UC Davis Health is proud to offer tuition reimbursement to eligible employees through the Staff Tuition for Education Program (STEP).
STEP is administered by the Human Resources Employee Well-being team and supports eligible UC Davis Health employees pursuing accredited degree programs, as well as certain accredited vocational and specialized certificate programs that prepare candidates for skilled allied health positions.
STEP at a Glance
- Up to $4,000 per calendar year for eligible educational expenses paid by the employee
- $16,000 lifetime maximum
- Amounts over $4,000 do not roll over to the next calendar year
- Submit requests no later than 60 calendar days after course completion
Funds are subject to change and may be impacted by budgetary or other considerations. Please note that only submissions complying with the STEP Guidelines provided below will be considered.
Who is Eligible to Participate in STEP?
Employees eligible for STEP (must meet all criteria)
- UC Davis Health career staff employees only
- Satisfactory or better rating on most recent annual employee performance appraisal/evaluation
- No disciplinary action within the two years immediately preceding the application
Employees ineligible for STEP
- Employees in an academic title (e.g. fellows, residents, post doctorates)
- Contractor, casual, contract, probationary, or per-Diem appointments
- Appointment type and/or position changes to an ineligible classification (pending requests will be voided)
- Employee separates/terminates from UC Davis Health (pending requests will be voided)
What Type of Programs Qualify for STEP?
Both online and instructor-led courses in accredited programs qualify if they are one of the following:
- Prerequisite Courses (to qualify for reimbursement, proof of prerequisite requirement must be submitted)
- Specific Skilled Allied Health Vocational Certificate Programs – Examples include EMT, Phlebotomy Technician, LVN, and Surgical Technician, Billing and Coding, among others
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Doctoral Degree
Important! If you are unsure whether the program you wish to attend qualifies for STEP reimbursement, please contact your school of interest to verify its accreditation and your program’s degree or certificate status. You may also use the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to verify accreditation.
Preauthorization of your program by the Well-being team is not required. However, reimbursement will not be provided for programs that do not meet STEP eligibility requirements.
Which Expenses Are Eligible for Reimbursement?
Qualifying expenses
- Tuition
- Books and some class specific materials
Fees that are required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible education institution (excludes other non-qualifying fees paid during registration)
For more information, please refer to the IRS guide to Qualified Education Expenses
Non-qualifying expenses
- Classes taken prior to successful completion of probationary period
- Expenses paid with gift cards, grants, scholarships (Pell Grants are non-reimbursable)
- Expenses paid by another person on your behalf
- Room and board, similar personal, living or family expenses
- Insurance and medical expenses (including student health fees)
- Sports, games, hobbies, or non-credit courses
- Technology equipment, computers, laptops, tablets, book bags, nursing uniforms, etc.
- Shipping and handling fees
- Miscellaneous educational institution fees (e.g. transportation, graduation, late fees or credit card/service charges)
- Student loan application fees
- Conference and seminar registration fees
- Certifications (e.g. PMP, CA HIMS, CBCS)
- Continuing Education Units (CEU)
- Membership, licensing and exam and exam prep fees
- Travel, lodging, meals and parking expenses
Please note: Expenses covered by gift cards, grants, scholarships (including Pell Grants), or other non-reimbursable funds must be deducted from the total cost before determining the amount eligible for reimbursement.
For continuing education-related resources, please speak with your department manager. Information regarding departmental reimbursement is available at Professional Certifications and Licensing.
Information about educational discounts is available at Educational Discounts.
Supportive Documents
These documents can typically be obtained by contacting your school's registrar, business office, or financial aid department. You can let them know you are participating in an employer sponsored tuition education reimbursement program. These documents must provide your name, your educational institution/schools name, a date, and the information listed as "Acceptable Proof" in the section listed below.
Forms of payment eligible for reimbursement
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
- Student Loan / tuition payment plan
Acceptable proof
- An itemized tuition invoice or paid tuition receipt, including the academic term and dates, and the cost breakdown for all fees paid, indicating the form of payment.
