How to Get Your Boss to Cough up Your Tuition | Refresh Financial

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Higher Education: How to Get Your Boss to Cough up Your Tuition

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Higher education is both horribly expensive and a good way to a bigger paycheck. Sometimes it can feel almost like a catch-22. Some Canadians are lucky enough to have family that can afford to send them to post-secondary school. The rest of us either scrape by accumulating debt while we complete our studies or just don’t bother to expand our educational resume at all.

What if there was another way, though? What if there was a way to add to your education without busting the bank or drowning in debt?

What if there was a way to get your boss to pay for your post-secondary education?

Yes. I said your boss.

Tuition Reimbursements

As part of their employee benefits package, many Canadian companies offer tuition reimbursements for courses that relate to the employee’s position, and courses that don’t relate to it. All most full-time employed Canadians have to do is ask.

There are a few things you should keep in mind when you ask, however. First, review your benefit package. You may already be entitled to tuition reimbursement and it may just be a matter of filing some paperwork to take advantage of it. If you don’t see anything in your benefits package about tuition, or you don’t have a benefits package, you’re going to have to present a pretty strong case to your boss for why they should consider having the company pay your tuition.

Be Prepared, Have a Plan

As with any business expense, the boss is going to want to know how the courses you plan on taking will benefit the company and your position. Be prepared before you attempt to ask. List the ways in which your ability at your position will be strengthened with the completion of the courses you had in mind. Be ready to tell your boss how this course might enable you to take on more responsibility, saving the company money in the long run. Point out other staff members, if possible, who may have already benefited from the courses you plan to take. Practice running through your case point by point, so that when you finally do sit down with your boss, there’s little doubt that sponsoring your higher learning will be one of the best decisions they've ever made.

Investing in You, Invests in the Company

When a company pays its employee’s tuition, they are ultimately investing in skills. A skilled workforce is going to be more efficient and ultimately save the company a ton of money and employee turnover. It makes sense that companies invest in bettering the skills of its staff. All you have to do is remind them of that, and there’s a pretty good chance they’ll spring for your education.
Does your employer offer tuition reimbursement? Let us know in the comments!

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