Turn in your Tuition Assistance application and go back to school

It’s never too late to go back to school. Whether employees are looking to take a course on management or begin their college experience for the first time, tuition assistance is available. The University of Colorado’s Tuition Assistance Benefit provides eligible employees with tuition for up to nine credit hours per academic year (fall through summer) or a 30% tuition discount for CU Boulder dependents.

Faculty and staff who want to save money on their or their dependent’s fall tuition bill may begin submitting the Tuition Assistance Benefit through the employee portal.

Erica Fukuhara received her master’s degree in public administration last spring at CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs, after using the Tuition Assistance Benefit for four years. The benefit provides employees nine credits per academic year toward eligible courses at any CU campus. In total, Fukuhara took 36 credits at nine credits an academic year over a four-year period. 

“Pursuing a graduate degree was always a longtime goal of mine. When I heard about the Tuition Assistance Benefit, I felt it was too good to pass up,” said Fukuhara, business operations and strategy manager at CU system Employee Services. “The benefit enabled me to make education a higher priority in my life.”

While attending CU Denver, Fukuhara took classes in the evening, weekends and online to balance a full course load while working full-time in a leadership role. She experienced unintended professional benefits from her experience as an employee and a student.

“It was great to understand the student perspective on campus changes and policies,” she said. “When making decisions in my everyday workload, I am able to take into account impacts on students personally.”

Fukuhara’s advice to those considering using the benefit: Review and follow the tuition application process, and be sure to take advantage of campus resources.

“My adviser was extremely helpful in finding the classes for me to enroll in and balancing work/life,” she said. “My academic adviser at CU Denver asked me, ‘What do you have to lose? Start now and in four years you will have your degree. Don’t start, and you won't have your degree in four years.’”

To get started on an application, visit www.cu.edu/tab.