Walmart Live Better U Tuition Assistance Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about how your tuition gets paid
Most common questions
What are the steps I need to take to ensure my employer is going to pay for my tuition?
You can see the qualifications you need to meet in order to receive funding on your Eligibility Details page here.
Eligibility
What does it mean to be eligible for tuition assistance?
This means that you have met all the employee qualifications laid out in your employer’s tuition assistance policy and can access the education benefit provided by your employer.
When is my eligibility for a term confirmed?
Your eligibility for a term is considered final as of the date that your course(s) start. If you are eligible on the first day of the course, your course is eligible for payment.
What if I don’t agree with my eligibility status?
If you believe that your eligibility information is incorrect, please contact a Guild coach here. A coach will reach out to you and help answer any questions you have about your eligibility.
What are the qualifications I must meet to receive funding?
You can read the qualifications you must take in order to receive funding on the Employer Policy page in Tuition Toolkit here.
Can I lose eligibility between classes and sessions within a term?
Yes. It is possible to lose eligibility between session A and session B in a term. The most likely reason you would lose eligibility between session A and session B is if you end your employment. Your eligibility will be checked at the beginning of each course and you can stay up to date with your employee qualifications by checking Tuition Toolkit.
What happens if I have a balance on my account related to when I took courses when I was ineligible?
You are responsible for any balance on your student account related to courses you completed while you were ineligible.
How does the education provider know that I am eligible for tuition assistance?
Guild communicates your eligibility status based on employment information from your employer and sends your tuition assistance voucher to your education provider.
Tuition payments
I see on my school’s website that there is a form required to defer tuition, do I need to complete that form?
No. Guild submits your tuition assistance voucher to your school on your behalf. Your tuition assistance voucher replaces the form required to defer tuition.
When will my employer make payment on my student account?
You can read more about the timing of payment on the Payment Timeline page of Tuition Toolkit here.
Can I re-enroll in courses for the next term if there is a balance on my account?
Yes. Your school knows that your company will be facilitating a tuition payment on your behalf through Guild and will allow you to register for future courses before that balance has been paid.
Are there any actions I need to take to make sure my tuition is paid?
You can read the steps you must take in order to receive funding on the Employer Policy page in Tuition Toolkit here.
How will I know if my balance is paid?
A payment credit will be applied to your student account once Guild facilitates payment from your employer to your school. Guild works with your school to agree on a date for payment on the account, but this will vary by school.
Why is there a tuition balance on my account?
As long as you have generated your tuition assistance voucher there is nothing for you to worry about! A tuition balance on your student account is normal. Guild works closely with your school to defer your tuition amount until the bill is considered final. Guild then works with your employer to ensure your account is paid in accordance to our agreements with our partner schools. In the event you have a balance for other non-tuition related costs you can view what is covered and what is not covered on the Education Expenses page of Tuition Toolkit here. (e.g., books and fees are covered, but school swag is not, these will be your responsibility.)
Will I lose eligibility if I fail a course?
If you meet employee qualifications at the start of your course, you will be eligible for the courses that you are enrolled in. Your employer enforces a cumulative GPA minimum of 2.0 at the start of courses -- this is consistent with university requirements for graduation and is enforced after 18 credits. Therefore, if you fail a course, this may impact your ability to access your tuition assistance in a future term as it will be included in your cumulative GPA. If you are worried about your current course load, please contact your Guild coach to discuss the best approach.
Financial aid
Why do I need to apply for financial aid if my employer is covering the cost?
Applying for financial aid is a prerequisite to access your employer’s education benefits. Your company will cover the cost of the program after other grant sources are applied.
Does my FAFSA and financial aid need to be approved before I can start classes?
No. It is necessary to submit your FAFSA before you can start classes, but it is not required for it to be approved before you can start classes.
Do I still have a financial aid advisor at my university?
Yes. The financial aid office at your university works with Guild to understand your specific education benefits.
Should I take out loans?
We do not recommend that students take out loans when enrolled in programs where your employer is paying for the cost of your tuition and fees. Guild works with your academic institution and your employer to ensure that your tuition is deferred until the end of the term and your account is paid in a timely manner.
What happens if I take out loans and I choose to drop a course? Will my employer cover any outstanding balance?
If you choose to take out loans, you may be required to return a part of those funds if you drop a course. Your employer will cover all items outstanding on your student account that are related to tuition and fees, but you will be responsible for any outstanding balance related to loans.
