In 2011, looking to further her career at Yale, Sonja Beamon decided to get an MBA. “I had thought about going to school for some years and knew having a master’s degree would open up more opportunities for me at the university,” says Sonja, who was then a senior manager for process and data in the Office for Research Administration, supporting research efforts across the university. “Yale’s Tuition Reimbursement Program was a helpful incentive.”
During a hectic two years, she worked full-time while attending an accelerated program at Albertus Magnus College. She knew that getting a master’s degree would help her achieve new career goals — and, a few months before graduation, she started a new position at a higher level with an increased salary. Now she is director of finance and administration in Administrative Operations, and she draws often on the knowledge and experience she gained through her degree.
“While I was an experienced financial manager, I learned a lot about organizational behavior and development and business legal issues, that I still apply today,” says Sonja, who is now in her 22nd year at Yale.
Employees may choose to pursue more education for many reasons — to finish an incomplete degree, to broaden their skill set, or to gain specialized knowledge in their field. Yale’s benefits support the lifelong pursuit of education. Here’s what you need to know.
Other educational support
Yale offers several other ways to make continued education more affordable, including a tuition discount program at the University of New Haven (UNH), auditing options for Yale classes, scholarship opportunities, and more.
In addition to tuition assistance for employees, Yale also offers a Child Scholarship Plan for children of eligible university staff and faculty. This program directly reimburses a child’s accredited college or university for a portion of tuition and eligible fees.
Eligibility
This benefit, administered by Bright Horizons EdAssist Solutions, is available to all staff members — clerical & technical, service & maintenance, and managerial & professional — who work 20 or more hours per week and have completed six months of service at the university.
Degree and Non-Degree /Job-Related Courses
The university will partially reimburse employees for courses taken toward any associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree (at eligible colleges and universities in the United States only). This program also applies to courses not leading to a degree if they are job-related and benefit both the employee and Yale; for non-degree courses, a supervisor’s approval is required.
Reimbursements
Benefit-eligible employees can receive up to $5,250 annually. The maximum reimbursement for staff with less than five years of service is $2,626. A letter grade of “C” or “P” (pass) is required to receive a reimbursement. More details are available in the tuition reimbursement policies and procedures.
