below 50% effort are not eligible.

Tax Information

Graduate fee waivers exceeding $5,250 per calendar year are generally taxable. If your coursework is required by your employer or directly related to your current role, you may qualify for an exemption – see the Fee Waiver for Employees benefits page for details on seeking approval and filing. If taxes do apply, any amount owed is spread across your paychecks for that semester. All payroll and taxation inquiries should be directed to Rob Chance at the UT System Payroll Office.

Programs

UTC offers more than 150 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs across business, engineering and computer science, health and education, arts and sciences, and nursing – many of which align closely with the roles employees already hold and the career goals they are working toward.

“Whether you’re on our grounds crew or leading from an executive office, everyone here has the chance to keep learning and growing,” said Lee Pierce, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management. “I’ve watched people on our team go back to school while working full-time here – and come back more knowledgeable, more skilled, and ready to make an even bigger impact, both on this campus and in their careers.”

Explore UTC’s academic programs, connect with an admissions representative, and apply today!

 

Graduate School

GraduateSchool@utc.edu

423-525-4666

utc.edu/GradSchool

 

Undergraduate Admissions

UTCmocs@utc.edu

423-425-4662

utc.edu/academics-and-majors