Review the Student Employee Retirement Plan Policy for detailed information on the Student Retirement Plan.

 

  Watch this video to learn about CU's Student Employee Retirement Plan.

 See Student Employee Retirement Plan FAQs.

Eligibility and effective dates

  • Fall, spring and summer semesters;
  • Undergraduate student employees enrolled in fewer than 6 credit hours are required to participate.
  • Graduate student employees enrolled in fewer than 3 credit hours are required to participate, unless enrolled in only 1 credit hour to complete a thesis or dissertation after completing all required classroom work.
  • Participation is required for students not enrolled during the summer semester, but who were enrolled in courses during the spring semester and will be enrolled in the fall semester.
  • Regardless if you are an undergraduate or graduate student, if you consistently work 40 hours per week in any given semester, regardless of the number of enrolled credit hours, you are required to participate.
  • Once your eligibility for participation in student retirement has been established, your participation will be required for the remainder of the current semester. Eligibility will be evaluated each pay period and may change within the term, based on enrollment in coursework.
  • Nonresident student employees with F-1 or J-1 visas are not eligible to participate in the Student Employee Retirement Plan (SERP).

Contributions

  • You will contribute 7.5% of your gross earnings.
  • Contributions are invested in TIAA, according to your investment fund selections.
  • Contributions are made into the Student Retirement Plan as an alternative to Social Security.

Voluntary pension/savings

Click here to review information and details of the voluntary pension/savings plans available to most employees; review the benefits eligibility matrix to determine your eligibility. The voluntary pension/savings plans are defined contribution plans of an individual account that you set up to set aside money on a pre-tax basis.

Retirement pension/savings plan distributions

The availability of distribution/withdrawals under each of the mandatory and voluntary Pension/Savings plan accounts may differ depending on the plan(s) you are enrolled in and your employement status with the university. 

  • You may only withdraw your funds:
    • Upon termination of student status from the University of Colorado
    • AND not be employed with the University of Colorado in any capacity.