Educational Assistance
Atrium Health Career Development programs offer an Inside Up approach to teammate development. Teammates are encouraged to use their education benefits to grow their careers. When teammates develop and apply new skills, they support the vision of Atrium Health to be the national leader for health, learning & community.
Education Assistance provides teammates with financial assistance for approved academic and continuing education course expenses. There are options for reimbursement and if eligible, prepaid education assistance.
Atrium Health partners with Bright Horizons EdAssist to provide educational assistance benefits to all teammates including PRN teammates. This benefit may be used for job-related education (for an Atrium Health job) and may include preparing for or maintaining a license for certification.
Benefits include:
- Free, Expert Academic and Finance Guidance: Get a customized education plan, assistance with the admissions process, and tips on how to pay for your education with a Bright Horizons Coach. Teammates may schedule an appointment with a coach within the EdAssist Portal
- An Automated System: Apply online and receive status alerts via email notifications
Note: Atrium Health Navicent and Atrium Health Greater Charlotte Educational Assistance benefits are aligned
On This Page:
EdAssist Support Is Available
By Phone: 833.211.2710
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Live Chat on EdAssist Portal: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Who is Eligible to Apply
-
Full-time and part-time teammates who have also completed their 90-day orientation period.
-
PRN Teammates are eligible to apply for Continuing Education dollars only
- Some teammates are provided alternative education benefits and are not eligible for Education assistance and include:
- Medical Residents, Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists- Full details about Education Assistance eligibility by region can be found on the Educational Assistance Eligibility page.
- earning a High School diploma
Before You Apply: Know This
- EdAssist applications must be submitted 30 days prior to the course start date.
- Important: Atrium Health allows clinical experiences, shadowing and interns from a select group of schools that are included in the Atrium Health Approved Clinical Education Affiliation Agreement List (CEAA List). If the school you choose to attend is not listed, you may not be eligible for clinical experiences at Atrium Health facilities. Teammates are strongly encouraged to select academic programming from an institution that is already on this list.
- Degree and Academic Credit courses must be from a regionally accredited institution. Visit https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation to learn if a school you are considering is regionally accredited.
- Regionally Accredited Institution – an institution by one of the regional accrediting agencies, to include:
- MSA (MSCHE/CSS-MSA) – Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools or Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- NCA – North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (The Higher Learning Commission)
- NEASC - New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
- NWCCU – Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- SACS – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- After the most recent Degree/Academic credit completion there is a one-year work requirement
Educational Assistance Policies
Greater Charlotte and Navicent
- Degree and Academic Credit Policy
- Includes Associate, Bachelors’, Masters’, Doctorate, Ph.D. (clinical and non-clinical)
- Program Options Include:
- Education Assistance Degree & Academic Credit Program (Degree programs or Individual Courses taken at a Regionally Accredited Institution)
- Education Assistance Certificate Program (Certificate Program taken at a Regionally Accredited Institution)
- Continuing Education Policy (non-degree seeking)
- Includes CEUs, Seminars, Conferences, Workshops and Certification
- Program Options Include:
- Education Assistance Continuing Education Program (CEUs, Seminars, Conferences, Workshops, License Renewals, Memberships, etc.; any provider is accepted as long as the education is provided by a professional association, certifying body or institution to award the industry accepted designation)
- Education Assistance Certification Program (Certification programs; any provider is accepted as long as the education is provided by a professional association, certifying body or institution to award the industry accepted certification)
- Prepaid Tuition Assistance Policy
- Includes Degrees, Certificates, Individual Courses (clinical & non-clinical)
- Program Options Include:
- Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program (Degree programs, Individual Courses or Certificate programs taken at a Regionally Accredited Institution)
- Prepaid ESL & Online High School Diploma Program (Courses associated with advancement in ESL proficiency or courses taken towards earning a High School diploma)
Degrees and Academic Credit Policy Benefits
| Education Type |
Maximum Benefit Amount |
Eligibility |
How to Use Your Benefits |
| Certificates and Individual Courses |
$1,500 per year |
Full-time and part-time teammates who have completed the 90-day orientation period |
For Degree and Non-Degree, visit the “Using Your Benefits” section on the EdAssist Portal or select the Job Aid: Reimbursement Degree and Non-Degree Job Aid |
|
College Degree*: Clinical & Non-Clinical Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate, Ph.D.
