PA Educator Tuition Incentive
The Pennsylvania Educator Tuition Incentive provides a 10% tuition discount to individuals who hold a current Pennsylvania Department of Education certification, as well as to individuals who work in a PreK-12 school setting in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This discount may be applied on up to 18 credits per year, summer through spring. Tuition discounts can be applied to single courses, certificates or a degree. Please note the expansion of this program to include individuals working in a PreK-12 setting without PDE certification is effective with the Winter 2024 term. We are not able to apply discounts for previous semesters.
Some school districts/organizations have limits on the number of credits that are eligible for reimbursement; this is between the employee and the district/organization. Lehigh COE is offering a 10% discount on up to 18 credits per academic year. It is the student's responsibility to manage their coursework within the parameters of their district/organization's contract with its employees. The tuition incentive will be calculated into each individual’s tuition bill, which will be billed directly to the student. It is the student's responsibility to pay the bill, set up a payment plan or request payment deferral from the Bursar's office. Direct billing to employers is not offered.
PA Educator Tuition Incentive Procedures
In order to obtain approval as an eligible Pennsylvania educator through Lehigh’s College of Education (as well as receive a fee waiver code for your application if you have not already applied), you must fill out the form that applies to you:
- I hold a PDE certification
- I do not hold a PDE certification, I will request employment verification from my district/school
Once you have submitted a completed form, the Office of Admissions will review your response to confirm that you are eligible to take courses in a COE program under the Pennsylvania Educator Tuition Incentive program. If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact coe-admissions@lehigh.edu.
Once it is confirmed that you are eligible, the Office of Admissions will send a fee waiver code to you via email. Application fees are non-refundable. If you have already applied, we cannot refund your application fee.
Pennsylvania Educator Incentive FAQs
The Pennsylvania Educator Tuition Incentive provides a 10% tuition discount to individuals who hold a current Pennsylvania Department of Education certification, as well as to individuals who work in a PreK-12 school setting in the State of Pennsylvania. This discount may be applied on up to 18 credits per year, summer through spring. Tuition discounts can be applied to single courses, certificates, or a degree. Please note the expansion of this program to include individuals working in a PreK-12 setting without PDE certification is effective with the winter 2024 term. We are not able to apply discounts for previous semesters.
The application fee is $50 and will be waived for individuals who are eligible to participate in the Pennsylvania Educator Incentive program. In order to receive an application fee waiver code, you must complete this online form if you hold a PDE certification, or this form if you do not hold a PDE certification and employment verification is required. Once you submit your information, the College of Education (COE) Office of Admissions will review the form to determine your eligibility. An application fee waiver code will be emailed to you if you are eligible. Please do not apply prior to receiving the application fee waiver code as application fees are non-refundable.
While we anticipate most eligible participants (see question #1 above) will be offered admission to the College of Education, admission will depend on the entire application submitted to the College. Some degree programs, particularly doctoral programs, have a limited number of slots for new students each year. To be considered for admission to a degree program, you need to have at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA, or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 or more credits at the graduate level from another accredited institution. To be admitted as a professional development only (non-degree) student, you need at least a 2.75 cumulative undergraduate GPA or a 3.0 cumulative GPA for 12 or more credits at the graduate level from another accredited institution. Some programs have additional requirements and interested applicants should be sure to carefully review the requirements for the program in which they are interested.
You may transfer up to 6 applicable graduate credits to a Master’s degree program, subject to review by the program faculty and the Registrar. Doctoral programs do not accept transfer credits, although those programs may decide to waive a required course if you have taken an equivalent course elsewhere, thus permitting you to take an elective instead.
Please visit this page for more information regarding tuition costs.
This agreement provides a 10% discount on up to 18 credits per year, summer through spring, to eligible participants (see question #1 above). Some school districts/organizations have limits on the number of credits their employees may be reimbursed for; it is the student's responsibility to manage their coursework within the parameters of their district/organization's contract with its employees.
Please visit the Bursar’s website for information regarding potential refunds. If you drop a course after the deadline, you become personally responsible for paying the portion of the course you completed. You will, therefore, receive a prorated tuition bill in accordance with Lehigh University’s then applicable policies, rules and regulations. You are responsible for paying this bill. The Bursar’s office will place holds on accounts with outstanding balances; these holds will prevent a student from obtaining grades, registering for subsequent semesters, requesting transcripts, etc.
This agreement only applies to tuition. It does not cover additional fees.
Eligible participants (see question #1 above) who are already accepted into programs of study in the COE are covered by this incentive program going forward. Thus, you will be awarded the Pennsylvania Educator Incentive for all future coursework in the COE. You will not, however, be eligible for refunds on tuition paid for coursework completed before completing the steps to enroll this program.
No. This incentive program only covers courses taken in the COE. Courses taken in other departments and colleges at Lehigh University are subject to their current tuition rates, and students are responsible for handling all relevant financial aspects of taking such coursework.
No, you may apply as a professional development only (non-degree) student and may take up to 12 credits as such
If you are seeking certification only, you are allowed to take more than the standard professional development only (non-degree) limit of 12 credits. You are, instead, classified as a professional development/non-degree student pursuing external certification and can take as many credits as required by the external accrediting agency.
Courses are typically offered Monday-Thursday from 4:25-7:05 PM and 7:15-9:55 PM. However, we have some one-week and two-week course formats, particularly during the summer and in the winter session (between the end of the fall semester and the start of the spring semester).
You may take up to 12 credits across our five academic programs as a professional development only (non-degree) student. However, if you want a certification or an advanced degree, you must follow the program of study.
Yes. A few courses are limited to students already admitted to a degree program and you may not be able to take such courses unless you apply to that degree program and are admitted. In addition, some courses have prerequisites and you may not be able to take those courses until you complete the prerequisites. Lastly, some courses are not open to professional development only (non-degree) students. In unusual circumstances, however, Program Directors may grant professional development only (non-degree) students’ permission to take such courses.
A number of courses are offered every semester, some are offered once a year, and most courses are offered within a two-year cycle. Course offerings may vary by semester, including summer terms and winter sessions (between the end of the fall semester and the beginning of spring semester).
Please contact coe-admissions@lehigh.edu.