This document provides information about awards and financial benefits available through the University of Saskatchewan for dependents of ASPA (Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association) members. It outlines the ASPA Tuition Reimbursement Fund, which provides partial tuition reimbursement for dependents who complete university courses. It also discusses ASPA scholarships and bursaries available to dependents based on academic achievement or financial need. Finally, it summarizes education benefits for ASPA members such as the Accountable Professional Development Account for professional development funding, tuition waiver for one university course per term, and options for paid or unpaid educational leaves.

1. www.usask.ca
Awards for Dependents of ASPA Members
February 2015
Arvelle Van Dyck
Awards and Financial Aid

2. www.usask.ca
U of S Award Programs for
Dependents of ASPA Members
• ASPA Tuition Reimbursement Fund
• ASPA Scholarships
• ASPA Bursaries

3. www.usask.ca
ASPA Tuition Reimbursement Fund
(ASPA TRF)
• Students are required to apply
• Partial tuition reimbursement
• Based on credit units students successfully
completed
• Since it is a partial tuition reimbursement,
students apply near the end of the academic year
• Academic Year (May 1 to April 30)
• Annual Application Deadline: April 30

4. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF – ASPA Membership
• “ASPA members whose ASPA membership commences
after May 2007, may only apply for tuition
reimbursement for courses that begin after ASPA
membership commences.”
• “If an ASPA member resigns, retires, becomes deceased
or ceases to be an ASPA member, dependents may
apply for a tuition reimbursement for the academic
year that encompasses the day the ASPA member
ceases to be a member of ASPA.”

5. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF - Eligibility
• Open to students who are immediate family members
of ASPA members.
Immediate family is defined as:
• Spouse - legal or common-law spouse provided the
common-law spouse is publicly represented as the
spouse of the member and that the member and
spouse have cohabited for one year or more.
• Children - includes natural or adopted children,
stepchildren and legal wards.

6. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF - Eligibility
• In order to be eligible, candidates must have
successfully completed (received a mark of 50% or
greater for undergraduate students and a mark of 60%
or greater for graduate students) one or more
University of Saskatchewan courses that qualify for
credit towards a degree or diploma program.

7. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF - Application
• Online application, available at:
students.usask.ca/awards
• Available in March; Deadline is April 30, 2015
• Late applications are not accepted. Application form
is available until 11:59 p.m. on April 30.

8. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF - Application
• Two-part online application form:
• Student logs in and completes student section of
application form; email sent to employee
• Employee follows link in email to complete ASPA
portion
• When ASPA section is complete, both student and
ASPA member receive a confirmation email

9. www.usask.ca
Students log in
using NSID/Password

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11. www.usask.ca
Automatically populates with
student’s name and number
Student enters ASPA
member’s information

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Confirmation Screen & Email to Student

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ASPA Member receives email with
hyperlink to complete employee section

14. www.usask.ca
Employee/
ASPA Member
Section

15. www.usask.ca
ASPA Member - Confirmation Screen
Email to both student and employee

16. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF Notification
• Applications are processed after Winter term (Term 2) final
marks are reported for all colleges, deferred exam marks are
reported, and transfer credit for exchange students has been
assessed (typically in June).
• The financial resources available are divided among the credit
units successfully completed by the applicants.
• Reimbursement is calculated on a per credit unit basis.
• All applicants are notified of their application results by email
(usask email address) in July/August.
• ASPA tuition reimbursements are applied directly to the
students’ accounts. Any excess funds, after tuition and fees are
paid, are refunded by cheque and mailed to the student.

17. www.usask.ca
ASPA TRF Applicants & Disbursement
• Number of applicants vary from year to year
• Approximately 100 applicants each year
• Value of reimbursement varies from year to year
• 110 applicants in 2013-14
• In 2013-14, eligible applicants received $46 per
successfully completed credit unit (or $138 per 3
c.u. course).
*It’s a partial tuition reimbursement since a 3 credit unit, Category
1 class is $549 in 2014-15.)

