Tuition Assistance Program

Frequently Asked Questions

C ONTENTS – F REQUENTLY ASKED Q UESTIONS

Important changes to your Tuition Assistance Program website ................................................................. 2

Who administers Microsoft’s Tuition Assistance Program? ......................................................................... 2

How can I contact EdAssist? ....................................................................................................................... 2

What does EdAssist offer? .......................................................................................................................... 2

TUITION ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM............................................................................................................... 2

EDUCATION NETWORK ............................................................................................................................... 2

ACADEMIC & FINANCIAL ADVISING ............................................................................................................... 3

How do I schedule an advising appointment? ............................................................................................. 3

IS ADVISING REQUIRED? ............................................................................................................................. 3

What is the Microsoft Tuition Assistance Program? .................................................................................... 3

What educational programs are eligible? .................................................................................................... 3

When do I need to submit my application? .................................................................................................. 3

What are the eligible educational providers? ............................................................................................... 3

What if I can’t find my school or school location? ........................................................................................ 4

What expenses are not eligible? ................................................................................................................. 4

Is there a maximum benefit amount for education assistance? ................................................................... 5

Is there a minimum grade requirement? ...................................................................................................... 5

Will my educational assistance be taxed? ................................................................................................... 5

What is the application process? ................................................................................................................. 5

Do I enter the total tuition amount per course or per credit?........................................................................ 6

How do I submit my expenses? ................................................................................................................... 7

What if my application amount exceeds what I have available in my annual cap? ...................................... 7

Can I check the status of my application? ................................................................................................... 7

How do I request reimbursement for my course/term charges? .................................................................. 7

How do I submit my documents? (Grades and Proof of Payment) .............................................................. 8

Frequently Asked Questions

I MPORTANT CHANGES TO YOUR T UITION ASSISTANCE P ROGRAM WEBSITE

 Program Approval Requests, Course Pre-Approvals, Grade Submissions and all reimbursement-related
transactions that you used to submit separately have been consolidated into a single application

 Employees will submit one (1) application per semester/term for their education program (degree) and up
to five (5) courses (formerly these were separate Program Approval and Course Pre-Approval requests)

 At the end of your course(s), upload your completion documents (grades and proof of payment) directly to
the application to request for reimbursement of tuition and eligible, course-related expenses

W HO ADMINISTERS M ICROSOFT ’ S T UITION ASSISTANCE P ROGRAM ?

Microsoft has partnered with EdAssist to administer its Tuition Assistance Program. EdAssist is the leading
provider of comprehensive managed education solutions.

H OW CAN I CONTACT E D A SSIST ?

APPLICATION To contact an EdAssist administrator in regards to a specific application, select your

COMMENTS: application on the Application History page and submit your question via Comments.

PHONE: 855-500-8878 (Monday-Friday, 5am-5pm PT)

To contact an EdAssist administrator in regards to policy-related questions, submit a Ticket

SUPPORT:
from the Support page.

W HAT DOES E D ASSIST OFFER ?

T UITION A DMINISTRATIVE S YSTEM

Through the EdAssist website, Microsoft employees are able to submit applications for tuition assistance, as well
as track the status of their application(s), see message board updates, view policy documents, and manage their
profile. They are also able to upload documents directly to their applications and communicate with EdAssist
about application statuses via Application Comments. .

E DUCATION N ETWORK

Microsoft employees are eligible for tuition reductions from over 220 educational providers through the EdAssist
Education Network. Additional benefits may include reduced or waived fees, dedicated contact, and tuition
discounts extended to immediate family members. For the complete list of network schools, please visit:
https://clients.brighthorizons.com/microsoft/matrix

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Frequently Asked Questions

A CADEMIC & F INANCIAL A DVISING

EdAssist offers access to expert academic & college financing advisors to help employees navigate today’s
complex educational landscape at no cost. Advisors work directly with employees to align their academic choices
with personal, professional, and organizational goals.

H OW DO I SCHEDULE AN ADVISING APPOINTMENT ?

You can schedule an Advising appointment directly from the EdAssist website by selecting Schedule Free
Advising from the Home page.
You can also schedule an appointment by contacting EdAssist Customer Support at 855-500-8878.

I S ADVISING REQUIRED ?

No, but Microsoft recommends that all employees schedule a free advising session prior to beginning a program
of study to fully utilize the services of the Tuition Assistance Program.

W HAT IS THE M ICROSOFT T UITION A SSISTANCE P ROGRAM ?

Microsoft encourages employees to continue their education as part of their professional development.
Accordingly, Microsoft will provide financial assistance to eligible employees who complete academic course work
at a regionally-accredited institution for college level credit that enhances their career with Microsoft.

W HAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM S ARE ELIGIBLE ?

 Associate’s Degree
 Bachelor's Degree
 Master’s Degree
 Doctorate Degree
 Individual Courses (can be taken for Undergraduate or Graduate)

W HEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT MY APPLICATION ?

It is highly recommended to submit your applications prior to each course start date, and it is required to do so
within 30 days of the course start date. An application can be submitted no earlier than 90 days prior to the
term/course start date.

W HAT ARE THE ELIGIBLE EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS ?

The Tuition Assistance Program covers individual courses and degree programs at regionally or nationally
accredited institutions recognized by the US Department of Education for college-level credit. Online courses from
these institutions also qualify. Note: The Tuition Assistance Program also provides reimbursement for English as a
Second Language (ESL) coursework when taken at an accredited institution. All reimbursement and other Program
guidelines, will apply.

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To learn more, contact the school you plan to attend, or visit the following:
Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
U.S. Department of Education

The system will warn you if your school does not hold the proper accreditation when you advance to the next
step, but will not fully stop you until you submit the application.

W HAT IF I CAN ’ T FIND MY SCHOOL OR SCHOOL LOCATION ?

Please contact EdAssist at 855-500-8878 if you are unable to find your school using the Education Provider
Search. If you can find your school but not your exact school address, please select the nearest location.

W HAT EXPENSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE ?

Non-reimbursable tuition expenses include but may not be limited to:

 Courses that assign Continuing Education Units (CEUs) rather than college-level credits
 Courses that don't assign college-level credits
 Courses that provide college-level credits through a transcript service
 Testing fees (i.e., GRE, GMAT, LSAT)
 Room, board, and meals
 Study guides and optional study aids
 Application fees for installment loans, finance charges, or deferred payment fees
 Seminars, workshops, continuing education credits, and certificates of completion
 Certification, certificates, and licensing courses
 Expedited shipping expenses associated with any course or book (regular shipping is covered)
 Non graded courses including incompletes, for example, audit
 Any other non-tuition expenses
 Any other special and/or non-recurring fees
 Application Fee
 Athletic Fee
 Assessments
 Convenience Fee
 Deferred Payment Fee
 Deferred Payment Plan Setup Fee
 Entrance Fee
 Field Trip Fee
 Finance Charges and Fees
 Financial Aid Trust Fee
 Health Insurance/Fee
 Insurance
 Miscellaneous fees

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Frequently Asked Questions

 Laptop/Computer License Fee

 Late Add Fee/Late Fee/Late Payment Fee
 Orientation Fee
 Parking and Parking Fees
 Recreation Fee
 Returned Check Fee
 School-provided bus pass or other transport Fees
 Software License Fee
 Transportation and Transportation Fees
 U-Pass Fee
 Withdrawal Fee

IS THERE A M AXIMUM BENEFIT AMOUNT FOR EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ?

For each calendar year, the maximum reimbursement amounts provided by the program are as follows:
 $5,250 for undergraduate coursework
 $10,000 for a mix of undergraduate and graduate courses
 $10,000 for graduate coursework

The tuition reimbursement received by an employee will be applied towards the calendar year in which the tuition
reimbursement was paid versus when it was incurred.

IS THERE A M INIMUM GR ADE REQUIREMENT ?

Yes, courses must be completed with a final grade of “C-” or better for all coursework as proven by a transcript or
grade report. If a course is designated from the start as a Pass/Fail, then “Pass” will be required for
reimbursement and the course must be for credit.

W ILL MY EDUCATION AL ASSISTANCE BE TAXED ?

Reimbursement through Microsoft's Tuition Assistance Program will be calculated and applicable state and
Federal taxes will be withheld on reimbursement amounts based on employee’s response to the job-relatedness
question (Does the educational expense qualify as education that either maintains or improves the skills used or
required by your present job?) for each course taken for tuition assistance. EdAssist will categorize the tuition
amount for the course in question as taxable or non-taxable based on the following:

 Yes = Non-taxable: Course maintains or improve the skills used or required by your present job
 No = Taxable: Course qualifies you for a new position

If the coursework is determined to be taxable, Microsoft Payroll will apply any required tax withholdings four to six
weeks after reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement is considered supplemental income and is taxed at the
supplemental rate per IRS tax regulations. Note: Typically, the supplemental rate is 25%.

W HAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS ?

