UI Health Care and University of Iowa Reimbursement and Reward Programs

UI Health Care Tuition and Certification Assistance Program

UI Health Care is dedicated to the educational and professional development of staff.  The Tuition Assistance Program allows eligible staff to apply for financial assistance to help defray the cost of tuition, or certification fees, and encourages career development. 

• Access the policy for UI Health Care’s Tuition Assistance Program.

The Tuition Assistance Program is available to eligible Professional and Scientific, Merit Exempt and Merit Confidential staff members who are paid by UI Health Care, in a 50 percent time (or greater) budgeted position who have completed at least one year of service.

Employees will need to apply to be considered for the Tuition Assistance Program, by completing the Tuition Assistance Application, which can be found on the My Career tab of Self Service. Employees must submit applications within appropriate timelines for the semester in which they are actually taking the course. Employees cannot be retroactively reimbursed for a course that was taken in a previous semester. To determine which semester your course will fall into, please visit the registrar’s website to view the UI academic calendar.

Semester application timelines are as follows:

What it Covers

The program covers UI on-campus courses, correspondence courses, special certification exams, as well as other courses taught at accredited colleges/universities. Under this program, you may be reimbursed for one course per semester up to the maximum $1,000 (maximum of $3,000 per fiscal year). This program does not include reimbursement for general education and pre-requisite courses, nor does it cover books, lab fees, or any other extra cost associated with a course.

Reimbursement for job related certifications/recertifications is a maximum of $300 per fiscal year. Certifications/re-certifications which are a condition of employment (required by the position) are not covered.

Tuition assistance can be applied toward a relevant graduate or undergraduate degree or an appropriate certification that is relevant to the staff member's UI Health Care position, the needs of the employing department, and/or assists the Hospital in carrying out one of its service missions.

Nursing Staff, please visit the Tuition Reimbursement page on the Nursing Intranet for nursing specific program information.

Reimbursement

UI Coursework

If awarded tuition assistance for UI coursework, the amount will be credited directly to the staff member's U-bill. Please be aware that the tuition assistance credit may not appear on the U-bill before the first tuition due date of a semester. Employees with U-bill payroll deduction may want to consider rescinding that option as the tuition assistance credit may not appear on the U-bill before the first tuition payment is due. To do so, please contact the University Billing Office at 1-319-335-0071.

External Coursework

If awarded tuition assistance for an external course or certification, the staff member will initially pay for external course/certification registration. After successful completion of the external course/certification, employees must submit using the online Reimbursement Request Form and the required documentation (proof of passing grade and an itemized tuition bill).

• Step-by-step instructions on completing the form. 

All documentation must be complete and accurate for reimbursement to occur. All reimbursement information must be submitted within 30 days after the course is complete or certification is received. Reimbursement will be automatically denied if all proper documentation is not completed and received within eight months of the date of the award notification. 

After all appropriate documents have been received, a check will be sent in approximately three weeks. If direct deposit has been set up with the University Billing Office, reimbursement will occur in approximately two business days.

Direct deposit may be set up online using the following process:

• Log into “Employee Self-Service” using your HawkID and password
• Select the My Self Service tab and click on the “University Bill” tile
• Click the “Set Your Refund Account” button, or select "Refund Account" at the top of the page
• Select an account from the drop down, or click the “Add/Delete Bank Account Information” link
• Once the account has been selected, mark the next drop down “Yes” or “No” to confirm if it is a foreign bank account
• Click “Update your refund account”

For more information about the UI Health Care Tuition Assistance Program, contact Lucas Schofield at [email protected] or by phone at 1-319-353-7307.

University of Iowa Learning and Development Programs

For information on the University of Iowa Learning and Development programs, please visit University of Iowa Learning and Development website.  Please find the below links to some of the programs offered by UI Learning and Development:  

• Tuition Assistance Program
• Mary Jo Small Staff Fellowship Award
• Professional Development Awards

For further information about the University of Iowa Learning and Development programs, contact Learning and Development at [email protected].