- A paid book/materials receipt (a course syllabus may be required)
- An unofficial transcript or letter from your school showing course completion with a final grade of “C" or better, Credit*, or Pass* (*accepted only for courses that do not provide a letter grade).
- If you receive a grant, loan, discount, voucher, or scholarship, provide us with documentation showing your disbursement information.
Unacceptable proof
- Receipts with a name other than the employee’s
- Credit card statements
- Bank account statements
- Copy or carbon of a personal check
- Cell phone screenshots or pictures taken of your computer screen
Submitting your STEP reimbursement application
Before you submit your application...
You must read the "Applicant Acknowledgement" provided below before you click the link to start STEP tuition reimbursement request application process.
When should I submit my request for reimbursement?
You have 60 calendar days after the completion of your coursework for that academic period (term, quarter, or semester) to submit your STEP request and expenses for reimbursement consideration. STEP requests received on day 61, or after, will not be eligible for reimbursement.
How to complete your request in the STEP program's application portal, Tuition.io
- Create an application in the Tuition.io portal. The application link is available at the bottom of the page.
- Enter the school or program information, including the term and graduation dates.
- Enter each course separately, include the grade, and associated tuition and/or book fees, individually.
- Upload all required documents. Acceptable and Non-Acceptable proof is referenced above.
- Submit the application no later than 60 calendar days after you've completed your term/course/quarter/semester. Late submissions are subject to rejection.
If you are unable to access the Tuition.io application portal, please review all the eligibility requirements above to confirm that you qualify for the program.
If you meet all eligibility requirements and are still unable to access the reimbursement application, please contact the Well-being team at [email protected] for assistance.
Please Note: If your term start and end dates fall in different calendar years, funding for your request will be applied to the year in which the term ends. Please ensure that your term dates are entered accurately, as they determine the funding year and may differ from your graduation date.
What to expect after you've submitted your application
- Monitor your application status for updates by logging in to the Tuition.io portal.
- Your request may need revision, additional information, may be approved or possibly rejected.
- Decisions and comments will be viewable in the comment section of your application.
- After your application is reviewed and approved, you will receive that update in the portal and can refer to the check issue dates table below regarding the disbursement date according to your approval date. See below table provided below.
How are Reimbursements Issued?
After your STEP reimbursement request has been approved, the request is routed to Accounts Payable for them to complete their payment processing. Approved non-taxable tuition reimbursement payments are sent to participants via US mail. Please allow up to 6 weeks for reimbursement to be issued.
- Payments are issued by check and mailed to the address you provided with your reimbursement application, not to the address in UC Path profile.
- If you change your name it's important to contact the Well-being team as soon as possible. If the name on your reimbursement check does not match the name you use with your banking or credit union account, it may not be honored.
- If you change your mailing address, and it is different than the one provided in your reimbursement application, you must contact the Well-being team as soon as possible to avoid delays in receiving your paycheck.
Approved Reimbursement Check Issue Dates
If you received an approval with one of the approval dates listed in the table below, please allow additional processing and mailing time to receive your reimbursement check. If you have not received your check via US Mail within 10–15 business days of the mail-out date associated with your approval date, please contact Accounts Payable directly at [email protected]. Someone from their department will assist you. This information is updated on an ongoing basis to keep you informed.
| Date Payment Approved | Date Check Mailed Out |
|---|---|
| 9/05/2026 | 9/14/2026 |
| 9/20/2026 | 9/23/2026 |
| 10/05/2026 | 10/7/2026 |
| 10/20/2026 | Date Pending |
Applicant Acknowledgment (MUST READ)
Before submitting your STEP application, you are responsible for reviewing the program requirements and ensuring you have everything needed to apply.
Please make sure you have:
- Reviewed the STEP program guidelines in full.
- Completed your coursework and received a passing grade.
- Gathered all required and acceptable supporting documentation.
- Prepared to submit your complete application within 60 calendar days of completing your course, term, quarter, or semester. (Not the entire program)
Incomplete applications or applications with missing or unacceptable documentation may be delayed or rejected. Please ensure you have all required documentation before submitting your application.