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Frequently Asked Questions

All applications for the Education Assistance Program will be submitted online through the EdAssist website. To
begin the submission process, click on the blue “Add Application” button at the top or left side of the Home page:

1. Confirm Contact Information

 Confirm Work E-mail address

2. Add Education Information

 Enter Education Information
 Select your Provider
 Enter your Student ID
 Select your Education Program (Degree Type)
 Select your Field of Study (Major)

3. Add Course Information

 Enter Session Dates (Start Date and End Date of your course/semester)
 Answer if you are completing your Education Program this session
 If yes, select your Graduation Date

 Enter your Course Detail: Add Course

 Enter course number, name, tuition amount, credit hours, and institution type
 Answer tax question and click "Add Course" to include it in your application

 Enter Expense Details: Add Expense

 Select Expense Type and Enter Expense Amount
 If entering "Other Expenses," answer tax question and click "Add Expense" to
include it in your application

4. Grants,Scholarships, and Agreement

 Confirm any Grants or Scholarships accepted (if applicable)
 Select Grant/Scholarship Type and Enter Amount
 Read agreement and select “I agree”
 Enter your name as it appears on the screen (e-signature)

5. Review & Submit

 Confirm that all information is complete and accurate before submitting the application
 Select "Submit" when you are ready to submit your application
 Select “Cancel” to either “Delete” your application or "Save for Later"

EdAssist reviews all applications to ensure compliance with the program policy before it is forwarded to your
Manager for final review. The system will send you an email notification when a decision has been made.

DO I ENTER THE TOTAL TUITION AMOUNT PER COURSE OR PER CREDIT ?

Please enter the total tuition amount for each course on your application. You may add up to 5 courses if they
fall within the same session (or semester) start and end dates, that way each course will end on or around the

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Frequently Asked Questions

same date so that you can upload required completion documents (grades & proof of payment) to request
reimbursement for all of your courses at the same time. Only courses with corresponding completion documents
attached can be provided/you can be reimbursed for each course on the application. To enter courses for the next
semester, you would need to open a new application with different start and end dates.

H OW DO I SUBMIT MY EXPENSES ?

Expenses are added during Step 3 of the application after Course Information (course name, number, and tuition
amount for the course only). Select the expense type from the drop-down list and enter the amount of the related
or non-course related expense to be associated with the course you just entered. EdAssist will compare the
expense type(s) and amount(s) disclosed on your application with the proof of payment documentation submitted
for any that are found to be "ineligible" according Microsoft's Tuition Assistance Program policy will not be paid
(reimbursement amount will be manually adjustment during payment processing).

W HAT IF MY APPLICATION AM OUNT EXCEEDS WHAT I HAVE AVAILABLE IN M Y ANNUAL CAP ?

At the time of submission, your application will be approved even if your application amount exceeds what you
have left in your cap. The remaining balance is calculated according to the date in which your application
has been paid. Amounts will be adjusted when you submit your documents to request for reimbursement; any
amount entered in excess of the program limit for that benefit period will become your responsibility.

C AN I CHECK THE STATUS OF MY APPLICATION ?

You can check the status of your application online via Application History on the Home page. Any Application
that requires your attention will be in the Action Needed list on the Home page.

H OW DO I REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR MY COURSE / TERM CHARGES ?

Required documents should be uploaded directly in the EdAssist website. Directions for upload are listed below.

The following documentation must be submitted within 60 days of the course end date:

 Copy of grade report that includes:

 Student name
 School name
 Course name
 Grade received

 Invoice/Statement of charges for your course/term that includes:

 Student name
 School Name
 Tuition amounts for each course on your application
 Itemized list of expenses
 Proof of Payment or Deferred Payment Letter signed by the school
 Financial Aid received (if applicable)

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Frequently Asked Questions

For the reimbursement programs, EdAssist will process your application within three days of receipt of the above
documentation. You will receive an email notification that your application has been processed for payment.

After you receive the email notification that your application has been processed for payment, you will receive
reimbursement from Microsoft directly into your designated expense reimbursement bank account within 15-18
business days. You can only receive the reimbursement payment by direct deposit into your bank account; paper
check is not an option.

To set up direct deposit, visit direct deposit, then add Reimbursement to an existing or new bank account.

H OW DO I SUBMIT MY DOCUMENTS ? (G RADES AND P ROOF OF P AYMENT )

You are able to upload documents directly to an application from the "Action Needed" section on the Home page.
To do so, select the "Upload Documents" button for the appropriate application.

1. Scroll to the Supporting Documentation section of your application.

2. Click Browse to locate the document on your computer and click Submit. You may also drag documents
into the upload section.

3. From the drop-down list, select the type of document you would like to upload.

When uploading grades, you will be able to select the grade you received. Be sure the grade you select matches
the grade listed on the grade report you submit. You will be able to view your documents in the Supporting
Documentation section of your application.

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