Yes, your favorite stop before work or class will now pay the online education costs for many of its 135,000 employees. Starbucks will provide tuition to eligible baristas through its new partnership with Arizona State University. Focusing on the glaring statistic that almost half of college students do not finish their degrees, Starbucks launched a Starbucks College Achievement Plan.[1] The plan will cover two levels of students: full tuition benefits for juniors and seniors and partial tuition for freshmen and sophomores.
Starbucks tuition assistance coupled with federal financial aid and other scholarships could make the cost of tuition free for many student employees struggling to pay for college. Specifically, each time a student-employee completes 21 credits, the full cost of tuition is reimbursed to the student in their paycheck. Although the reimbursement will automatically appear in their paycheck when eligible, it is the responsibility of the employee to repay the initial financial aid source with the reimbursement funds. The reimbursement will also only cover tuition and mandatory fees, not additional loan funds for living expenses and other costs.
Arizona State University (ASU) is regarded as a top online university offering 40 online undergraduate degree programs. According to Starbucks, ASU was the best fit because ASU is ranked the second most innovative school in the country by U.S. News & World Report in addition to being ranked 5th in the U.S. in producing the best-qualified graduates.
As the cost of obtaining a college degree continues to rise, most students are barraged with student loans in order to get their foot in the door to start a career. With many students working two more or more jobs, those working as a barista have the option to work one job that will also pay for tuition leaving more time to study and prepare in order to excel academically. How great is it to have the same company you work for provide you with a place to study, keep you awake with coffee, provide you free Wi-Fi while also paying your tuition!
[1] Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Ziskin, M., Yuan, X., & Harrell, A. (2013, December). Completing College: A National View of Student Attainment Rates-Fall 2007 Cohort (Signature Report No. 6). Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Credits: Rudolf Schuba