Tuition Assistance Benefits
Education Assistance Program
University Hospital encourages and supports the advanced education and training of our staff through our Education Assistance Program. Prior to the start of any course, academic credit by exam, seminar or conference and the submission of an Educational Assistance Program Application must be submitted to the managing supervisor and the employees must meet all the following criteria:
- Completion of one (1) year of continuous regular employment in a position working twenty (20) or more hours a week.
- Employee must be in active pay status at the time of reimbursement.
- Employees current performance evaluation must be proficient or better. (See Human Resources Policy: Performance Evaluations)
Temporary, per diem, and casual employees are not eligible for this benefit. The maximum reimbursement of $3,700 applies to the year in which the course is completed. Click here to download the Education Assistance Program Application.
Loan Redemption Available to Behavioral Healthcare Professionals
The New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) is now accepting applications for the Behavioral Healthcare Provider Loan Redemption Program. The purpose of the program is to help recruit and maintain a qualified workforce of behavioral healthcare professionals.
Under the program, behavioral healthcare professionals can apply to have HESAA pay off up to $150,000 of their student loan balance in exchange for agreeing to work at an approved community behavioral and mental health provider located in New Jersey. For every two years of service in New Jersey, behavioral healthcare providers can apply for up to $50,000 in loan redemption, for a maximum of six years.
In addition to the six-year, $150,000 loan redemption offer, behavioral healthcare providers who work primarily with children and adolescents may also be eligible to receive supplemental incentive grants of up to $5,000 annually for up to six years, resulting in an additional $30,000 on top of the available $150,000.
Eligibility details and access to the application are available online from HESAA.
New Jersey College Promise
The New Jersey College Promise offers an affordable way earn a college degree. This is accomplished through the Community Opportunity Grant (CCOG) and the Garden State Guarantee (GSG) programs that provide affordable pricing for up to four years of college in New Jersey. This program provides a pathway for New Jersey students to earn a college degree by covering a significant portion or all of their tuition and fees not already covered by other financial aid and scholarships.
New Jersey Pay It Forward Program
New Jersey has a Pay It Forward program which is designed to prepare New Jersey residents for in-demand careers in the field of health care, IT, and clean energy. This program provides zero-interest, no-fee loans for participants to receive job training. Participants pay no upfront costs and also receive living stipends.
The training programs include:
- The Cybersecurity Professional Bootcamp at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark
- The Nursing Associate Degree Program at Hudson County Community College in Jersey City
- The Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Welding courses offered by Camden County College
After training, participants only have a repayment obligation if their individual earned income is more than $12,000 per year above the annual federal poverty level (FPL) for their household size.
You can learn more about this program at njpayitforward.org.
Public Loan Forgiveness
University Hospital is a state agency which may make you eligible to apply to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. The PSLF is a federal program that forgives student loan debt for borrowers who work for a governmental organization. A governmental organization is a federal, state, local, or tribal government organization, agency, or entity, a public child or family service agency, a tribal college or university, or the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps. Federal service includes military service.
If you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments (these payments do not have to be consecutive), you may be eligible for a Public Service Loan Forgiveness. University Hospital encourages employees to apply for this program. Click this link for the Public Loan Forgiveness Application. Complete page one of the application and submit it to the Human Resources Benefits Office. Upon completion of the Employer section this application will be returned to you for your submission to the U.S. Department of Education.
Rutgers School of Public Health and HRSA
The Rutgers School of Public Health is encouraging individuals currently working in the field of public health in New Jersey to consider applying for a scholarship to obtain a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree or a Certificate in Population Health.
Eligible applicants will receive a 50% tuition scholarship. Anyone interested in this opportunity should contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@sph.rutgers.edu or call 732-235-4646. The full details about the program can be found on the Rutgers School of Public Health website at: https://sph.rutgers.edu/admissions/HRSA-PHSP.html