Program Overview
Tuition Assistance
It's never too late to go back to school—smarts never go out of style. That's why we invest in our amazing working learners. Wondering what you need to know to get started?
Full-time T-Mobile employees are eligible for $5,250 per calendar year ‐ the maximum non-taxable benefit allowed by the IRS! Part-time T-Mobile employees are eligible for $2,500 per calendar year. T-Mobile pays schools directly for tuition. That's right, you don't need to front the bill! T-Mobile offers full tuition benefits in partnership with several universities! Yep, tuition is covered at 100%. To top it off, T-Mobile employees get free education coaching and other tuition discounts for themselves and their family!
Highlights
- T-Mobile may provide tuition assistance towards an undergraduate or graduate degree.
- Domestic and Puerto Rico T-Mobile employees are eligible after 90 days of service.
- Courses must be taken for credit at a Regionally Accredited school.
- Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are NOT covered under this benefit.
Application Overview
Review T-Mobile's Tuition Assistance Overview and schedule an appointment with an EdAssist Coach.
After enrolling at the school of your choice, create a new application in the portal within 45 days of the course start date.
Provide the Letter of Credit (LOC) to your school.
Your school will invoice EdAssist and they will pay eligibile expenses.
Upload your final grade within 90 days of your course end date.
Manager Approval
People managers will receive an email from Donotreply@edassist.com once an application is pending approval. Managers should confirm the employee is actively working, in good standing and performing at a satisfactory level in their current position when reviewing the application. This is a good opportunity to discuss the employee's career development and goals. For additional details about the application approval process please refer to the Tuition Assistance FAQs.
Want to learn more?
Check out the Tuition Assistance Overview or register for the EdAssist on-demand webinar to learn more about your education options, exclusive discounts at 200+ accredited schools, and learn how to apply for tuition assistance. Contact EdAssist for more information.
Provider Contact
EdAssist
Toll Free: (877) 276-7115
Hours: M-F 5 a.m. - 5 p.m. PST
EdAssist portal
First-time User - Click "Sign Up" and follow prompts to register Employee ID (P#) can be obtained in Workday next to your name (must be logged into the T-Mobile Network).
Already Registered for Bright Horizons Back-Up Care? Use your existing credentials to log in to the EdAssist portal.
Tuition Assistance Overview
Eligibility
- You must be a regular full-time or part-time employee as defined in the employee handbook for at least 90 days at the time the course(s) begins. Domestic, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands employees are eligible. You will have access to EdAssist by Bright Horizons, our tuition assistance vendor, once you meet the 90-day requirement and may enroll in courses that begin on or after that time.
- You must be in good standing and perform at a satisfactory level in your current role. Your manager will help make this determination when reviewing your application.
- You must be in active employment status at the time your application is submitted.
- Employees on Leave of Absence: If you go on leave of absence after your application is approved, you must still submit the required documentation no later than 90 days after the course end date. Employees on leave of absence will not be able to submit new applications until they are back in active status. Upon return to active status, new applications will be accepted for courses that have not yet begun or are within 45 days following the first day of classes.
- Terminated Employees: Applications must be approved for courses that start prior to the employee’s termination date to be eligible for payment. EdAssist must receive an invoice from the school by the expiration of the Letter of Credit (LOC) – 90 days after the course end date - to process tuition payments, along with receipt of the employee’s final grade.
Covered Programs
- Undergraduate and graduate degree coursework.
- English Language Learning courses that empower learners to achieve one’s own personal language goals on one’s own time and pace.
- Individual credit-bearing courses or credit-bearing courses required as part of a certificate program (does not include Continuing Education Units (CEUs)).
- All coursework must be taken at a college, university or academic institution accredited by one of the following six regional accrediting bodies:
- MSA (MSCHE/CSS-MSA) – Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools or Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- NWCCU – Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- NCA – North Central Association of Colleges and Schools or The Higher Learning Commission
- NEASC – New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
- SACS – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- WASC – Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
- Confirm the accreditation of selected educational institutions through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at www.chea.org or through the US Department of Education at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Non-eligible Programs
- Important – The costs associated with professional seminars, conferences, certification programs or any courses earning Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are NOT covered by this benefit but may be covered under a department’s training budget.
Tuition Benefit
- Tuition assistance is limited to a maximum of $5,250 per calendar year for regular full-time employees and $2,500 per calendar year for regular part-time employees.
- T-Mobile offers full tuition benefits in partnership with several universities – tuition is covered at 100%. Note - participating employees should carefully assess their choices to determine which school best serves their needs and career goals. T-Mobile does not endorse any of the institutions in this program.
