Fee Waivers

Certain colleges and universities assign fee waivers to the Diocese for our teachers in exchange for mentoring their students who are studying to be teachers. The universities that currently participate in such an agreement with the Diocese of Columbus are Ashland University, Capital University, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio State University, and Otterbein University. These waivers pay tuition only; any fees are the responsibility of the teacher who uses them.

The deadlines to apply for fee waivers are as follows unless otherwise specified:

For Autumn Term, the third Friday in July
For Spring Term, the first Friday in December
For Summer Term, the second Friday in April

Waiver application link (click on "Waiver Request")

Waivers are awarded based on a hierarchy established in the COACE Agreement:

ARTICLE 13-PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

13.1 The following provisions apply to fee waivers:

A. Disbursement of fee waivers earned by the schools of the Franklin County Deaneries shall be made according to the following provisions:

1. First Priority: The teacher working directly with the college student has first priority to use any credits earned as a result of the teacher's supervision of the student teacher. Said teacher must apply as outlined in Article 13.1 D.
2. Second Priority: After application of the above priority any teacher in the schools of the Deaneries [COACE schools] that accept student teachers may apply for any unused but available fee waivers, as outlined in Article 13.1 D. The fee waiver shall be placed in a fee waiver bank from which the Superintendent is to make equitable distribution. Teachers possessing a Provisional, Professional, or Permanent Ohio Certificate or an Ohio License shall be given first consideration for fee waivers.
3. Third Priority: After consultation with the President of the Association, the Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools may release fee waivers to teachers, administrators or others not covered by this Agreement.

B. As far as practicable, assignment shall be by seniority. A teacher's seniority shall be defined according to the placement of that teacher on the salary scale. Teachers shall not be limited to the number of fee waivers they may use if said fee waivers are available. No one other than a teacher may use fee waivers except as provided in 13.1 A.3.

C. A teacher who receives a fee waiver but does not use it must return the unused waiver to the Office of Catholic Schools Personnel Office prior to the date it has been scheduled for use. Failure to return unused fee waivers without good cause will result in the denial of future fee waivers to such a teacher for two (2) years from the date that the fee waivers were to have been originally used.