*includes one-year work requirement
|
$3,000 per year |
Continuing Education Benefits
| Education Type |
Maximum Benefit Amount |
Eligibility |
How to Use Your Benefits |
| Continuing Education Units & Certifications |
$1,500 per year |
Full-time, part-time and PRN teammates who have completed the 90-day orientation period |
For Degree and Non-Degree, visit the “Using Your Benefits” section on the EdAssist Portal or select the Job Aid: Reimbursement Degree and Non-Degree Job Aid |
Prepaid Tuition Assistance*
| Education Type |
Maximum Benefit Amount |
Eligibility |
How to Use Your Benefits |
Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program
Clinical & Non-Clinical Degrees, Certificates, Individual Courses.
*includes one-year work requirement |
$3,000 per year |
- Full-time & part-time teammates who have completed the 90-day orientation period
- LPN's within these job codes are eligible
- Earn $45,000 or less
- Received an overall score meets expectations or above on the most recent annual Performance Review
|
For Prepaid Programs, such as ( RN Educational Assistance, Rise to Success, Education that Works, or Prepaid Tuition Assistance), visit the “Using Your Benefits” section on the EdAssist Portal or select the Job Aid: Prepaid and Direct Bill Job Aid |
*Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program
Many teammates require prepaid financial support to further their educational and career goals. Prepaid Tuition Assistance program aims to increase access and completion of a college education for all. This program provides up to $3,000 in prepaid college tuition, books and fees to teammates who meet the eligibility criteria.
This program cannot be combined with the Degree/Academic Policy Reimbursement program.
- Degree programs must support a logical step on the career path of the teammate within the healthcare profession
- Certificate programs include a bundled number of courses that result in a certificate of completion and demonstration of mastery in a particular area (can be both academic and professional); must be obtained from a regionally accredited institution
- NEW! Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is now aligned with our Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program. For more information, please visit the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Career Development Center.
LPNS
- Teammate MUST complete the mandatory coaching session prior to submitting an application (regardless of a teammates salary cap or LPN status). This coaching helps teammates understand the policy of this program, how to submit their application and how to use the letter of credit to get their classes pre-paid.
- Please refer to the Prepaid Tuition Assistance Policy for other important details
CNA Certification
- Teammates are eligible to obtain a CNA certification through the Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program.
- To use the Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program to obtain a CNA certification, the certification must be from a regionally accredited institution (for example: CCHS, CPCC, Rowan Cabarrus, Gaston College). After you have enrolled for the certification, you will be able to submit your exam expenses and get reimbursed for the full amount.
- This opportunity will be open to all Atrium Health Greater Charlotte and Atrium Health Navicent teammates as long as they meet the salary cap requirements of the Prepaid Tuition Assistance Program above.
Using Your Educational Assistance
NEW! Student Loan Coaching with Bright Horizons
There is no doubt that the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program is complex set of regulations and requirements that most people have a tough time following. Atrium Health has partnered with Bright Horizons EdAssist student loan coaches to help our teammates understand the complexities of PSLF. They provide one-on-one support and guide teammates through the qualification criteria, estimate savings, and ensure the necessary steps are taken and paperwork complete to stay on track for loan forgiveness.
We are excited to offer our teammates with this new opportunity to work directly with Bright Horizons coaches to help determine their eligibility for a federal loan forgiveness program and provide coaching through each step of the program. Log in to the EdAssist portal or call EdAssist at 833-211-2710. Teammates can also ask about refinancing, how to pay down their balances faster, how to consolidate their loans and more.
Student Loan Coaches can support you by:
- Determine eligibility under the various programs: standard PSLF or TEPSLF.
- Understand payment and documentation requirements to obtain forgiveness
- Learn about timelines and pitfalls that could jeopardize eligibility for forgiveness
- Complete consolidation or payment structuring
- Create a repayment strategy that includes PSLF and a plan for private student loans not eligible for PSLF
How to Schedule a General Student Loan Coaching Session
- Before your Coaching Session, identify which type of loans you have and the amount of your student loan debt. This will help you through step #4 and # 5 of scheduling an appointment.
- Log into the Bright Horizon’s EdAssist portal, and select “Student Loan Support”
- At the top of the page for Student Loan Support, you have the option to “Schedule Free Coaching,” “Message an Expert” or “Browse Helpful Content.”
- Clicking on “Schedule Free Coaching.” It will then prompt you to answer a few questions to schedule a session.
- Please save the date and time of your appointment in your calendar.
Who to Contact:
For EdAssist Portal Questions:
