Direct bill process now available for graduate tuition assistance

Graduate degree–seeking employees can now choose for their tuition assistance to be paid directly to their schools via the direct bill process.

To use the benefit previously, all participants had to pay out of pocket and then submit for reimbursement; with direct billing, this obstacle is removed and payments covered by the benefit can be made directly to the employee's school on behalf of JHU. Reimbursement is still an option for those who prefer it.

EdAssist is the platform where full-time, benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and bargaining unit members can access JHU's tuition assistance benefits that help pay for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. (The direct bill process for undergraduate degree programs was launched in spring 2023.) Here are the steps for using direct bill tuition assistance:

• You submit an application within 30 days of your course start date, every term.
• When your application is approved, a letter of credit, or LOC, is made available to you.
• You then sign and submit the LOC to your school's billing office. The LOC informs the school that you will receive tuition assistance and provides billing instructions to the school.
• Your school will send an itemized invoice to EdAssist.
• EdAssist will then pay the school directly, to cover eligible tuition and fees, and you will be notified when payment has been made.
• Within 60 days of the course ending, you submit proof that you achieved a C- or higher.

JHU's partnership with EdAssist also gives you access to free education coaching from higher education experts who can help find the best school for you, as well as walk you through the application process and see if there are additional cost savings for which you may be eligible. You also can save money through EdAssist's partnership with more than 230 education providers that offer its clients discounts on tuition or fees.

More information can be found on the Degree-Seeking Credit Courses page of the HR website.

For answers to questions you may have, contact the Benefits Service Center at 410-516-2000 or benefits@jhu.edu.