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Eligibility

Important: U.S. tax laws administered by the Internal Revenue Service govern the tax-free benefit of the Tuition Grant Program (TGP).  Therefore, the TGP is subject to changes within these laws and Stanford University reserves the right to make changes at any time. Any determination of eligibility for the Tuition Grant Program is only valid for the upcoming school term.

Employee Eligibility

Staff Faculty, Hoover Senior Fellows & Senior Staff Retirees

Regular or fixed-term employees working 50 percent time or greater, with five years of eligible service, including:

  • Staff
  • Bargaining unit employees
  • Academic teaching staff

If you worked at least 50 percent FTE (full-time equivalent) in a benefits-eligible part-time position for five years, those years count toward your five-year eligibility requirement. When you apply for TGP, the benefit is prorated to your current FTE.
  • Must be working 50 percent time or greater
  • Eligible when appointment begins if you are in a university appointment of six months or longer
  • When you apply for TGP, the benefit is prorated to your current FTE
  • You remain eligible for TGP if, prior to retirement, you met your service requirement
  • If you were less than 100 percent full-time at the time of your retirement, the grant amount may be prorated depending on your full-time history
  • View more information in the TGP Guidelines

Temporary employees are not eligible.

Dependent Eligibility

Type of Child Eligibility Conditions
Dependent N/A
Adopted child N/A
Stepchild, if one or more of these statements is true:

  • The child is your dependent for federal income tax purposes, or

  • You provide more than 50 percent of the child's financial support, or

  • The child lives primarily with you when he/she is not away at school

Foster child who has lived with the eligible employee for at least 24 months immediately before you request benefits under the program, AND if one or more of these statements is true:

  • The child is your dependent for federal income tax purposes, or

  • You provide more than 50 percent of the child's financial support, or

  • The child lives primarily with you when he/she is not away at school

Domestic partner's child (defined as a child of your registered domestic partner who depend on you for support and who live with you in a regular parent/child relationship), if one or more of these statements is true:

  • The child is your dependent for federal income tax purposes, or

  • You provide more than 50 percent of the child's financial support, or

  • The child lives primarily with you when he/she is not away at school

A child who has been your ward under a court-approved legal guardianship and has been your ward for at least 60 months immediately prior to your request for benefits, AND if one or more of these statements is true:

  • The child is your dependent for federal income tax purposes, or

  • You provide more than 50% of the child's financial support, or

  • The child lives primarily with you when he/she is not away at school

School Eligibility

Eligible institutions must offer undergraduate degree programs. Certificate programs are not covered by TGP benefits.

Only accredited institutions are eligible for TGP. The accreditation process is rigorous and Stanford must adhere to it. Additionally, accredited institutions have to meet quality standards for their educational curricula, helping to ensure a high quality academic program.

  1. Accredited U.S. Institutions - TGP payments will be made to accredited United States colleges and universities listed at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
  2. Foreign Institutions - TGP payments may be made to foreign colleges and universities if Stanford University determines, at its discretion, that the foreign institution’s academic standards are equivalent to those of accredited United States institutions. You may be required to provide accreditation information if requested by the TGP administrator.

TGP does not provide payment to institutions that have not completed the accreditation process.