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Staff Training Assistance Program (STAP)

Staff Training Assistance Program (STAP)

STAP provides reimbursement for tuition, registration fees and required textbooks for any training activity directly related to your job or a career development effort.

Training activities should relate to your career development goals and assist you in qualifying for a new position or advancing within your current role at Stanford. All training activities must be approved by your supervisor.

Who is Eligible?

Regular or fixed-term employees working 50 percent time or greater, including:

✓ Non-Academic, Academic and Bargaining Unit staff

Not Eligible

Faculty, temporary or casual employees and retirees are not eligible for this program.

What is Covered?

✓ Tuition and registration fees

✓ Required course textbooks, CD's or tapes

✓ Stanford Health Improvement Program (HIP)

✓ Stanford Continuing Studies courses

✓ Stanford Technology Training courses

✓ Registration fees for seminars, courses, workshops and professional conferences may also be eligible

Not Covered

  • Test preparation courses (i.e., GMAT, LSAT, GRE, and MCAT)
  • Exams or testing
  • Sports activities
  • Health-related classes except those sponsored by the Stanford Health Improvement Program (HIP)
  • Training to meet minimum educational requirements of the current job, or to qualify the employee for a new trade or business
  • Professional membership fees or subscriptions
  • Travel expenses, parking, lodging or meals
  • Rosetta Stone Language CDs
  • Reference books

Maximum Payment

  • $800 for regular staff
  • $700 for employees who are covered by the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement 

Application/Reimbursement Process

Log into Axess to check your available STAP funds

Click the STARS (Training) tab, then select My STAP Balance from the menu.

The balance displayed is the amount of STAP funds still available for use during the current fiscal year (September 1 to August 31).Note: STAP funds are not carried over. Funds are allocated at the beginning of each fiscal year and can only be used for courses, seminars, workshops, etc. that begin in that fiscal year.

Log into Axess

Register and pay for the course, seminar or training program

Complete the STAP Request for Reimbursement form

Complete the form, obtain supervisor approval and submit the form with receipts and course syllabus/description to the department administrator immediately following payment for the approved training expense. 

Requests for reimbursement of allowable expenses through STAP should be made within 20 days of satisfactory completion of the training. The timing is important to prevent the payment from becoming taxable to the employee. 

  • Immediately following payment for the approved training expense, you should submit the form with receipts and course syllabus or description to the department administrator
  • Department administrator should submit the request form, with attachments, to the STAP Office within 20 days of course end date following the Financial Services expense report procedures
  • The STAP Office will review the request and the required documentation. This may take up to 10 business days. Submitted requests will be charged against the STAP funds based on the class start date,
  • Once approved by the STAP office, the request for reimbursement will be processed for payment by Travel and Reimbursement (T&R)
  • If payment by T&R will be made more than 60 days from the date of payment for the training, the amount payable may become taxable to the employee

Download the STAP Request for Reimbursement form

Receive reimbursement payment

You should receive reimbursement within 20 days of submission.

Stanford Hospital, LPCH & Overseas Employees

  • If you are a Stanford Hospital or LPCH employee, submit requests for reimbursement via Success Factors. If you have questions, please contact the HR Business Center at 650-723-4748.
  • If you are an overseas employee, check with your HR professional or home campus administrator for submission and reimbursement process guidelines.