Eligibility Guidelines for Childcare Subsidy 2023–2024

About the Childcare Subsidy

The UO Childcare Subsidy Program helps UO student parents achieve their educational objectives by subsidizing the costs associated with the care of their child or children. For the 2023–2024 program year it will reimburse 50 percent of eligible monthly expenses, up to an age-based maximum. Interested students must first apply and be admitted to the program, and then submit a claim for each month that they would like to have expenses partly reimbursed (subsidized).

This program is funded by Incidental Fees. Most UO students are charged an Incidental Fee each quarter, and the ASUO Student Government Association allocates them to a variety of programs that foster campus culture and well-being. Some of the fees are distributed to the Basic Needs Program in the UO Office of the Dean of Students for the purpose of administering this program. All subsidy operational costs, reimbursement funds, and student staff members’ salaries are paid for by ASUO through the Incidental Fee.

Childcare Subsidy staff can be reached at:
subsidy@uoregon.edu
541-346-0632
Office of the Dean of Students, 185 Oregon Hall

Program Eligibility

The Childcare Subsidy Program is open to University of Oregon students who meet all of the criteria listed below.

1. Course Enrollment and Incidental Fee Charge

  • Enrollment in at least one credit for the current or subsequent academic quarter will be verified during the application process.
  • Staff will verify that the program participant was charged an Incidental Fee for the quarter in which childcare charges were incurred when the claim is processed (e.g. I-Fee must have been charged for the fall term if the participant submits an October reimbursement claim). If an Incidental Fee is later reversed because the participant withdrew from courses, the participant will no longer be eligible for reimbursement of childcare expenses that occurred during the term from which they withdrew.
  • You will be charged an Incidental Fee each term if you have been admitted or conditionally admitted to a degree program at the University of Oregon and you register for any number of academic credits.
  • Incidental Fees are added to student billing accounts about two weeks before classes begin. To confirm eligibility, students may view their tuition statement using DuckWeb, and search for a cost titled “Incidental Mandatory Fee.”

2. Income Qualification

US Citizens and Permanent Residents

US citizens and permanent residents must be participating in at least one of the state or federal assistance programs identified below, unless extenuating circumstances exist. Documentation which demonstrates participation in the assistance program will be requested as part of the Childcare Subsidy application.

International Students and Extenuating Circumstances

If applicant is not eligible for federal or state assistance programs, they may qualify on the basis of income. Family income must be equal to or below the limit established in the 2023–24 Oregon Expanded Income Eligibility Chart for Free or Reduced Price Lunch. Applicant must complete a Childcare Subsidy Income Qualification Form 23-24 to demonstrate this income in addition to submitting the Childcare Subsidy Application Form.

Eligibility will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in the following situations:

  • Citizenship or residency status: The applicant is not permitted to participate in these programs due to visa restrictions or effects that participation would have on an application for residency or citizenship.
  • Personal preference: The applicant meets all eligibility requirements for one or more of the above programs yet does not wish to enroll in one of the state or federal assistance programs tied to eligibility.
  • Financial hardship: The applicant or their partner are facing an unusual financial hardship.

3. Second Parent Work/School Requirement (two-parent households only)

  • For two-parent households, each parent must be either working or enrolled in school.
  • Exceptions to this requirement may be made for two-parent households where one parent is enrolled in classes and the other is unable to work due to injury, disability, or visa status or they are actively searching for work. Applicant must explain the circumstance when prompted in the subsidy application.

Application Process and Capacity Limitations

Childcare Subsidy Application Form

UO students may apply for the program by submitting a Childcare Subsidy Application Form on Engage.

  • The Childcare Subsidy Application Form will be open for new applicants year-round from July 7, 2023, to June 28, 2024, if funding allows. Completed applications will be reviewed immediately and in the order they are received.
  • UO students must complete an application annually regardless of prior participation.
  • Applicants will be notified whether they meet qualifications within ten working days of application review. Applicants who do not meet program qualifications will receive information about which requirements they did not meet and instructions for how they may qualify, if possible.
  • If an applicant is admitted to the program, they may submit reimbursement claims for charges as old as the first day of the month they applied. Invoices or receipts which cross into the prior month will be prorated. Retroactive reimbursement claims (e.g. applying in October and requesting a reimbursement for September) are not permitted.
  • If the program’s financial capacity is reached, applicants will be placed on a waiting list in the order their applications are received. If space becomes available, the applicants at the top of the waitlist will be considered first.

Eligible Care Providers

For childcare charges to be reimbursed by this program, the care provider must either:

  • Be registered/certified in the state where the dependent is receiving care; or
  • They must pass a background check and be approved by the Childcare Subsidy staff.

The applicant will state on the program application if their provider is registered, and the Childcare Subsidy Staff will verify.

If care is being provided in the state of Oregon and you are unsure whether the provider is certified, you can ask your provider or search for them at findchildcareoregon.org (choose Search for Childcare, log in, and search by address).

