These plans provide financial assistance to full-time, benefits-eligible employees and retirees who have higher education expenses for themselves and their eligible dependents. The benefit amount is based on the employee's number of years of qualifying uninterrupted University service.
To qualify for tuition benefits, you must have full-time, benefits-eligible employment status as of the first day of the term for which the benefit is being requested. Even if eligibility is lost during a term, the tuition benefit is provided through the end of that term of study.
Northwestern Employee Educational Assistance plans include:
Northwestern Dependent Educational Assistance plans include:
Using the Online Application: please follow these directions to submit your tuition benefit online.
You must submit a completed online application for the desired educational assistance plan by the appropriate deadline.
Educational Assistance Plan | Plan ID | Deadline |
Employee Reduced | ER | Online applications must be submitted within the calendar year for which the benefit is being requested. Only one application is required for the full calendar year, so choose the earliest eligible term. 2018 applications are due by 12/31/2018. |
Enhanced Employee Reduced | EER | |
Dependent Reduced | DRU0, DRU1, DRU2 | |
Dependent Portable | DP0, DP1 | An online application must be submitted for each term within 1 year of the start date of the term. |
Employee Certificate | EC | One online application must be submitted for each term within 90 days of completing the course(s). |
Employee Portable | EP |
Supervisor Acknowledgement Form - Employee Portable
Supervisor Acknowledgement Form - Northwestern Certificate
For new hires as of 9/1/2014: You may qualify to waive part or all of the 5-year Northwestern service period for the educational assistance plans. You must have worked in a full-time, benefits-eligible position at a FAFSA-qualified college or university offering a comparable tuition benefit immediately prior to joining Northwestern University as a faculty or staff member. Please complete the top portion of the waiver form and have your previous employer complete the bottom portion. Return the form to the Benefits Division at educational-assistance@northwestern.edu for approval.
Music Academy Reduced Tuition for non-degree lessons taken by employees of Northwestern, their spouses and dependent children.
Review the application process for additional information.