18. www.usask.ca
ASPA Scholarships
• Based on academic achievement
• Offered to children of ASPA members
• Applicants must:
• have completed at least one year of study in any program leading to a
degree at the University of Saskatchewan
• have completed at least 18 credit units in the previous Regular Session
(September to April)
• Individuals may hold this award only once
• Continuing Scholarships application in PAWS
(paws.usask.ca/go/awards)
• Available in March; Deadline: June 1, 2015

19. www.usask.ca
ASPA Bursaries
• ASPA Bursary & ASPA Bursary for Students with
Disabilities
• Based on financial need
• Offered to students who are sons or daughters of
members of ASPA.
• Applicants must have:
• completed at least one year of study in any program leading to a degree
at the U of S.
• completed at least 18 c.u. in the previous regular session (Sept to April)
• at least a 65% average from the previous year of study, and be enrolled in
any program leading to a degree at the U of S.

20. www.usask.ca
ASPA Bursaries
• Complete the Continuing Bursaries Application
available in PAWS (paws.usask.ca/go/awards)
• Available in August; Deadline: October 1, 2015
• Financial Need Calculator required
• Supporting documentation required to confirm
applicant’s disability, if applicable.

21. www.usask.ca
ASPA Scholarships & Bursaries
• For both ASPA scholarships and bursaries,
students are required to include the name of the
ASPA member to whom they are related on the
application form.
• Students selected to receive the award are sent
a notification email.
• Awards are applied directly to the students’
accounts for payment of tuition and fees.

22. www.usask.ca
Scholarships and Bursaries Channel

23. www.usask.ca
Scholarships and Bursaries Channel
Note: the first time students log in they click Apply for awards (#1). After they
have started the application form, they select View or modify my award
applications (#2).
#1
#2

24. www.usask.ca
Awards and Financial Aid
105 Administration Place
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A2
awards@usask.ca
Arvelle Van Dyck
arvelle.vandyck@usask.ca
306-966-2897

25. www.usask.ca
ASPA – Education Benefits
APDA
Tuition Waiver
Educational Leaves

26. www.usask.ca
APDA
• Accountable Professional Development
Account (APDA) in our collective agreement
• In PAWS, also known as Accountable
Professional Expense Fund
• For professional development – must be
approved by a supervisor/department head
• Expenditures that benefit the university
• Title of ownership of any purchased items
remains with the U of S
• Annual allocations are made in May ($1,100)

27. www.usask.ca
• Unused balances can be carried to future
years (up to $9,000)
• Those hired between Nov 1- April 30 will
receive 50% in their first year
• If you leave the U of S, any unspent amount is
returned to the U of S
• Employees can use APDA for retraining for 6
months from termination (taxable benefit)
• Non taxable benefit for current employees

28. www.usask.ca
• If a conference/other activity has been
approved for APDA, time away from the office
should be considered work time
• Contact ASPA if you are asked to take vacations
or a leave to attend activities that are paid by
using APDA
• Reimbursement process:
http://www.usask.ca/fsd/resources/guidelines/
apef.php or http://paws.usask.ca/go/concur

29. www.usask.ca
Tuition Waiver
• Members are eligible to take 1 for credit class per
academic term offered by the U of S (up to 4 per
calendar year)
• Registration for classes is done through PAWS
• Submit the “Application for Waiver of Tuition”
form to Student Accounts and Treasury
• http://www.usask.ca/fsd/resources/forms/tuition_
waiver_form.pdf
• Tuition will be waived at the beginning of the term

30. www.usask.ca
• Please note that you may still be charged
student fees. Keep the receipt as these can be
reimbursed through the APEF account
• Not all CCDE classes are eligible
• Those who work less than 1.0 FTE or less than 1
year, may be eligible for 50% prorated. Contact
ASPA to confirm.

31. www.usask.ca
• Classes can be work-related or personal
interest classes
• Would be considered a taxable benefit if
classes are not work-related
• Classes during work hours need an approval
from a supervisor
• Contact Debbie Anderson at Student
Accounts for more information

32. www.usask.ca
Educational Leave
Paid educational leaves:
• Seminars, short courses, other programs to obtain or
enhance skills directly related to employment at the
U of S
• Requires a recommendation from a
supervisor/department head
• Employee must sign a promissory note and return to
work for at least 2 months for every month or part
of a month of leave taken

33. www.usask.ca
Unpaid educational leaves:
• Usually granted for up to one year
• Applications must be submitted at least 3 months
prior to estimated start of leave
• Requires a recommendation from a
supervisor/department head
• To apply: go to PAWS – Employee tab – Leave of
Absence application

34. www.usask.ca
For more information, contact ASPA:
306-966-2471
aspa@usask.ca
Questions?