Benefits Connect
As an extension of Mayo Clinic Human Resources, Benefits Connect brings together benefits experts, plan members, and those who are curious about benefits to share their experiences and knowledge. Each new post is designed to go beyond simple resource information to practical advice on the best strategy to get the most out of the industry-leading benefits at Mayo Clinic. Join the conversation by commenting on posts and replying to comments.
Mayo Clinic’s tuition reimbursement program saved me $18,735!
Back in 2012, I knew I wanted to pursue my Master’s degree but I was still paying off my undergrad student loans. Let me tell you, the last thing I wanted to do was accumulate more student loan debt! Thankfully I was aware of Mayo Clinic’s generous Professional Development Assistance Plan (PDAP) which provides up to $5,250 per calendar year in tuition reimbursement for graduate coursework.
When I graduated in the spring of 2015, I did the math and calculated Mayo reimbursed 9 out of 10 of my classes, for a grand total of $18,735. Granted most people don’t take two and a half years to complete a 20-month program, but I purposefully spread out my classes so I could optimize the tuition reimbursement program (and I had a baby in April 2014). This technique may not work for everyone but it certainly worked for me and my bank account.
So if you’re thinking about pursuing higher education, first do some research to see if you’re eligible for tuition reimbursement dollars. PDAP also reimburses up to $3,000 per calendar year for undergraduate credits and $500 for certain certifications.
Go to HR Connect and on the Mayo intranet and search “PDAP” to learn more.
Liked by Colleen Jensen
Hi Kristi, can you direct me to where I can find some more information about this program? I recently graduated from College and started at Mayo. I'm very interested in continuing my education and a program like this would be so helpful.
Greetings!
I will be away form the office May 21 – 23. Please leave a message and I will respond at my earliest convenience.
Hi Kristi, can you direct me to where I can find some more information about this program? I recently graduated from College and started at Mayo. I'm very interested in continuing my education and a program like this would be so helpful.
Great! If you go to HR Connect and search "PDAP" you can find an article with more information. You do have to be in your benefits-eligible position for one year so the start date of the course you want to get reimbursed for must be after your one year anniversary date. Good luck!
@queenngale
Hi Kristi, can you direct me to where I can find some more information about this program? I recently graduated from College and started at Mayo. I'm very interested in continuing my education and a program like this would be so helpful.