Research your current employer's reimbursement policy. Read the company's policies and procedures manual for a description of any tuition assistance programs. Make a note of the specific requirements for reimbursement. For example, requirements might include being employed full-time, having worked for the company for at least one year, achieving at least a "B" in the course and only taking courses that are work-related.
Even companies that don't specifically offer college tuition assistance might provide reimbursement for other kinds of coursework like certificate programs or online universities.
Identify and write down those attributes and requirements supporting the courses in which you wish to seek reimbursement.
Research published tuition assistance practices of competitors. If your company doesn't have a published tuition assistance program, do some research on its competitors. Look at the human resource pages on the websites of the competitors for a description of the benefits they offer. In addition, review published lists of top companies to work for and make a note of those that have tuition assistance programs. The list of "top" companies can be found in Fortune Magazine's Top 100 Companies to Work For; The 50 Best Small and Medium Companies to Work for; Working Mother Magazine's Top 100 Places to Work, and many others.
Identify a "top" list business which closely aligns with your company in terms of size (small and medium companies) and industry or geographic region, and determine which of these companies provide tuition assistance for its employees.
Identify benefits to the company. Make a list of the benefits that will accrue to the company as a result of you taking courses. Some of these benefits are intangible, such as goodwill and loyalty to the company. But other benefits are more easily defined. For example, tuition assistance provides a competitive advantage for hiring and retaining top employees. It provides a better educated, higher performing, and effective workforce, and improves retention of employees.
Quantify the amount of tuition assistance and summarize your case. Identify the costs for which you'll seek reimbursement. Include tuition, books, fees and any other costs. In addition, determine if there are other accommodations you'd like your company to consider. For example, you might need to leave work early on certain days for which you can offer to make up time.
Give yourself permission to ask. Tuition assistance may not be specifically listed as a company benefit but it might be available at the discretion of the supervisor or human resource manager.