5 Employers That Offer Tuition Assistance

By Kaitlin Hurtado on June 26, 2017

Depending on your financial situation, a part-time job is nearly essential to your ability to get through college. A part-time job provides funding for your social outings, groceries, insurance, and rent. Paying for your tuition when scholarships and loans can’t, or even trying to get ahead with paying off your student loans can seem near impossible when you are barely able to scrape by with paychecks from your part-time job.

What many students do not know about their part-time job is that depending on what company you are employed by, there is a chance that you will be able to have your employer pay for part of your college tuition.

Sound too good to be true? Definitely not; it’s equally beneficial for both parties. You are one step closer to paying off your college tuition and student loans. Your employer is able to offer you an effective incentive to keep you working at their company. It’s something you should definitely consider when searching for a job, regardless of whether it is part-time or full-time. Whenever you are considering taking on a position, inquire about possible benefits that come with being employed with a company. A discount of the company’s products? Health insurance?

Before accepting a job solely because you already know they will be able to offer you college tuition repayment or reimbursement, figure out as many specifics as you can. Do you need to attend a specific university? Does the reimbursement cap out? How or when does it cap? Is there a limited time period where the college tuition repayment or reimbursement is promised?

Each company will have different requirements and guidelines for their employees; here are some companies to consider when you are searching for companies to work for.

1. United Parcel Service (UPS) 

Through the Education Assistance program, UPS helps their part-time employees pay for their college tuition. By working for UPS, you can earn $5,250 per calendar year, up to a maximum of $25,000 in total. You are eligible for college tuition payment as soon as you begin to work for UPS.

On top of the benefit of having your college tuition paid, you can also have the opportunity to turn your part-time employment with UPS into a full-time job offer.

In 2014, UPS provided $16 million in tuition for approximately 14,000 students.

UPS also has partnerships with specific universities to help their student employees go to school and continue to be employed. With Metropolitan College, students must work part-time in the UPS Air Operation in Louisville, Kentucky. In return, they will be able to receive a free education at University of Louisville or Jefferson Community and Technical College. You can also get access to on-site computer labs, career help, academic bonuses, and book reimbursement.

2. Starbucks 

Starbucks has their Starbucks College Achievement Plan, helping their employees get an education at Arizona State University (ASU). Both part-time and full-time employees are eligible to get full tuition coverage every year to earn their bachelor’s degree. Along with the college tuition reimbursement, Starbucks partners will also get tutoring for courses taken through ASU. However, do consider that the offer for college tuition reimbursement will only work through ASU’s online program.

You also must have at least been employed at Starbucks for one year (continuously) before you can begin classes under the plan.

pixabay.com

3. Chipotle 

Chipotle offers plenty of benefits for both part-time and full-time employees — healthcare, 401k, meal discounts — and more importantly, educational assistance. Every year, part-time and full-time employees can receive up to $5,250 in tuition assistance and up to $5,185 in federal grants.

Aside from money assistance, you can even receive up to 44 credits by receiving job promotions at Chipotle, lessening the burden of taking more courses.

4. Walmart and 5. Sam’s Club

Walmart and Sam’s Club are also partnered with a specific university: American Public University. Both part-time and full-time employees are able to benefit from the Lifelong Learning Program, which helps them and their eligible family members save 15 percent off the university’s courses.

Eligible family members include dependent children, siblings, parents, and spouses of any active employee of Sam’s Club or Walmart. The eligibility for the program begins on the employee’s first day of employment. Program participants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent and the program is restricted to American Public University or American Military University.

Undergraduate students are also eligible for the program’s undergraduate book grant to cover almost all of the required reading materials, which amounts to $1,000 per year on average.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format