For care providers who are not registered in the state where care will be provided:

  • Background check costs and arrangement are the responsibility of the program participant.
  • The background check document must list the individual (if sole proprietor) or program director’s name and have been completed within the year prior to the date you submit the application for participation in the UO Childcare Subsidy.
  • Follow these instructions to obtain a provider background check.
  • The participant can either upload this documentation as part of their application or submit it later using the Childcare Subsidy Participant Change or Addition Form 23-24.
  • Program participants and their partners are not eligible to serve as care providers, for purposes of this program.

Only costs associated with the care of a child are reimbursable.

  • Personalized instruction within a specific subject area (e.g. soccer instruction, music lessons) or summer camp will only be considered if the program participant sufficiently demonstrates that the child is participating for childcare purposes (during class, study time, or work) in addition to fun and learning.
  • Costs associated with a private education at the kindergarten level and higher will not be reimbursed, provided a public school alternative is available.

Reimbursement Amounts and Process

Childcare Subsidy Reimbursement Claim Form

2023–2024 Reimbursement Amounts

Child’s Age Maximum Monthly Reimbursement for Program Participants
Up to 24 months 50% of invoice up to $450
24 to 36 months 50% of invoice up to $440
3 to 5 years 50% of invoice up to $380
Kindergarten to 3rd grade 50% of invoice up to $240
4th grade to 12 years 50% of invoice up to $160

Before the 24th day of each month, program participants are required to submit a Childcare Subsidy Reimbursement Claim with proof of payment of a childcare invoice or receipt.

  • Documentation must include the following information:
    • Name of payer (Childcare Subsidy program participant or partner)
    • Name of payee (childcare provider)
    • Date that the documentation was provided
    • Total amount charged or paid
  • If the documentation does not include all of the above information, the claim will be rejected and the participant will receive an email notification. It is the participant’s responsibility to determine what was missing from the documentation, although questions can be directed Childcare Subsidy staff at the contact information at the top of this document.
  • Participants may use the Alternative Receipt Documentation Form if their childcare provider will not furnish documentation that meets the above documentation requirements.

Reimbursement claims must be submitted within the 60 days after childcare services were provided. Requests for reimbursement in advance of childcare services being provided will not be considered.

Multiple reimbursements in the same month are welcome and must be submitted together on the same Childcare Subsidy Reimbursement Claim Form.

Reimbursements are sent directly to the program participant and are not applied to any outstanding charges on their UO billing account.

Reimbursement claims are processed at the end of each month and reimbursements (also known as refunds) are generally disbursed by the first week of the following month.

Reimbursements are sent by direct deposit if the participant has set up Direct Deposit of Student Account Refunds in DuckWeb. Otherwise, they will be sent by US mail to the mailing address listed in DuckWeb. Direct deposit typically takes two to three business days, and US mail can take anywhere from two days to several weeks depending on the mailing address.

Reimbursement of a participant’s first claim can take one to three additional weeks as the UO finance department sets up the student account for payment.

Program Restrictions and Procedural Rules

Reimbursements will be allocated to the primary program participant. If the primary participant no longer qualifies but there is a second UO student on the application who is listed as a co-applicant, reimbursement can be made to the co-applicant instead.

Childcare costs can only be reimbursed for time periods during which the program participant was meeting all of the program eligibility requirements.

  • Program participants who no longer meet all three of the program eligibility requirements must report a change in their eligibility by completing the Childcare Subsidy Participant Change Form.
  • Program participation will be suspended for any participant who fails to meet eligibility criterion. Individuals who have discontinued or forfeited their program eligibility may reapply and will be considered as a new applicant (space permitting).

Program participants must notify the benefit staff of any of the following changes within 30 days of the change by submitting a Childcare Subsidy Participant Change Form. Failure to report a change is cause for forfeiture of eligibility. Benefits staff members will confirm any change or adjustment to program eligibility within ten working days.

  • Changes in household size, such as the addition of a child or a change in marital status;
  • Changes in student status, or eligibility/participation in state or federal assistance programs;
  • Changes in the school or work status of the program participant’s partner (two-parent households only); or
  • Change in/addition of care provider.

While the Childcare Subsidy Program makes every effort to ensure that reimbursements extend to program participants for the duration of the academic year, funding is not guaranteed.

Program participants are responsible for ensuring accurate representation of childcare reimbursement funds for purposes of tax and income reporting, including financial aid reporting. The Childcare Subsidy Program will provide an annual reimbursement statement to program participants upon request.

Domestic students: Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to let them know you have applied or will apply for this subsidy and ask if there will be any impact on your current or future financial aid.

International students: The UO is required to withhold taxes from grants for international students whose countries do not have a scholarships and grants treaty with the United States. If your subsidy is subject to this withholding, it will appear as a charge on your student billing account around the same time as the full amount of the subsidy appears as a credit on your account. You can learn more on the Business Affairs Office website.