Tuition Reduction Benefit (TRB)

The Tuition Reduction Benefit (TRB) refers to resident (in-state) tuition coverage that is provided to students as a benefit of their employment as teaching assistants (TAs), assistant instructors (AIs) and graduate research assistants (GRAs).*

*The benefit is not always available to GRAs. Check with your hiring unit for more information.

Graduate Students TRB Rates for Fall and Spring Semesters

Graduate students employed as TAs, AIs, or GRAs* are eligible for the TRB, the amount of which is determined by the number of hours employed per week during the fall or spring as specified below:

For half-time appointments (20 hours/week) or more, the TRB provides 9 credit hours of resident (in-state) tuition.

For appointments between 10 and 19 hours/week, the TRB provides ½ of the 9- hour resident tuition amount.

For appointments between 1 - 9 hours/week, no TRB is provided.

Students enrolled in the MPA, MBA, Executive MBA, Evening MBA and International MBA programs have fixed TRB amounts set by the Graduate School as follows: 20+ hours: $3,784 and 10-19 hours: $1,892 per semester. Please contact your program’s graduate adviser/coordinator for further information.

Graduate Students TRB Rates for the Summer Semester

Graduate students employed as TAs, AIs, or GRAs* during the summer are eligible for tuition benefits as specified below:

For half-time appointments (20 hours/week) or more, the TRB provides 3 credit hours of resident tuition.

This occurs regardless of the session length or number of sessions.

For appointments between 1 and 19 hours/week, no TRB is provided.

Students enrolled in the MPA, MBA, Executive MBA, Evening MBA and International MBA programs have fixed TRB amounts set by the Graduate School. Please contact your program’s graduate adviser/coordinator for further information.

Dual Degree Students

Students enrolled in a Dual Degree program have fixed TRB rates. Please refer to your graduate adviser/coordinator for further information.

Students enrolled into any of the Dual Degree programs are accepted by both schools independently. If a student is enrolled in a Dual Degree program that includes a Professional Degree and a Graduate Degree, then the student is eligible to seek student employment within Academic Graduate Student or Professional Student job profiles.

Application of the TRB

The TRB does not pay out directly to the student, but instead is applied to the student’s tuition bills. If a student has paid their tuition bill prior to the application of the TRB to their tuition bill, a refund will be issued in the amount of the TRB. Refunds are processed approximately 1 to 2 weeks after the 12th class day (fall/spring), and 1 to 2 weeks after the 4th class day (summer).

If you have a Zero balance tuition bill after all exemptions and waivers (and before a TRB has been applied), you will not receive a TRB (i.e., when an outside entity pays a student’s tuition in full).

Tax Considerations

Tax Considerations for Graduate Students

As you prepare to submit your income taxes, make note that Tuition Reduction Benefits are tax-exempt. 100% of the benefit is applied to the tuition bill. No payments are made to students.

Professional Students

Dell Med, Pharm D, and Law are not recognized as “Graduate Degree Programs” but instead are “Professional Degree Programs” by the State and The Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

Professional Students in these programs cannot hold Academic Graduate Student jobs as they are not considered “Degree-Seeking Graduate Students” according to HOP 9-2020

A Tuition Reduction Benefit (TRB) is a tuition waiver benefit processed in FRMS as an SS3 document and restricted to the following Academic Graduate Student job profiles: 

  1. Teaching Assistant (TA)
  2. Assistant Instructor (AI)
  3. Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

The TRB is not available for any other student jobs including Professional Student job profiles.

For Professional Students under Dell Med, Pharm D, and Law, these students can still be eligible to receive a general tuition waiver processed in DEFINE using an SS2 document. It’s up to the discretion of the College/School to award and fund a general tuition waiver for a student appointed in a Professional Student job profile.