Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
- What are the two University child care subsidy programs?
- What are the eligibility criteria?
- What could disqualify me?
- Who has priority for the child care subsidy programs?
- How much money can I receive for my child care expenses?
- When will I find out if my application has been approved?
- Once I have been approved, how do I receive my funds?
- Should I have my checks deposited directly into my bank account?
- If my child care provider does not provide a receipt, what should I do?
- What are the due dates for requesting reimbursement?
- Are the child care subsidy funds considered taxable income?
- What financial information do I need to complete my application?
- When should I apply?
- Where can I find the online application for the child care subsidy program?
- What should I do if I have difficulty submitting my application or receipts?
Definition of terms or phrases on the child care subsidy application
What are the two University child care subsidy programs?
- The regular child care subsidy program helps students with the cost of their regular, ongoing child care. Normally, the child care is scheduled Monday through Friday, daytime hours. For those students who have regularly scheduled evening classes, an application for these funds can also be submitted.
- The evening/weekend study child care program provides funding to help student parents hire a friend or babysitter to care for their child so that they can study, write a paper, do research or participate in a study group on evenings/weekends.
The same application is used for both programs. The programs are administered during the academic year, August through May. Funding is not available during the summer months.
What are the eligibility criteria?
One application per family.
To submit an application:
- you must be currently enrolled at the UI half-time or if not enrolled half-time, be enrolled less than half-time and have a required academic responsibility which together equal half-time. For example, you might be enrolled in one class and have an assistantship/practicum, or working on a dissertation and enrolled for zero hours.
- you must be currently seeking a UI degree: undergraduate or graduate/professional/Master’s/Ph.D.
- you must reside with your child.
- you must use a paid child care provider to fulfill academic responsibilities.
Your child
- is under age 13, or
- is under age 19 and has a disability.
Your child care provider
- is legally permitted to work in this country, and
- may be center-based, family child care, or a professional caregiver, relative, friend, or neighbor.
While not an inclusive list, you could be disqualified if you
- cannot log into ISIS;
- are not currently enrolled at The University of Iowa;
- you are a post doctoral student;
- have been approved or will be approved to receive full funding through the child care subsidy program from the Iowa Department of Human Services;
- have a family/household annual gross income $40,000 or more; or
- are an International student who does not have a social security number.
Who has priority for the child care subsidy programs?
- For the regular, ongoing child care arrangement program, priority is given to students with the least amount of annual gross family/household income. If you see in your ISIS account that your application has been put on the wait list, please be patient while we fund families with lower incomes.
- For the evening/weekend study child care program, priority is given to students with the least amount of annual gross family/household income.
How much money can I receive for my child care expenses?
For the regular child care subsidy program, the amount of funding depends upon the age of your child and the months your child is using a paid child care arrangement. The table below explains the amount of your allocation. For lower income families with two children in child care, additional funding may be possible.
| a child under 24 months of age | $220 per month |
| a child 24 to 60 months of age, or too young for school/kindergarten | $165 per month |
| a child attending kindergarten through 12 years of age, or a child with a disability up to 19 years of age who is attending school and enrolled in child care | $75 per month |
| a second child in child care and the parent’s annual gross income/resources are under $30,000, and only when it is known that funds are available. | $50 per month |
For the evening/weekend study child care program, funding levels are:
- for one child, expenses are reimbursed up to $60 per semester.
- for two or more children, expenses are reimbursed up to $100 per semester.
- For example, if you are eligible for $165 of subsidy per month in the fall and the spring, you can only be reimbursed up to $825 for fall semester (August – December) or 5 months of subsidy. You can submit receipts for the rest of your subsidy after January 1 of the following year.
- You can submit a receipt for your entire semester's worth of subsidy at one time if you have paid up to or over that amount.
When will I find out if my application has been approved?
You will receive an email regarding the status of your application within two weeks of application.
You can check your ISIS child care subsidy account any time to find current status of your application. If you are placed on the wait list, please be patient while we fund families with lower financial resourses.
Once I have been approved, how do I receive my funds?
The process is simple:
- You must first pay for your child care.
- Ask your child care provider for a receipt.
- Scan the receipt prior to going into your ISIS subsidy account.
- Fill in the short reimbursement request form in ISIS, attach your receipt, and submit.
- You will receive a pop-up message that your receipt was accepted by our system.
- When your reimbursement is processed, you will receive an email message.
- Your payment will be directly deposited into your bank account or a check will be mailed to you at the address on your application.
To expedite the process and if possible, please use the receipt forms found under: If my child care provider does not provide a receipt, what should I do?
- For example, if you are eligible for $165 of subsidy per month in the fall and the spring, you can only be reimbursed up to $825 for fall semester (August – December) or 5 months of subsidy. You can submit receipts for the rest of your subsidy after January 1 of the following year.
