Tuition Waivers and Exemptions for Non-Employees
You may be eligible to use tuition waivers by Arizona State Statute. Please refer to the Eligibility Chart for more information. The Qualified Non-Employees Tuition Waiver is not the proper form to be filled out for dependents of employees. Instead, it is used to process waiver requests for specific categories of persons identified by statute as eligible for the waiver. Dependents of eligible Maricopa employees should complete the form for The Dependent Dynamic Tuition Waiver Form.
Limitations
- Tuition and fee waivers are limited to the per-credit-hour cost of classes only. Other fees, such as lab or towel fees and out-of-county or out-of-state fees, are not waived and must be paid by the employee. Parties are fiscally responsible for costs above the waiver limit.
- An official request form must be presented to the College Cashier's Office in order to initiate the waiver process. Refer to Forms and Other Resources for official request forms.
| Non-Employee Category/Group | Tuition Issue/Provision | Authority Reference |
Reference Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Out of County | Affidavit: Allows a college district to admit students in counties without a college district on the same conditions as Maricopa residents | ARS §15-1469 | Appropriate County Treasurer’s Office |
| Arizona-Sonora Exchange Program | Exemption: The provision of in-state tuition rates to students from Sonora, Mexico that are participants in the Arizona-Sonora Exchange Program. The Arizona-Sonora Exchange Program is not a waiver, it is an exemption that allows students to be charged in-state tuition. The process is managed by the District's International Education office. Please contact the District's International Education office for the appropriate form to process requests to apply in-state tuition. | ARS §15-1444, Section (F), Governing Board Motion No. 8785, July 28, 1998 | International Education maya.petrova@domail.maricopa.edu |
| Dependents of Slain Peace Officers, Fire Fighters, Emergency Paramedics, and Arizona National Guard Members or Members of the United States Armed Forces Who Were Residents of the State of Arizona or Stationed in Arizona Killed in the Line of Duty; Disabled Arizona National Guard Members; Arizona National Guard Member Purple Heart Recipients; or Armed Forces or former Armed Forces members who received a Purple Heart citation with a disability status greater than 50% who, at the time of injury, resided or were stationed in Arizona.* |
Qualified Non-Employee Tuition Waiver: Admission with a tuition waiver scholarship to children 30 years of age or younger or to a spouse who has not remarried; or a member of the Arizona National Guard who received a purple heart citation on or after 9/11/01; or a former Arizona National Guard member medically discharged due to injury suffered during status; or Armed Forces or former Armed Forces members who received a Purple Heart citation on or after 9/11/01 with a disability status greater than 50% who, at the time of injury, resided or were stationed in Arizona Limit to no more than 64 credit hours |
ARS §15-1808 |
Verification of eligibility received on official stationary of peace officers, fire fighters, emergency paramedics association, Adjutant National Guard, Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Arizona Department of Veterans Services By Office of General Counsel - Public Stewardship Services |
| Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (offered exclusively at Scottsdale Community College) |
Waiver: All tuition and fees, including registration and lab fees for credit and non-credit classes Noncredit provision is through college action |
Governing Board Motion No. 4703, December 9, 1980, Administrative Regulation No. 2.2.9 | American Indian Programs Department |
| Full-Time Teacher/Full-Time Classroom Aide |
Exemption: Classification as an in-state student (for persons domiciled for less than one year) for an employee of a school district who is contracted to teach on a full-time basis, or is employed as a full-time non-certified classroom aide at a school within that district | ARS §15-1802.B.3 | Director of College Admissions & Records (Enrollment Services) |
| Students in Foster Care |
Qualified Foster Care Supplemental Waiver: Tuition and mandatory fees after the application of financial aid and/or Education Training Voucher (ETV). Limit to students 23 years of age or younger that were foster care recipients in Arizona. |
ARS §15-1809.01 | By District Financial Services and Office of General Counsel - Public Stewardship Services tuition.waivers@domail.maricopa.edu |
*With Authorization by the Office of General Counsel - Public Stewardship Services
Forms and Other Resources
Forms may not be altered so as to remove the terms and conditions of the waiver. Please review limitations of use.
Qualified Non-Employee Tuition Waiver Request Dynamic Form (Please Login with your MEID and password. Prospective students who have never been admitted to the Maricopa Community Colleges or been one of its employees should admit online via the Student Admissions Application).
Qualified Non-Employee Tuition Waiver Process Student User Guide
Arizona Foster Care Supplemental Tuition Waiver Dynamic Form (Please Login with your MEID and password. Prospective students who have never been admitted to the Maricopa Community Colleges or been one of its employees should admit online via the Student Admissions Application).
Payment Guide - instructions for students on how to navigate paying fees.
Exemption of Non-Resident Tuition Approved Courses for Full-Time Teacher or Full-Time Classroom Aide per ARS §15-1802 - Dynamic Form (Please Login with your MEID and password. Questions or concerns may be directed to the student's College of Admission & Records offices.)
There is a verification process for determining eligibility for the Qualified Non-Employee Tuition Waiver.
Employee and Dependent Tuition Waivers information may be found within the Employee Portal. An Employee MEID is needed to enter secure site.
Considerations
An out-of-county employee residing in a county where we have established a reciprocal agreement allowing students to be charged at the in-county rate will still be able to take courses at the in-county rate. MCCCD has established reciprocal agreements with every county in Arizona except Apache and Greenlee. However, students living in those counties may present an Out of County Residence Affidavit (to avoid the out-of-county surcharge.) Students may refer to the Out of County Affidavit Student Guide for information on completing the form.
No course, regardless of format or method of delivery (including distance learning or study abroad), will be funded above $97 a credit hour. In essence, the value of a tuition waiver is $97 per credit hour.
Teachers/classroom aides who qualify for the exemption of non-resident tuition will be fully covered for classes which apply since they are eligible for the in-county rate per state statute.