- If you’re receiving grants, stipends, tuition discounts and scholarships (e.g., Federal Pell grants, educational partner grants, scholarships, alumni discounts, military discounts/benefits), these are not eligible for duplicate tuition assistance toward educational expenses.
- All financial aid will apply first to any tuition/fees that are not eligible for T-Mobile tuition assistance.
- T-Mobile will provide tuition assistance equal to the eligible expenses listed on the school invoice after tuition expenses have been reduced by any grants, stipends, tuition discounts and scholarships included on the invoice.
- Financial aid received in the form of student loans will not be deducted from any expenses submitted for tuition assistance.
- All grants and stipends applied toward eligible covered expenses, tuition discounts, and scholarships should be included on the school invoice submitted for the class(es) in your tuition assistance application.
Repayment
- If you do not meet the minimum grade requirement (C- or Pass) for any course and/or separate employment prior to the end of the course, T-Mobile reserves the right to demand repayment of any tuition expenses paid on your behalf.
- You will not be able to initiate any new applications for up to one year following the last day of the failed course. You will, however, have the option to repay the outstanding tuition expenses to T-Mobile, at which point you may continue to use the tuition benefit.
- All participants of the tuition assistance benefit are expected to remain with T-Mobile for 12 months after their last tuition assistance payment has been made. Any employee that voluntarily terminates before that may be required to repay all tuition assistance payments made within the last 12 months of their termination date.
- Your taxes could be impacted if you terminate within 12 months, and you should consult with a tax advisor to determine the taxability of any tuition assistance received. The Company makes no representations, express or implied, concerning the taxability of such assistance.
Repayment for English Language Learning (ELL)
- For ELL programs, employees must submit a certificate of completion for all levels completed over the subscription period. If you fail to submit a completed certificate, you may be expected to repay the cost of subscription for the previous enrollment period.
- By failing an ELL program, you will not be able to initiate any new applications for one year following the last day of the subscription period. You will, however, have the option to repay the outstanding tuition expenses to T-Mobile, at which point you may continue to utilize the subscription benefit.
- All participants of the ELL benefit are expected to remain with T-Mobile for 12 months after their last subscription payment has been made. Any employee that voluntarily terminates before that may be required to repay all subscription payments made within the last 12 months, prior to their termination date.
- Your taxes could be impacted if you terminate within 12 months, and you should consult with a tax advisor to determine the taxability of any tuition assistance received. The Company makes no representations, express or implied, concerning the taxability of such assistance.
Tax Treatment
T-Mobile complies with Section 127 of the IRS Tax Code. Because your annual benefit is based on the date your course ends, you may receive a total benefit over $5,250 in a calendar year. If that happens, the amount paid over $5,250 will be taxable.
What expenses are covered
- Tuition and ELL Program Subscription Fees
- Books unless listed as not covered
- Academic Fees unless listed as not covered
What expenses are not covered
- Equipment/Materials/Supplies and Software
- Insurance
- Fees: Health Insurance, Late, Parking, Returned Check, Transport/Transportation, Add/Withdrawal/Drop, Software Equipment Usage, Student-to-Student Grant
- School-Provided Bus Pass
- Transportation/Parking
- School Supplies
- Travel/Food/Lodging/Study Abroad
Application & Tuition Payment
- First, you might find it helpful to reach out to EdAssist’s Education Coaches before you submit your first application for a new program. To schedule a free educational coaching appointment, call 877-276-7115 or utilize the self-scheduler option available under “Education Coaching” tab in the EdAssist Platform.
- Complete the tuition assistance application in the EdAssist portal before you start your coursework. Applications are accepted 90 days prior, and applications received 45 days after the course starts will not be approved. Please note that applications must be submitted prior to subscription start for ELL programs, and not after enrollment.
- Once you submit the online application a notification will go to your manager for approval. Note, for ELL programs, you must submit an application for each subscription period.
- After your manager approves your application, you will receive an electronic confirmation and Letter of Credit (LOC) to sign and present to your approved school. It’s your responsibility to pay for any fees not covered by T-Mobile.
- Your school will invoice T-Mobile directly through EdAssist, and payments will be made on your behalf. T-Mobile will only make payments for covered approved expenses.
- Within 90 days following the course end date, you must upload an official grade report within the EdAssist portal. If you don’t submit your grades within the 90-day window, you will get a notice about repayment for your courses!
