Tuition & Service Fee Waiver

The UIC Council on Teacher Education values the critical role that school partners play in preparing future educators. Cooperating teachers provide essential mentorship, supervision, and professional guidance to teacher candidates during their clinical practice experiences.

To recognize this partnership, the Council on Teacher Education provides a Tuition and Service Fee Waiver benefit to cooperating teachers who host UIC student teachers. The following policy outlines the eligibility, limitations, and usage requirements for this benefit.

 

Cooperating Teacher Tuition Waiver Policy

Teachers who serve as cooperating teachers during the student teaching semester for a UIC teacher candidate are eligible to receive a UIC Tuition and Service Fee Waiver. To qualify, the cooperating teacher must:

  • Serve as cooperating teacher during the student teaching semester
  • Successfully mentor and supervise the UIC teacher candidate for the full placement period
  • Be employed by a partner school district or school approved by the UIC Council on Teacher Education
  • Be confirmed by UIC Council on Teacher Education as the cooperating teacher prior to the start of the semester

The tuition waiver is awarded only for mentoring during the student teaching semester. Clinical experiences such as the following do not qualify for tuition waivers: early field experiences, observation placements, practicum placements.

Eligible cooperating teachers may receive:

  • One Tuition and Service Fee Waiver
  • Coverage up to Range III tuition (maximum of 5 credit hours) at UIC

This waiver may be used toward eligible graduate or undergraduate coursework at UIC, subject to admission and course enrollment requirements. If a recipient enrolls in coursework exceeding the Range III limit, the recipient will be responsible for all additional tuition and fees beyond the waiver amount.

Tuition waivers must be used within one calendar year following the semester of service.

  • Tuition Waiver application must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the semester you plan to attend. Late applications are not accepted.
  • Waivers not used within the one-year period will expire and cannot be reissued or extended.
  • Waivers will not be retroactively applied for existing or prior coursework.
  • Waivers are non-transferable and may only be used by the cooperating teacher who earned the benefit.

Existing Waivers: All tuition waivers earned during or prior to Spring 2026 will be honored according to the terms under which they were awarded.

Additional Tuition Waiver Information and Resources

  • You must be admitted to UIC and have a University ID Number (UIN) before submitting a tuition waiver request. Receipt of a Tuition and Service Fee Waiver from CTE does not imply admission to the University of Illinois Chicago. Admission is a separate process. Please contact the Office of Admissionsto learn more.
  • The Tuition and Service Fee Waiver only covers UIC service fee and in-state tuition. The individual using the waiver must pay fees not covered by the waiver. For information on fees charged to UIC students, visit the Office of the Registrar.
  • Access your UIC student account at uic.edu and learn about how to register for courses online.
  • Contact UIC Online for more information about online courses and which ones can covered by a tuition waiver. Full-cost recovery programs do not accept tuition waivers.
  • Find out more information about summer courses.

Tuition and Fee Waiver Form