- You can submit a receipt for your entire semester's worth of subsidy at one time if you have paid up to or over that amount.
Should I have my checks deposited directly into my bank account?
We urge all students to use direct deposit for reasons of security and to expedite payment. Make sure that your banking information is current when applying for direct deposit.
- To set up Direct Deposit, log into ISIS, click on Student Records, click on Bank Information - Financial Aid Refund and enter your bank information.
If my child care provider does not provide a receipt, what should I do?
You must submit a receipt in order to be reimbursed. If your child care provider does not provide a receipt to you, use one of the receipt templates below.
What are the due dates for requesting reimbursement?
If you do not request your funding by the dates below and have not been approved for an extension, you may lose your child care subsidy.
Regular Child Care Subsidy Program
- December 16, 2011: Due date for fall allocation
- May 4 , 2012: Due date for spring allocation
Evening/Week Child Care Subsidy
- December 16, 2011: Due date for fall allocation
- May 4, 2012: Due date for spring allocation
If you have extenuating circumstances and need an extension of the deadline date, please contact familyservices@uiowa.edu or call 353-2314/335-1371. If you do not request your funding by the dates above and have not been approved for an extension, you may lose your child care subsidy.
Are the child care subsidy funds considered taxable income?
Yes. Funds received from either of the child care subsidy programs are taxable. You are to include the amount of subsidy paid to you when filing your taxes. The University has provided an explanation of the IRS definition of child care and reporting requirements. More information....
What financial information do I need to complete my application?
- Your gross annual salary -- that is, your total income before taxes.
- Your spouse or partner’s annual gross salary.
- If you and your spouse or partner do not pool family resources, include the amount the spouse/partner contributes.
- The child support you actually receive for living expenses.
- Alimony that is actually received.
- Gifts or payments over $1,000 annually from family, relatives, friends, company/employer or country that is not to be paid back.
We expect the updated application to be ready in ISIS in late August. It will remain open until our funds are depleted. Review of applications will begin after Labor Day. If you will be using child care during the spring semester only, apply in the fall. Funds will be set aside for you.
Where can I find the online application for the child care subsidy programs?
Log onto ISIS. Then select Student Records on the menu bar. Next go to Student Life Management. Under Student Life Management, you will choose link for Child Care Subsidy. You will now be able to access the application.
Please answer all questions carefully and remember to click the Statement of Truth before submitting application. After completing and submitting the online application, your Child Care Subsidy Account will be set up in ISIS. Visit ISIS to:
- learn the status of your application,
- view the amount of your subsidy allocation if approved,
- submit your request for reimbursement, and
- learn the status of your request for reimbursement.
What should I do if I have difficulty submitting my application or receipts?
The Family Services Office administers the programs. Feel free to contact us with questions.
Definition of terms or phrases on the child care subsidy application
Household or Family Income/Financial Resources –annual salary earned before taxes or any deductions are removed, between July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. Also included are financial gifts/contributions or payments over $1000 for rent, food, auto, clothing, schooling, etc. Examples of sources of the financial gifts/contributions or payments are: family/relatives, friends, employer, country or child support/alimony. It does not include scholarships or fellowships, or loans to be paid back.
Iowa Department of Human Services Child Care Subsidy Program – a state of Iowa program that pays for all or part of the cost of child care for an undergraduate student while the student is in class or is working.
Total Credit Hours – the number of hours the student is enrolled. Examples of what credit hours include are: classes, practicum/internships, thesis work or preparing for comprehensive examinations.
Subsidy for regular, ongoing child care arrangement - University funding to help pay for child care that is scheduled Monday through Friday, daytime hours on a regular basis, not sporadically. For those students who have regularly scheduled evening classes, funds from this program can be used. Administered by the Family Services Office. Child care funding is provided the fall and spring semester.
Evening/weekend child care subsidy – University funding to help pay for child care evening/weekends so that a student can (examples are) study, write a paper, do research or participate in a study group on evenings/weekends. Administered by the Family Services Office. Child care funding is provided the fall and spring semester.
Subsidy Semester – child care funding is provided the fall and spring semesters. The student must be enrolled during the semester the funding is being used.
Gross Salary – Is the total annual earned income July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. Gross salary means before taxes or any other deductions are taken out.
Federal financial aid or federal loans – is financial assistance for U.S. students provided through the U.S. Department of Education. The on-campus Office providing assistance/guidance is Student Financial Aid, Calvin Hall.
Pell Grants – is a federal, need-based grant awarded to the most needy U.S. students. The student completes the FAFSA to determine eligibility. Only undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree are eligible. The on-campus Office providing assistance/guidance is Student Financial Aid, Calvin Hall.