- You must receive a grade of C- or higher or Pass for Pass/Fail courses. For ELL programs, you must receive one certificate of completion to remain eligible for program renewal after the subscription period has ended.
- All tuition assistance payments made by T-Mobile will count toward the benefit year in which the course was completed.
Get Help
Additional information about T-Mobile’s Tuition Assistance Benefit can be found at www.t-mobilebenefits.com. Have Questions? Contact EdAssist at 877-276-7115.
What expenses and fees are covered by Tuition Assistance?
Expenses covered by the benefit include tuition, books, and academic fees.
Fees that are not eligible for payment are:
- Equipment/Materials/ Supplies and Software
- Health Insurance/Fee
- Insurance
- Late Fee(s)
- Parking and Parking Fees
- Returned Check Fee
- School-provided bus pass or other transport fees
- School Supplies
- Software Equipment Usage Fee
- Student-to-Student Grant Fee
- Transportation and Transportation Fees
- Travel/Food/lodging/Study Abroad
- Withdrawal/add/drop Fee
How do I apply for tuition assistance?
It’s simple. Follow these steps:
- First, start by checking out all the great information available to you at www.t-mobilebenefits.com regarding the Tuition Assistance benefit.
- Once you have worked directly through the registration process at the school you’ve chosen, log onto the EdAssist portal to initiate your application.
- First-time Users – go to https://clients.brighthorizons.com/t-mobile, select “Join Today” and follow the prompts to register. Employee ID (P#) can be obtained in Workday next to your name (must be logged into T-Mobile Network). Upon completing registration navigate to https://t-mobile.edassist.com and log in with your username and password.
- Already registered with myBright Horizons for Back-Up Care or College Coach? Use your existing credentials to log in to the EdAssist portal.
- Create a new application in the portal before your course starts, but no later than 45 days following the first day of class
- After your application is approved, provide your Letter of Credit (LOC) to your school.
- Your school will invoice EdAssist, and they will pay eligible expenses.
- Upload your final grades within 90 days following your course end date.
How am I paid for tuition assistance?
Once your application is submitted, approved by your leader and you provide the signed LOC to your school’s billing office, T-Mobile will pay your school directly for eligible tuition expenses. Yep, that’s right – you don’t have to come up with the cash to pay upfront! Once you successfully complete the course, T-Mobile will reimburse you for any book expenses up to the maximum annual benefit. Don’t forget to submit book expenses for reimbursement by the 90th day after the course end date.
Wait – T-Mobile is paying for my courses upfront? Is there a catch?
T-Mobile is paying upfront for your courses with the agreement that you’ll successfully complete them, you will be employed by T-Mobile through the end of your courses, and you will provide your grades to document your completion. If you withdraw from the course outside of the school’s add/drop period or the grades submitted do not meet the minimum grade requirement (C- or Pass) for any course, you will not be able to initiate any new applications for up to one year following the last day of the failed course. You will, however, have the option to repay the outstanding tuition expenses to T-Mobile, at which point, you may continue to use the benefit You will receive an email notification from donotreply@edassist.com with information about suspension and how to initiate repayment.
What is a letter of credit (LOC)?
An LOC acts as money for registration and enrollment in courses and programs. Participating schools will allow you to register with an LOC instead of payment. LOCs will be issued by EdAssist and emailed to you once your application is approved by your manager. Print, sign and give the letter of credit to the accounting department at your school to start the payment process. Please note: Your LOC may not cover all costs for your courses.
What if my school does not accept the EdAssist letter of credit (LOC)?
If your school will not accept an LOC in lieu of payment, you may upload the school’s itemized invoice directly to EdAssist. Go to the Application on your Action Needed List and click “Upload Documents” button and select Corrections as your Document Type. Upon receipt of the proper documentation, EdAssist will issue payment to the school for eligible tuition and fees.
Where can I get more information about T-Mobile’s tuition assistance benefit?
Start by reviewing the Tuition Assistance Overview available at www.t-mobilebenefits.com. You can also log onto the EdAssist portal for even more information about the benefit, to schedule a free coaching appointment, and to initiate an application. EdAssist is also available by telephone between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday at 877-276-7115.
Is tuition assistance taxable?
Good news! T-Mobile provides tax-free tuition assistance up to $5,250 per calendar year, based on the date that your courses end. Because we comply with Section 127 of the IRS Tax Code, any amount paid over $5,250 in a calendar year will be taxable and reported as Earnings on your Pay slip, at the end of the year.
Are there any tuition discounts available to T-Mobile employees or family members?
