TAP Benefits for Children of Faculty & Staff

Tuition Benefits are available for the dependent children of Georgetown faculty and staff after the employee has completed three years of continuous, full-time, TAP-eligible service. The maximum benefit for children is reached after attaining five years of eligible service. This service must be continuous. Any periods of ineligibility (employment at less than 90% time, leave of absence, etc.) do not count toward your continuous service requirement.

Benefits for Courses taken at Georgetown University

Children are eligible for Georgetown University TAP benefits if they are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and are under 30 years of age.

The amount of the benefit depends on the number of continuous, full-time years of service of the parent of the child seeking the benefits. The amount of the benefit is as follows:

The benefit may be used for a total of 8 semesters of study per child. After 8 semesters, no additional benefits are payable from the TAP.

Benefits for Courses taken at Outside Institutions

Children are eligible for TAP portable benefits if they are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and are under 30 years of age.

The amount of the benefit depends on the number of continuous, full-time years of service of the parent of the child seeking the benefits. Children receive a benefit of 16.5% of GU tuition if their parent has 3 or more years of continuous, full-time service. They receive 33% of GU tuition if their parent has 5 or more years of continuous, full-time service with GU.

This percentage is applied to Georgetown University’s undergraduate tuition to arrive at the actual amount of the portable benefit. 

The amount of the rounded benefit is as follows for the 2026-27 academic year:

The benefit may be used for a total of 8 semesters of study per child. After 8 semesters, no additional benefits are payable from the TAP.

Tenured Service With Other Employers

In certain limited circumstances, tenured service with other academic institutions can be used to meet TAP eligibility requirements. In order for this provision to apply, the participant must meet all of the following requirements:

• The person must be a benefits-eligible, faculty member working 90% time or more at Georgetown University.
• The person must have been hired on or after July 1, 2001.
• The person must have been employed in a “tenure track” position at his or her prior college or university.
• The benefits must be used for the participant’s child.

For example, this provision does not apply to staff members or AAPs, nor does it apply to faculty members who wish to use TAP benefits for themselves, nor does it apply to any faculty member hired before July 1, 2001.

Additionally, this exception applies solely for meeting the eligibility requirements for TAP. For example, if a person meets all the eligibility requirements above, and held a tenure track position with another university for 20 years, he or she would not receive TAP benefits based on the Plan’s pre-1996 provisions, but rather based on the current provisions.

An original verification letter of tenured employment from the previous university must be mailed to our office or submitted in person. Emails are not accepted. The letter must be signed by the Dean of the academic department, or by someone in a position of higher authority.

Study Abroad Programs

Students studying abroad as part of their school’s study abroad program are covered under TAP as long as the following conditions are met:

• The program is administered through a U.S. college or university; and
• The study abroad program is billed by, and paid to, that U.S. college or university (not the school/program located abroad, a travel agency or other such organization)

A tuition invoice from the student’s institution reflecting the study abroad tuition must be submitted with the TAP Online application and Confirmation Page.

TAP and Financial Aid Awards (Financial Aid Displacement)

Receipt of an employer-provided tuition assistance benefit (such as the GU TAP benefit) might affect your financial aid package from your institution. Please contact your institution’s Student Financial Services department or the student’s Financial Aid Counselor to discuss this matter.

For Children of Faculty, Staff, and AAP’s Hired before December 31, 1995

The benefits for Faculty, Staff, and AAP’s hired on or before December 31, 1995 are identical to the benefits for those employees hired on or after January 1, 1996 with two important exceptions:

• Children of Faculty, Staff and AAP’s hired on or before December 31, 1995 may use the TAP benefit for either undergraduate study at Georgetown University or elsewhere or graduate study at Georgetown University only. This additional feature does not increase the total number of semesters payable under the plan. It simply allows the participant the option of using the TAP for either undergraduate or graduate study.
• Children of Faculty, Staff, and AAP’s hired on or before December 31, 1995 are eligible for a benefit of 100% (as opposed to 67%) of tuition if they attend Georgetown University. The benefit for children of Faculty, Staff, and AAP’s attending outside institutions does not vary based on the parent having a pre-1996 or post-1995 date of hire.
• Employees who were hired on or before December 31, 1995 but had a termination of employment (voluntary or involuntary) can receive this legacy benefit only if their date of re-hire was within 12 months of their date of termination. You are not eligible for the legacy graduate Child TAP Benefit if on or after January 1, 1996, (1) you terminated employment and were rehired more than one year after your termination date,(2) you transferred to a non-TAP Eligible Employee position for more than one year, or (3) you took an Unpaid Leave of Absence of more than one year.

When Child TAP benefits are used for GU graduate programs, the per-semester disbursement is fully taxable to the GU employee (not the student), with no IRS exemption of $5,250. Learn more about Tuition Tax Facts.