Register for Courses First Before You and/or Your Dependents Apply
Don’t delay completing the Fall 2025 Tuition Remission Application once you and/or your dependents register for classes. You can find the online application in the Fordham Employee Portal.
- Be sure to check with the school you and/or your dependents are attending for registration and add/drop deadlines.
- Tuition Remission only covers the cost of tuition. You are responsible for the fees, and unpaid fees may prevent you from registering.
After Submitting Your Application
Once your Tuition Remission application is processed by the Office of Human Resources Management (HR) and after the tuition charges have been posted to your or your dependent’s account, the account will receive an automatic credit for tuition. Applications are generally processed within a week, depending on when the application is received.
Adding or Dropping a Course
If you or your dependents decide to add or drop any courses, you must notify HR at tuitionremission@fordham.edu and submit a new application. Changes to your original registration schedule do not automatically adjust your tuition remission amounts.
Tax Implications for Tuition Remission for Graduate-Level Courses
Tuition Remission for Dependents: Tuition remission for graduate-level courses for your dependent(s) is always considered taxable income as per Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations. You will be taxed on the amount of the tuition remission during the semester of study.
Tuition Remission for You: Tuition remission in excess of $5,250 per calendar year for graduate-level courses for employees is considered taxable income as per IRS regulations. You will be taxed on the amount above this threshold during the semester of study unless the course(s) is:
- required as a condition of employment or would maintain or improve the skills for the current position, AND
- the course(s) will not qualify for the minimum educational requirements of the position, AND
- the course(s) will not qualify you for a new trade or business.
If you believe that the graduate-level course(s) you are taking meet the above conditions, you may submit a request for a tax waiver as described below. Tax waiver requests are reviewed on a course-by-course basis by the Graduate Tuition Tax Waiver Review Committee, and a waiver is granted only if the request meets the IRS guidelines.
Be sure you and your dependents add or drop courses before the deadline. If you miss the add/drop deadline, your tuition will not be refunded, and you will still be responsible for the applicable taxes.
TAX WAIVER REQUESTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR TUITION REMISSION APPLICATION. TAX WAIVER REQUESTS ARE NOT ACCEPTED SEPARATELY.
Applying for the Graduate Tuition Remission Tax Waiver
To apply for the Graduate Tax Waiver, you will need to include the following information in your Tuition Remission Application:
- Your job description, AND
- A detailed explanation of how each course directly relates to your current position.
After Submitting Your Graduate Tuition Remission Tax Waiver Request
Graduate Tuition Remission Tax Waiver requests are reviewed by the Graduate Tuition Remission Tax Waiver Committee within a week of receipt of the submission. You will receive an email from tuitionremission@fordham.edu informing you of the approval or denial of the request upon the Committee’s review.
If your request is denied, you can provide additional documentation to support your request. Decisions made by the Committee after receipt of additional documentation are final.
Paycheck Implications for Taxable Income for Graduate Tuition Remission
If the Graduate School Tuition Remission is for your dependent, Payroll Services will include the full amount of tuition remission in the semester the tuition remission benefit is received.
If the Graduate Tuition Remission is for you and you are not eligible for a tax waiver, Payroll Services will include the tuition remission amount over $5,250 (in a calendar year) as taxable income in the semester the tuition remission benefit is received.
Payroll Services generally imputes this as additional earnings over a maximum of eight (8) payrolls within the semester.
Additional Questions?
Learn more at Tuition Programs or contact HRIS Assistant, Jonathan Goode, at (718) 817-5151 or jgoode3@fordham.edu.
For technical assistance with the Tuition Remission Online Application, please contact the IT Service Desk at (718) 817-3999 or HelpIT@fordham.edu.