You bet there are! T-Mobile, in partnership with EdAssist, has negotiated lots of tuition discounts for employees and even their family members. For a full list and to learn more details about what the EdAssist Education Network offers log onto the EdAssist portal. Want more? We’ve got it. EdAssist also offers free education coaching for employees!
Are Certifications covered under the tuition assistance benefit?
The short answer is no – not through the tuition assistance benefit. Since the tuition assistance benefit is a non-taxable benefit per the IRS, any costs associated with professional seminars, conferences, certifications or any courses earning Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are not covered by this benefit. Some certifications may be covered under a department’s training budget. Talk to your leader about that possibility. Please note that individual credit-bearing courses or credit-bearing courses required as part of a certificate program are covered under the tuition benefit (this does not include CEUs).
What schools are eligible? Can I attend school online?
You can attend schools online or in-person. Whatever works best for you! The most important thing to consider is that the school must be regionally accredited.
Helpful Tip: The EdAssist Education Network provider database includes accreditation information, however, you can also confirm the accreditation of selected educational institutions through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) at its website: https://www.chea.org or from the US Department of Education, on its website: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation.
Am I eligible for tuition assistance if I go on leave of absence?
You must be in active employment status (actively working) at the time your application is sent to your manager for review. If you go on leave of absence after your application is approved, you must upload the required documentation (grades) no later than 90 days after the course end date. Employees on leave of absence will not be able to submit new applications until they are back in active status. Upon return to active status, new applications will be accepted for courses that have not yet begun or are within 45 days following the first day of classes.
What happens if I don’t complete the course successfully?
T-Mobile has paid for your class upfront with the agreement that you’ll successfully complete it and provide your grades to document your completion. If you withdraw from the course outside of the school’s add/drop period or fail to meet the minimum grade requirement (C- or Pass) for any course, you will be suspended from the program and not be able to initiate any new applications for up to one year following the last day of the withdrawn/failed course. However, you have the option to repay the outstanding tuition expenses to T-Mobile, at which point you may continue to use the tuition benefit. You will receive an email notification from donotreply@edassist.com with information about suspension and how to initiate repayment to T-Mobile. Submitting payment to your school will not lift suspension.
Can you tell me more about being suspended from the Tuition Assistance program?
If the grades you submitted to EdAssist do not meet the course completion requirements (C- or Better/Pass) for any course, or you fail to complete the course because you dropped or withdrew from it outside of the school’s add/drop period (for any reason), you may not initiate an application for Tuition Assistance for 12 months following the end date of the non-compliant courses.
Is there anything I can do to gain access to the program during suspension?
T-Mobile does not require you to pay us back for the tuition costs of non-compliant courses. If you dropped or withdrew from a course, check with your school to see if you met their drop deadline, which may mean a full or partial refund to EdAssist. For all non-compliant course expenses, you have the option to request payroll deductions to pay T-Mobile back for what was paid to your school. Once the full amount has been deducted, , EdAssist will be notified to lift the suspension, allowing you to use the tuition benefit again. New applications will be accepted for courses that have not yet begun or are within 45 days following the first day of classes.
What happens if I leave T-Mobile before the end of my course?
T-Mobile has paid for your class upfront with the agreement that you’ll successfully complete it, you will be employed by T-Mobile through the end of your course, and you will provide your grades to document your completion. If you leave T-Mobile before the end of the course after the benefit has been paid, you may be asked to repay T-Mobile.
How can I contact EdAssist?
You can contact EdAssist either through their website, or by phone at 877-276-7115.
Website - You can submit and check the status of your applications, upload and submit documentation, and view payment information 24 hours a day, seven days a week via the EdAssist portal at https://t-mobile.edassist.com.
If you need help, start a live chat (if during operating hours*), or create a support ticket.
If you have a question or comment about a particular application, please use the application comments function to add notes directly on the application in question.
Phone - You can contact an EdAssist Customer Service Representative *5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, at 877-276-7115.
How soon will my Tuition Assistance request be processed?
EdAssist processes invoices upon receipt and pays schools directly. You will be sent an email notification that your application has been processed for payment. If the invoice is received by EdAssist after your course ends, you will need to upload your grades for payment to be made. This will be noted in your application.
How may I be reimbursed for book expenses after my course ends?
Once the course end date has passed, go to your tuition application on the EdAssist portal and select the “Actions” button. In the menu for Actions, select “Add Book/Expense App”, complete the application and upload your book receipt. Final grades must also be submitted prior to book expense reimbursement. Book reimbursements will be paid by EdAssist by check or electronic payment, depending on the preference you’ve selected on your application. Please allow 2-4 weeks for payment to be received.