What happens if I have grant aid and I choose to drop a course?
If you choose to drop a course and have received grant aid, your university will be required to return federal funds. If you meet the qualifications to receive payment for that course your employer has committed to cover any incremental cost for the current term related to grant aid returns to the federal government.
How does my financial aid impact my employer funding?
The amount of financial aid you receive does not impact your employer funding. You are required to complete the FAFSA and the financial aid awarding process for each calendar year you attend school under your employer’s policy. Employer funding is not contingent upon the receipt of financial grant aid. The employer will fund anything after receipt of grant aid.
Programs & courses
What programs are eligible in my employer’s tuition assistance program?
You can view the eligible programs on the Guild catalog here.
What happens if I want to withdraw from a course after the add/drop period?
If you want to withdraw from a course after the add/drop period, you will need to discuss this process with your school. From a payment perspective, if you were eligible for tuition assistance on the first day of course, your employer will cover the outstanding balance for the current term on your student account that is unrelated to loans. If you decided to take out loans, it will be important to have a conversation with your school’s financial aid office to determine what impact withdrawing from a course will have on your student loan balance.
Brandman University
What constitutes a term for Brandman SAY program? How often do I need to generate a tuition assistance voucher if I am enrolled in this program?
For Brandman SAY programs a term is equal to one session. Brandman has a session A and session B for each trimester. You are required to generate a voucher before session A and session B.
What happens if I’m enrolled in the Brandman MyPath program? How often do I need to generate a tuition assistance voucher if I am enrolled in this program?
You will need to generate a voucher prior to the start of your program and before you start your next billing period.
Bellevue University
I’m enrolled in a cohort program, how often do I need to generate a voucher?
You will need to generate a voucher prior to the start of each one of your cohort classes. This voucher will re-confirm your employer’s commitment to pay for the next course in your cohort program.
Reimbursement
How does the reimbursement process work?
You can view information about the timing and process for reimbursement on the How It Works benefits page here.
What items are covered under reimbursement by my employer?
You can view more information about what is covered and not covered under reimbursement on the What's Included section of the Find Your Plan page here.
How do I submit for reimbursement?
After your courses begin, you may submit for reimbursement on qualified education expenses through the Expenses Reimbursement page of Tuition Toolkit. Once your request is approved, Guild will send the information to your employer so they can process your reimbursement through payroll in 1-3 pay cycles. You can submit for reimbursement here.
When can I submit for reimbursement?
You may submit for reimbursement once your courses begin.
Table of contents
What happens if I choose to leave my company?
Once you pass the start date of your course, you will remain eligible for the remainder of that course. You will not be eligible to re-enroll in future courses through tuition assitance.
Can I continue my educational program if I choose to leave my company?
Yes. If you choose to leave your employer, you will be responsible for payment for unstarted courses and need to set up a conversation with the financial aid office at your education provider to discuss alternative funding options.
What happens if I am on a leave of absence? Maternity leave?
Students on leave of absence or leave without pay are eligible to participate in Live Better U. If you are a student who is on leave of absence and was previously ineligible, please contact a Guild coach to discuss next steps.
Do I need to send my tuition assistance voucher anywhere?
No! Your tuition assistance voucher is for your own personal records. Guild submits your voucher to your education provider.
What if I don’t agree with my eligibility status?
If you believe that your eligibility information is incorrect, please contact a Guild coach here. A coach will reach out to you and help answer any questions you have about your eligibility.
When will my employer make payment on my student account?
You can read more about the payment timeline on the How It Works page here.
Why is there a tuition balance on my account?
As long as you have generated your tuition assistance voucher there is nothing for you to worry about! A tuition balance on your student account is normal. Guild works closely with your school to defer your tuition amount until the bill is considered final. Guild then works with your employer to ensure your account is paid in accordance to our agreements with our partner schools. In the event you have a balance for other non-tuition related costs (e.g., school swag at the bookstore), these will be your responsibility. You can view what is covered and what is not covered in the What's Included section of the Find Your Plan page here.
How do I log into Tuition Toolkit?
You can access Tuition Toolkit once you have logged in to your account on guildeducation.com.
Yes. Your Guild student account and Tuition Toolkit can be accessed from your mobile device.
Can I access Tuition Toolkit on my cell phone?
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