Staff Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)

As a premier research university, The University of Texas at Austin values higher and continuing education. The university’s Staff Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) provides full-time staff with the opportunity to pursue knowledge and to advance their personal and professional development by providing tuition assistance for credit courses. Is the STAP right for me? To determine whether the STAP is right for you, please consider the following factors: - Whether you want to audit a class or take one for credit. - If you do not want course credit, then you may be able to audit the course instead.For more information about auditing courses, review Auditing a Course in the course catalog. - Whether you and your job meet the eligibility requirements for STAP. - To be eligible for STAP, you must be a full-time, staff employee, and have been employed by the university for at least one year prior to the day your course begins. - Whether you want to apply and gain admission to The University of Texas at Austin and your preferred program of study. - To be eligible for STAP, you must apply to and be admitted to the university as a degree or non-degree seeking student. The application process and fees are the same as they are for all other applicants. For more information about applying to the university, review the Apply to Texas webpage. - If you were previously an undergraduate student at UT Austin and are ready to return after an interruption of at least one fall or spring semester, you may be eligible to apply for readmission as a former student and should complete a readmission application. - If you were previously a graduate student at UT Austin and are ready to return after an interruption of at least one long semester or more, you must apply for readmission as a graduate student. - To be eligible for STAP, you must apply to and be admitted to the university as a degree or non-degree seeking student. The application process and fees are the same as they are for all other applicants. For more information about applying to the university, review the Apply to Texas webpage. - Whether your program of study allows you to work full-time and make satisfactory progress. - Some programs of study may offer more flexibility to those working full-time than others. To better understand the degree to which your preferred program lends itself to part-time study and full-time work, please contact an academic advisor in the college or school that administers your preferred program of study. - Whether your work schedule and duties will allow you to attend your scheduled courses - In some cases, your work schedule may interfere with your ability to take coursework. If a schedule conflict arises, talk to your supervisor. Depending upon the specific business needs of your unit, your supervisor may be able to flex your schedule. Your supervisor may also authorize you to use up to three hours of work time each week for course attendance. For additional information, review Taking Coursework During the Workday. Am I eligible for the STAP? To be eligible for the STAP, you must: - Have a full-time (40 scheduled weekly hours) staff job in Workday at the time of enrollment, and through the course’s census date; - Have worked for The University of Texas at Austin for at least one continuous year prior to the start of courses; - Have received a rating of Meets Expectations or higher on your most recent performance appraisal, or are expected to be rated Meets Expectations or higher if you have not yet received an appraisal; - Have been admitted to The University of Texas at Austin as a degree or non-degree seeking student; and - Have registered for classes. Your eligibility for the STAP will be assessed multiple times through a semester’s official census date. If you do not continue to meet all of the eligibility criteria through that date, then you will lose the STAP for that semester and be responsible for paying for the full cost of your tuition. What is covered by the STAP? The STAP covers: - The in-state tuition cost of one eligible course per semester regardless of the number of credit hours; or - The in-state tuition cost of more than one eligible course per semester provided the combined number of credit hours does not exceed three. Eligible courses are those found in the UT Austin course catalog that are considered in residence, and that receive formula funding from the state. What is not covered by the STAP? The STAP does not cover: - Dissertation courses with numbers ending in 99 - Courses through the Texas Extended Campus (including University Extension Courses) - Courses through Executive Education - Courses offered through Option III programs - Admissions application fees - Auditing fees - Student services, such as the Counseling and Mental Health Center, University Health Services, Recreational Sports, etc. How do I apply the STAP? If you have already reviewed Is the STAP Right for Me and determined that it is, please take the f