How can I appeal my application if denied?
If your application is denied by EdAssist and you would like to appeal the denial, please submit a support ticket through the Support page on the EdAssist portal. Please include your application number and the reason you are appealing the denial within the support ticket.
Full Tuition Benefit
What is T-Mobile’s Full Tuition Benefit?
In partnership with EdAssist and select universities, T-Mobile fully funds the cost of tuition for eligible employees.
So how does this work?
Select universities have agreed to cap their tuition at $5,250 per year, allowing full-time T-Mobile employees to take a maximum number of classes each year without having to pay out of pocket or take out loans. The maximum number of classes varies by school and by degree program. T-Mobile will pay the school directly on your behalf, up to your eligible cap amount.
How is full tuition different from Tuition Assistance?
The T-Mobile Tuition Assistance allows full-time and part-time students to use their tuition benefits at their choice of any number of regionally accredited schools around the country. These schools do not have a special tuition agreement in place with T-Mobile. The Full Tuition benefit at select universities means the schools have an agreement in place that caps tuition at $5,250 per year, allowing full-time T-Mobile employees to take a maximum number of classes each year without having to pay out of pocket or take out additional loans. The maximum number of classes varies by school and by degree program. And, because T-Mobile pays the schools upfront, employees will not need to front any tuition costs at any of these schools.
What exactly does T-Mobile pay for with this benefit?
While the program benefits vary slightly from school to school, T-Mobile will cover employee’s tuition, books (where not specifically excluded) and eligible fees. At some schools, T-Mobile will also pay for electronic course materials and some fees and book costs may be waived by the school.
Who’s eligible?
All active full-time and part-time employees in good standing are eligible for full tuition payment or tuition assistance following 90 days of employment. The specific benefits can vary by schools as each program was negotiated by EdAssist separately.
Is there a difference between FT and PT employee benefits?
The annual benefit amount varies for FT and PT employees, but all employees are eligible after 90 days of employment. While part-time employees’ benefit is capped at $2,500 per calendar year, some of the Full Tuition university partners also allow part-time employees to take part in their program. To participate, part-time employees may need to cover program costs beyond the cap amount. Review the Full Tuition Program Summary and school landing pages for more details.
Do all the schools offer the same benefit?
No. The Full Tuition benefit with certain select universities means they have agreed to cap their tuition at $5,250 per year, allowing full-time T-Mobile employees to take a maximum number of classes each year without having to pay out of pocket or take out loans. However, the maximum number of classes varies by school and by degree program, and book and fee waivers also vary by school. For more details, log into the EdAssist portal and review the Full Tuition Program Summary.
What steps are needed to apply for the full tuition benefit?
Employees should first log into the EdAssist portal and review the Tuition Assistance Overview and Full Tuition Program Summary. Schedule a session to collaborate with a Coach to create a customized education plan that offers a direct, convenient, and cost-efficient route to earning a degree and meeting your educational goals. Once you find the right school, program, degree or course that will meet your objectives, reach out to the school directly to enroll. Refer to the Tuition Discounts and Application Instructions for more details.
Full Tuition Benefit
How do I know if I have applications pending my approval?
You will receive an email from EdAssist (Donotreply@edassist.com) letting you know of pending applications. To review, you will need to log into the EdAssist portal.
- Under Action Needed select the application you wish to review.
- Confirm the employee is actively working, in Good Standing (no NGS documented in Workday), and performing at a satisfactory level in their current position. Tip! Managers do not need to confirm eligible degree program as this was previously determined by EdAssist at the time of application creation.
- Select either Approve Application or Deny Application. Tip! Should any employee be placed in Not in Good Standing status at any point this will only impact future applications. Once the employee is back in Good Standing, they can submit new applications to participate in the Tuition benefit.
What if I have trouble approving a pending application in the portal?
For any help, please contact an EdAssist Customer Service Representative from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, at 877-276-7115.
Will the cost of courses my employees take come out of our Department Budget?
No, courses paid through the Tuition Assistance benefit, up to $5,250, will be billed to the Benefits Team budget.
Can my employee’s Certifications be covered under the Tuition Assistance benefit?
No, however, certifications may be covered under your department training budget if funds are available. Please note that individual credit-bearing courses or credit-bearing courses required as part of a certificate program are covered under the tuition benefit (does not include Continuing Education Unites (CEUs)).