Dependent Care Subsidy

Note: The 2026 application period has closed. Check this fall’s Open Enrollment for 2027 application details.

The Dependent Care Subsidy Program provides eligible faculty and staff with tax-free financial support to help manage dependent care expenses. For households with annual income under $150,000, the program provides up to $3,000 per year:

  • $1,500 for children under age 6
  • $750 for children ages 6-12 who need before/after-school care
  • $750 for the care of an adult or disabled dependent

Subsidies are deposited into a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) on your behalf and can be used for eligible care expenses.

Eligibility

You must:

  • Be a regular benefits-eligible Syracuse University faculty or staff member
  • Be unmarried, or have a spouse/partner who is employed at least part-time, a full-time student, legally disabled, or actively seeking employment
  • Have a household adjusted gross income under $150,000
  • Have a child under 13 who is your legal dependent (as defined by IRS regulations) and for whom you are financially responsible, be expecting/adopting, or have a dependent regardless of age that is physically or mentally unable to care for themselves

Eligible Expenses

The subsidy follows IRS Dependent Care FSA rules and covers:

  • Informal care (in-home providers, relatives excluding parents/siblings under 19)
  • Regulated care (licensed day care centers, registered family day care, school-age child care programs)
  • Summer/day camps (excluding tuition, lessons, tutoring, or sports)

How to Apply (Fall 2026)

  1. Log in to MySlice
  2. Go to Employee Resources → eForms → Human Resources
  3. Complete the Dependent Care Subsidy form
  4. Upload the required documentation and submit

Filing Claims

If approved, you will receive a notification to your Syracuse University email address and your FSA is funded. HealthEquity|EZ Receipts, the University’s FSA administrator, provides easy options to file a claim, including: EZ Receipts App, your FSA online account, or a paper claim form [PDF].

Questions?

If you have any questions or need an accommodation to access information on this webpage, please contact HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this website is accurate. However, benefits are governed by legal documents (which, in certain circumstances, may include insurance contracts). If there is any difference between the information in this website and the official documents, the official documents will control. As is the case with all of Syracuse University’s employee benefit plans, the University reserves the right to modify or terminate these benefits at any time.