Tuition Assistance
Eligibility
The Duke Children's Campus (DCC) Tuition Subsidy may be offered to Duke
employees who meet the following criteria: He or she is a regular Duke employee
working at least 30 hours per week in a benefit eligible position with an annual
family income of less than $75,000. Annual income is verifiable by the
employee's most recent Income Tax Return. Before consideration, the Duke
employee must have a child enrolled at the DCC or have received an offer of
enrollment. While Duke Children's Campus tuition subsidy is available, DCC will
notify parents who visit the Children's Campus or otherwise inquire about
enrollment that subsidy is available. Subsidy availability status will also be
posted on the DCC website and in any marketing communications.
Parent eligibility must be reviewed annually in June. At that time, parents
who receive subsidy will be notified by Duke HR, Office of Staff and Family
Programs to re-submit income verification documents in order to retain their
eligibility.
A significant change in family income during the year will affect the subsidy
amount. This would occur, for example, when a spouse who formerly did not work
starts a new job or a working parent receives a significant salary increase.
Parents are required to immediately notify Duke Human Resources Office of Staff
and Family Programs should family income change so that the amount of subsidy
can be re-evaluated and adjusted as required. State or County Tuition
Assistance
The State Department of Social Services (DSS) may have tuition assistance
funding available for qualified families. DSS tuition assistance grants will be
applied toward the DCC tuition first and will be subtracted from the amount of
Duke Children's Campus tuition subsidy. Duke parents will need to pay the
remaining difference in tuition.
Before being considered for DCC tuition subsidy, families who meet the income
threshold for DSS funding eligibility must provide proof that they have applied
for these funds and make Duke aware of any state or county funding they will
receive. Along with the Duke Children's Campus Subsidy
Application Form, DCC should provide the current State of North Carolina
Eligibility Table showing maximum gross monthly income eligibility limits for
subsidized child care services.
Families who may qualify based on income level, should contact one of the
agencies listed below. When applicable, the employee must get a letter of
verification from the agency stating that they have applied for DSS funding and
it was not granted or is unavailable. This letter is required to be submitted
with their DCC Subsidy Application Form.
- Public child care subsidy funds are distributed at the county level;
income thresholds to determine eligibility are set by the state. Sources for
guidance on current eligibility and application are:
- For help in any county: Child Care Services Association: (919) 403-6950
(make sure to let them know you are a Duke Family as Staff and Family
Programs provides CCSA with funding to provide referral and support services
to Duke families).
- Durham's Alliance For Child Care Access (919) 560-8300.
- Or check online at:
http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us (Choose Manuals, then choose Division of
Child Development, Division of Medical Assistance, or Division of Social
Services.)
- If state/county child care tuition funds are awarded to an employee, the
amount of the award is subtracted from the Duke subsidy granted to the
employee based on the DCC monthly subsidy scale
in effect at the time.
DCC Tuition Subsidy Availability
Subsidy availability is subject to funding through annual grants by Duke. If
annual subsidy obligations approach the annual subsidy budget, Duke Human
Resources Office of Staff and Family Programs (S&FP) will notify DCC that
subsidy money is no longer available.
- When subsidy funds are not available DCC will maintain a waitlist so
that those families who may be eligible for subsidy can be granted subsidy
in the order of their subsidy waitlist priority date (the date on which
their completed DCC Subsidy Application Form was received by DCC).
- Some of these families would choose to enroll regardless; others who
could not afford to enroll without subsidy may also simultaneously be on
the DCC Waitlist.
- Subsidy would be offered to people in the order of their priority on
the subsidy waitlist. However, the waitlist for DCC enrollment would take
precedence over the subsidy waitlist (e.g. a subsidy waitlist family would
not be bumped up the enrollment waitlist because they were at the top of
the subsidy waitlist when subsidy became available).
Application for DCC Tuition Subsidy
Employees may apply for subsidy following an offer of enrollment for the DCC.
To apply for subsidy a family should complete the DCC
Subsidy Application Form and submit it to the office of Staff and Family
Programs (Fax: 919-681-8427) with supporting documentation:
- Most recent tax return; and
- When applicable, a letter of verification of application (and
denial) for state or county funding.
Tuition Assistance for Graduate Students
Graduate Students may apply for a Duke University Child Care Scholarship or a Graduate School Child Care Subsidy. The following options are open only to
graduate students who meet application criteria. For more information contact the resource people listed below.
- Graduate School Child Care Subsidy for Ph.D. Students: Those interested in the Child Care Subsidy should contact Lana BenDavid (lana.bendavid@duke.edu)
at 681-1551 at the Graduate Student Affairs Office.
- Duke University Child Care Scholarship: The Duke University Child Care Scholarship Fund helps support families who need financial assistance with child care expenses.
Applications are accepted in
the spring and awards are disbursed during the subsequent academic year. Those interested in the Graduate Student Child Care Scholarship should contact Linda Moiseenko
(linda.moiseenko@duke.edu) or 684-6711 in the Dean of Students Office.
Notice to Duke Employee
The Duke HR Office of Staff and Family Programs notifies DCC if subsidy has
been approved within two business days and verifies the amount of the subsidy.
DCC informs the family and secures the enrollment. Tracking
DCC emails the Duke HR Office of Staff and Family Programs with notification
of the first date of enrollment to which subsidy applies for the applicant
family so that Duke can update its tracking spreadsheet.
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