Tuition Benefits

The University of Mississippi offers several tuition benefits for faculty, staff and their families.

Photo of Precious Pratt Thompson takes an Intro to Music class as a part of HR's Further Education (Tuition) benefit for faculty and staff.

The University’s tuition benefits can open doors to educational opportunities

Whether you’re continuing your education, pursuing a new degree or supporting your children’s college goals, these benefits for faculty and staff can help make it all possible.

Who Is Eligible?

  • Full-time faculty and staff
  • Part-time faculty and staff who meet the requirements
  • Retired faculty and staff who meet the requirements
  • Dependent children and/or spouses of eligible employees

Learn more about the University's tuition benefits below.

Faculty and staff tuition waiver

With department head approval, eligible employees can take University of Mississippi courses for credit and receive tuition waivers for up to two courses, not exceeding six credit hours per semester.

For Full-Time, Benefits-Eligible Employees:

  • You can enroll in any semester.
  • You may take one course during the workday and one course outside of work hours.
  • Time away from work for in-person classes and labs should not exceed 3 hours per week.

For Part-Time, Benefits-Eligible Employees (Working Half-Time or More):

  • You can receive a partial tuition benefit for one course (3 hours).
  • You may enroll in any semester, except for intersession.
  • The course must be outside your regular work hours.

Please note, full-time employees are defined as those working 100%, while part-time employees are those working between 55% and 99%.

Steps for receiving a tuition waiver

If you would like to receive a tuition waiver for a course in accordance with the University’s Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver policy, please follow this process. 

  • Apply for admission to the University of Mississippi
  • Provide supporting documents
  • Pay application fee

You only need to complete Step One if this is your first time enrolling at the University or if you are re-enrolling after being out of school for one semester or more.

If you were previously enrolled at the University of Mississippi as a non-resident student and are now a legal resident of Mississippi, request for review of residency classification to the registrar. Learn more here

  • Request an electronic Form 19 using the form on this page below
  • Complete Form 19
  • The Form 19 will be routed to the department head and Human Resources automatically

  • Human Resources confirms enrollment and verifies eligibility
  • Human Resources processes the form and sends the information to Financial Aid

  • Once Human Resources has completed its processing, it will be processed by Financial Aid 
  • If approved by Human Resources, the tuition waiver is posted to your myOleMiss account
  • Accept the award

Form 19 request

Tuition benefits for children of faculty and staff

If you’re a full-time, benefits-eligible faculty or staff member at the University of Mississippi on the Oxford, Jackson, or satellite campuses, each of your dependent children can receive either a half-tuition or full-tuition benefit.

To qualify, your child must be enrolled as a full-time student at the University.

Half-Tuition Benefit:

  • Available to children of full-time faculty and staff who started working on or after July 1, 1977.
  • The employee must be employed on the first day of each semester’s registration.
  • If both parents work at the University and qualify, their child will receive a full-tuition benefit.

Full-Tuition Benefit:

  • Available to children of full-time faculty and staff who started working before July 1, 1977.
  • For nine-month faculty, employment must have started before August 16, 1977.
  • The employee must have been continuously employed by the University since their hire date.

Unfortunately, children of part-time employees are not eligible for tuition benefits.

Your child can use this tuition benefit until they earn their first bachelor’s degree at the University or until they turn 25, whichever comes first.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to your questions about tuition benefits. If you need additional help, please contact the HR Service Center.

Yes. If your benefits claim is denied, you have the option to appeal. To begin the appeals process, please contact Human Resources at hrbenefits@olemiss.edu. Be sure to include your name, student ID number and the reason for the denial in your email. Your case will be reviewed, and a determination will be provided as soon as possible.

Employees who do not successfully complete a course, including failing, for which a waiver has been issued will not be allowed to take additional courses until they successfully complete a course at their own expense. You will also need to justify further course work to their supervisor. Eligibility will then be reestablished for waiver of tuition. 

This rule applies to dropping a course after the refund deadline or failing a course.

Employees who do not successfully complete a course for which a waiver has been issued will not be allowed to take additional courses until they successfully complete a course at their own expense. You will also need to justify further course work to their supervisor. Eligibility will then be reestablished for waiver of tuition. 

This rule applies to dropping a course after the refund deadline.

A scholarship to assist with the cost of books and materials may be available on a semester basis for employees, subject to annual salary limitations. Information is available on the Staff Council website here.

Yes. In accordance with Section 117 of the Internal Review Code, employees who receive a tuition waiver for graduate level coursework may be subject to taxes. Taxation information is provided on the Form 19 (Permission to Take a Course Under the University’s Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver Policy).

Yes, faculty and staff can take a course for audit credit if they are work related.

Some classes may have extra fees, like lab fees. These fees usually average around $30.00 per course, but can be higher or lower. They are not covered by the Faculty and Staff Tuition Waiver or the Tuition Benefit for Children of Faculty and Staff policy. If you or your child takes a class with extra fees, you’ll need to cover those costs.

Retired personnel with a minimum of 10 consecutive years of service at the University immediately prior to retirement and who qualify for retirement under the provisions of the PERS and ORP emeritus personnel are eligible for the benefits of this policy on a space-available basis.

Temporary employees qualify for this benefit under the conditions noted above if they are to be employed for the duration of the enrollment period. Temporary staff employees not employed under contract will be required to present verification from their department head that they will be employed for the duration of the enrollment period. 

Employees taking advantage of a tuition waiver should register for a course during the regular registration period. The late registration fee will be charged to late registrants. 

Two people talking in a hallway. Text on image says HR Service Center.

Contact the HR Service Center

If you have a question, need help, or are dealing with an HR problem, the HR Service Center is here for you. Whether it's about benefits, pay, leave, insurance, tuition waivers, or anything else, our team of experienced HR Service Coordinators is ready to get you the answers you need as quickly as possible.

We’re Here to Help!