Corporate educational partnership Frequently asked questions
What is an educational partnership between Eastern Illinois University and my employer?
It means that Eastern and your employer have both agreed to a contract providing scholarships and other benefits for employees who wish to complete or further their education.
This helps employees reduce the cost of tuition, develop additional skills, and qualify for promotions or new positions. It helps employers attract and retain talent, increase productivity, and boost morale. In short, it’s a win-win for everybody!
Which programs are covered under the educational partnership?
You may choose from any of the online undergraduate or graduate degree programs listed on eiu.edu/online.
What are the benefits of the educational partnership to employees?
Under a standard partnership, the main benefit is that you will be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in scholarships per academic year. The following conditions apply:
- You must be enrolled in one of the covered online programs (see above).
- This scholarship is only available to new students enrolling at the University.
- You will receive $125 in scholarships for every 3 credit hours you are enrolled, up to a maximum of 12 hours ($500) per semester.
- You can receive scholarship funds for a maximum of 48 credit hours and $2,000 total overall.
- You must maintain satisfactory academic progress to continue eligibility.
- Your scholarship amount will not exceed your cost of attendance.
In addition, EIU will provide you with an evaluation of any credits you have from
other colleges or universities and ongoing academic advising to complete your academic
program.
Some employers may have special partnerships with different benefits and requirements
– for example, Rural King’s scholarships range from $2,500 up to the full cost of
attendance, and some are available to children/dependents of employees in any online
or on-campus major.
For special partnerships, each employer will have their own website, with their full benefits and requirements listed.
Which employers already have an educational partnership with EIU?
These employers have standard partnerships:
- Advocate BroMenn Regional Medical Center (Normal, IL)
- Carle Foundation (all locations)
- Graham Hospital (Canton, IL)
- HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital (Shelbyville, IL)
- HSHS St. Mary's Hospital (Decatur, IL)
- Memorial Medical Center (all Illinois locations)
- Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center (Mattoon, IL)
- VA Illiana Health Care System (Danville, IL)
Special Partnerships:
How do I notify EIU that I am an employee of an educational partner?
You will notify the University through your application to EIU, which you can begin at eiu.edu/apply. If you haven't already, you will need to create a MyEIU account, then apply to EIU.
After you have completed your MyEIU profile, select "Apply Now" to start your application. When it asks you which type of application you wish to complete, choose one of the following options as appropriate to you:
- Transfer Undergraduate: used for any bachelor's degree listed at eiu.edu/online under "Undergraduate and Degree Completion Options" except Interdisciplinary Studies or RN to BSN (see below)
- Graduate Studies: used for any master's degree or certificate listed at eiu.edu/online under "Graduate Study Options"
- B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies-Adult: a highly flexible bachelor's degree for those who already have some higher education - view more details about this program at eiu.edu/ids
- RN to BS in Nursing: for those who already have an RN license but do not have a bachelor’s degree and wish to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) - view more details about this program at eiu.edu/rnbsn
- RN to BS in Nursing w/Bachelor: for those who already have both an RN license and a bachelor’s degree in another major and wish to get a second bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN) – view more details about this program at eiu.edu/rnbsn.
Select when you wish to start classes and then fill out the rest of the application with your personal information. Under “Planned Course of Study,” choose from any of the online programs covered under the agreement. A question will appear asking you to indicate whether you are currently employed with an affiliate program. Select your employer.
When you log in to your MyEIU account, you will see your personalized MyEIU checklist after your admissions file has been reviewed – this process may take up to 2 weeks. Once your employment has been verified, you will be eligible for the benefits of your employer’s agreement.
How do I verify my employment with one of EIU’s educational partners?
One of the items on your personalized MyEIU checklist will be to submit a document verifying your employment with one of our educational partners. You will need to upload documentation showing that you are currently employed by the employer listed on your application. This could be a recent pay stub, a signed and dated contract or an employment verification letter provided by your Human Resources department or manager.
Whom do I contact with more questions?
For questions about EIU’s partnership with your employer, please contact our Degree Completion Coordinator, Kenia Gonzalez, at kigonzalez@eiu.edu.
What if my employer does not have an educational partnership with EIU?
We encourage you to reach out to your employer’s Human Resources department or manager and ask them to contact Kenia Gonzalez at kigonzalez@eiu.edu about setting up an educational partnership with EIU.
We offer excellent benefits for employees, using a standard partnership contract that minimizes legal overhead for employers. In addition, the cost is low for employers, as the standard agreement only requires that employers promote the partnership to employees in ways that EIU is unable to, such as in corporate newsletters and employee benefit fairs.
The standard contract template can be viewed here. However, we can also be flexible with employers who wish to use different terms for the agreement.