Courses that Qualify for Reimbursement

Through the Tuition Assistance Plan, MIT provides tuition reimbursement for the job-related, career-related, and career counseling coaching course categories described below. Tuition for courses leading to your first undergraduate degree is also eligible.

Professional seminars, conferences, workshops, and private study are not reimbursable under the Tuition Assistance Plan.

It is not necessary to have your course approved officially by a Tuition Assistance administrator before taking it, unless you are pursuing career-related study, which requires you to submit for approval an online Career Development Proposal.

Does your course pass the test?

The fastest way to test the eligibility of your course is to use the TA Connect tool or review the guidelines below.

Do not use TA Connect if your course fits one of these categories:

  • MIT Information Services & Technology (IS&T) courses held on campus that meet on at least five separate days
  • MIT Sloan School of Management Executive Education courses held on campus that meet on at least five separate days
  • MIT Professional Institute courses held on campus that meet on at least five separate days
  • Test prep for entrance exams (e.g., GRE, GMAT, MCAT, the bar exam, or test prep or exams related to your approved Career Development Proposal).

Instead, contact us.

Guidelines for course eligibility

Qualifying courses of study
  • Undergraduate courses—academic courses leading to your first undergraduate degree
  • Job-Related—undergraduate degree-level academic and trades-related courses that provide knowledge that will enhance your performance significantly in your current job
  • Graduate courses—graduate degree and graduate certificate programs (must be taken as Career-Related Study)
  • Career-Related—undergraduate and graduate academic and trades-related courses that prepare you for advancement in your present field or another field in which realistic full-time employment opportunities exist at MIT—you must have an approved Career Development Proposal
  • Career Counseling/Coaching—individual and group skills assessment and counseling for career choices, career planning, career transitions, and job hunting (excluding the typing and printing of resumes)—total reimbursement is limited to $500 every five years and is counted against your maximum annual tuition reimbursement limit
Non-credit course qualifications

A non-credit course qualifies for reimbursement under the following conditions:

  • The course is job-related or part of an approved Career Development Proposal.
  • The course meets on at least five separate days.
  • You remain eligible for the Tuition Assistance Plan through the end of the course.
  • You submit proof of successful completion and proof of payment.
  • If you are not required to pay up front for a course offered by an MIT department, the MIT HR Department will pay your tuition through an internal transfer of funds after you successfully complete the course. You will not receive a reimbursement check.
Course length requirement

A class must meet on at least five separate days unless it qualifies for one of these approved exceptions:

  • classes that count toward a degree program in which you are enrolled
  • programs approved under the Career Counseling/Coaching area of study
  • certification programs
  • an initial license or examination review course in which the certificate or license is directly related to your present job at MIT or part of your approved Career Development Proposal
  • online and correspondence courses
First-time prepayment option
  • First-time users of the Tuition Assistance Plan have the option of applying for prepayment before their courses begin. This one-time-only perk was created to alleviate some of the financial pressure associated with undertaking a course of study.
  • The prepayment maximum is $750, and you must have been working at MIT for at least four months to qualify.
  • Prepayment is not available for correspondence courses, career counseling or coaching sessions, licensing or certification exams, or review courses.
  • When you complete the course, you must submit proof that you have completed it successfully or return to MIT any money refunded to you by the educational institution.
  • Should you need additional tuition assistance beyond the $750 prepayment, you will be reimbursed for the balance (not to exceed the plan year limit) at the end of the course, but you must meet the grade requirement for the type of course.
  • Request prepayment in your online Tuition Assistance Account at least four weeks before payment is due. The prepayment check will be made payable to the school and will be sent to you by campus mail.

Questions?

Review the comprehensive Tuition Assistance Summary Plan Description (SPD) (PDF) or contact the Benefits Office.

For technical support with the online tools, contact:

The MIT Computing Help Desk
computing-help@mit.edu
(617) 253-1101

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