Starbucks Tuition Reimbursement Program & Scholarships 2025

College students who want help paying for their tuition can look into companies that offer tuition reimbursement or other tuition assistance programs. Several large companies, including Starbucks, help students pay for college tuition.

Starbucks's financial aid isn't a tuition reimbursement program, but it does cover some types of college expenses. Keep reading to learn more about tuition assistance from Starbucks.

Does Starbucks Offer Tuition Reimbursement?

Tuition reimbursement is a program where students pay the cost of tuition out-of-pocket, then their employer pays them back. As such, Starbucks does not offer a tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance program.

Instead, Starbucks will pay for eligible employees to earn an online bachelor's degree at Arizona State University through its Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP). This program covers tuition costs for students earning their bachelor's degree for the first time.

Understanding Starbuck's College Achievement Plan & Requirements

Starbuck's College Achievement Plan allows students to attend Arizona State University and earn an online bachelor's degree for free. The program pays whatever tuition isn't covered under grants and scholarships. We've broken down the basics of the program below.

Tuition Assistance

Through Starbucks's CAP, the company pays ASU directly for whatever costs aren't covered through grants and scholarships. This means that students do not have to pay out-of-pocket for their tuition.

The company pays for up to 135 credits. The SCAP program pays for the total cost of a bachelor's degree program, typically 120 credits, plus a little extra.

Are Costs Associated With Books and Supplies Covered?

Costs associated with books and supplies are not covered under the SCAP program. Only tuition for a bachelor's online program at ASU is covered.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the SCAP program, you must be a benefit-eligible Starbucks employee. Benefits eligibility is determined by your work state, the hours for which you are paid, your position, and your length of employment.

Are Part-Time Workers Eligible?

Part-time Starbucks employees may be eligible for tuition coverage if they are eligible for Starbucks benefits. You establish initial benefits eligibility on the first day of the second month after receiving at least 240 hours over three full, consecutive months.

What Educational Programs Does the College Achievement Plan Cover?

The College Achievement Plan covers bachelor's degrees at ASU online. Programs are available in fields like:

• business
• education
• engineering
• health and nursing
• humanities and arts
• law and public service
• science
• social and behavioral sciences
• technology

Are Relatives of Veteran Workers Eligible?

Family members of eligible Starbucks employees who are U.S. veterans can use the employee's education benefits. Employees can choose one family member to receive financial aid through the SCAP program.

Academic Support

Starbucks employees earning their college degrees at ASU receive extensive support services. These services assist with everything from enrollment to help with online courses to career counseling. We've explored a few of these services below.

Online Tutoring

Sometimes, students struggle a little bit as they navigate higher education. To help, ASU offers online tutoring to all students.

This tutoring is live through Zoom and completely free. Students can receive tutoring for course concepts, writing skills, and overall academic skills.

Disability Support

ASU's Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services offers support and services for students with disabilities studying on and off campus. It strives to create a culture of access and inclusion through collaboration with faculty, campus partners, and universal design principles.

Students can receive various accommodations, like extended time for exams, notetaking assistance, interpreters, and more. To set up these accommodations, you'll need to register with the Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services office.

360 Life Services

360 Life Services is a support program offered through ASU. It provides all online students 24/7 access to counseling, physical and mental health resources, well-being content, and exclusive web content.

This program offers services such as:

• anxiety management
• counseling services
• crisis intervention
• health assessments
• stress management

Partnership With Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a public research university in Tempe, Arizona. It's accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

It's unclear why Starbucks specifically chose a partnership with ASU, but there are a few things that may have contributed to that choice. Not only is ASU accredited, but they've also been successfully offering a wide range of online programs for several years.

What Is Starbucks Tuition Benefit?

The Starbucks tuition benefit covers all remaining tuition at ASU after the SCAP scholarship is applied. This allows Starbucks to cover your full tuition costs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the tuition benefit, you must be eligible for the SCAP program, meaning you must be benefit-eligible. Both full and part-time employees may be eligible depending on your position and how long you've worked for the company.

You'll also need to fill out your Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). This application will automatically determine which federal and state aid, if any, you qualify for.

Does Starbucks Pay for Trade School?

Currently, Starbucks does not pay for trade school. It only pays for an online degree at the bachelor's level for eligible Starbucks employees.

How Long Do You Have To Work at Starbucks To Get Free College?

The time you need to work at Starbucks to get free college depends on whether you're a full-time or part-time employee. Full-time employees must have at least 60 calendar days of employment, while part-time employees can qualify after three months if they work enough hours.