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Helpful Tips

This page provides helpful tips for successful navigation of the Tuition Grant Program.

For benefits-eligible faculty and staff, including SLAC, submit your application online using the TGP Portal in Employee Center within Axess.

For SLAC Employees: If this is your first time submitting a TGP application, or if your last application submitted was prior to the 2015/2016 academic year, you must contact Claudia Ransom at claudia@slac.stanford.edu for first time access to the TGP portal. Once access is granted, you may log in as often as needed with no further approvals required.

For retirees, emeriti and/or beneficiaries of deceased employees, please view the Application Process for Retirees, Emeriti and Beneficiaries of Deceased Employees.

New Applicants

If you are new to the Tuition Grant Program and haven’t submitted an application before, please prepare for a successful application submission and follow these initial steps:

  1. Close all open browsers and begin a fresh independent Internet session
  2. Recommended browser: Firefox. Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer browsers are not recommended
  3. Only have one Firefox browser session open at a time during the application process
  4. Have all required dependent eligibility documentation in PDF and ready for upload

Other Important Application Tips

  • Incomplete applications will be returned. This can delay receipt of your authorization letter which may delay payment of tuition.
  • Include the required dependent documentation, such as birth or marriage certificates or tax returns when you submit your application
  • Give the TGP Authorization Letter to the school right away
    1. This notifies the school that your child is in the Tuition Grant Program and that they will need to invoice us directly for each term
    2. The letter needs to be sent to the person who handles “Third Party Billing”. If in doubt contact the school for instructions
  • If your child is in a program abroad, the application needs to be submitted as soon as possible as these may take longer to process
  • If your child wants to attend a foreign institution, be sure to check with the TGP to confirm that the schools you are considering are eligible foreign institutions

Invoicing

  • Most schools invoice us after the Add/Drop period.
  • Invoices are processed according to the date received.
  • Tuition due dates are usually computer-generated and often don’t apply to the TGP benefit amount due. That date is usually for any payments or charges that the parent is responsible for.
  • Many schools will credit the student’s accounts before sending the invoice.
  • Not all schools invoice TGP directly.  In that case, it is your responsibility to send us the invoice for each term so we can pay the tuition directly to the school.
  • If you paid tuition for your dependent child, TGP must still pay the school directly to maintain the non-taxable status of the payment. The school will credit the student’s account.

Study Programs Abroad

  • Programs abroad differ from school to school and are usually administered through your child's current school.
  • If the program abroad is not administered through your child's current school, then a separate TGP application may be required.
  • Programs abroad usually request tuition payment sooner than schools in the US. 
  • Programs abroad are usually on a semester schedule instead of a quarter schedule. This poses some problems if your child’s home institution is on the quarter schedule:
    1. If TGP pays based on the quarter schedule, the dollar amount payable is less.
    2. If TGP pays based on the semester schedule, you use more points and could end up with less available at the end of four years.
      • Example: 1.5 pts. instead of 1.0 pts.
    3. Discuss with the TGP to see which works best for your situation.

Community College vs. Four-Year School

  • A term/point is used no matter the cost of tuition, so if your child plans on transferring to a four-year college from a community college to complete their degree, carefully consider saving TGP for the school with the higher tuition.
  • At some public schools it is difficult for students to get the classes they need. Because of this, an additional term or year may be necessary once they’ve transferred to a four-year school, to complete their degree.

Attendance

  • Part-time attendance is eight (8) units or less. TGP will pay half of the maximum benefit amount and apply half of the term/points value.
  • Summer attendance is considered a term (full-time or part-time, depending on number of units taken). Summer tuition is generally less than other terms. Carefully consider whether you want to use a term/points for summer or pay for it yourself.
  • Students who are dependents may have breaks in attendance without repercussions
  • Students who are taxable must attend without breaks (except for summer term). Any terms that are taken off are lost or considered used.

Financial Aid

  • It is important to inform the school that you have TGP as a benefit
  • TGP will only deduct financial aid that can only be used for tuition
  • Loans must be repaid so they are not considered financial aid by TGP and will not be deducted from the benefit

Taxability

  • The Tuition Grant Program is a non-taxable benefit and is not considered additional income to you
  • When your child turns 24 and is still being claimed as your dependent, we will ask you for copies your tax returns (page one and the signature page only). You will also need to sign Promissory Notes to insure that you submit tax returns for future tax years.
  • TGP coverage does not end when your child turns 26, although the benefit may be taxable if he/she is no longer your dependent.
  • If you find out you weren’t able to claim your child on your tax returns for the academic year and non-taxable tuition payments have been made by TGP, contact the TGP right away. The Stanford Payroll Department may need to make adjustments to your taxable wages.