McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity Tuition Assistance

About this scholarship

McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity Tuition Assistance is an employer education benefit for eligible workers at company-operated U.S. restaurants and participating franchise organizations. It is not a $21,000 one-time scholarship as some directories report. Eligible company-operated full-time managers can receive up to $5,250 per year, company-operated crew and other part-time employees up to $2,500, participating franchise full-time managers or staff up to $3,000, and qualifying franchise crew or part-time staff up to $2,500. Assistance covers eligible tuition and course fees not already paid by scholarships or grants at Department of Education-accredited two-year, four-year, graduate, postgraduate, business, technical, or vocational schools. Employees begin from the official Archways page, which routes them to the appropriate Bright Horizons EdAssist account and explains each employment category. Requests may be filed starting 45 days before a course begins and must be submitted by December 31 for courses ending in that benefit year. Company-operated crew generally need 90 cumulative days of employment, at least 15 average weekly hours, and satisfactory performance. Participating-franchise rules require that the owner/operator participate; crew generally need 90 days with that operator and 15 weekly hours, while full-time managers need 30 weekly hours. Continued assistance requires acceptable course completion and supporting documentation.

Eligibility

• Work at a McDonald’s company-operated U.S. restaurant or for a participating franchise owner/operator
• Meet the employment category’s tenure and weekly-hours requirements
• Maintain the required performance rating or good-standing status throughout the course
• Take courses at a Department of Education-accredited college, university, graduate school, business school, technical school, or vocational school
• Request only eligible tuition and course costs not covered by scholarships or grants
• Submit the EdAssist request within 45 days before the course start and by December 31 for courses ending that year
• Remain employed and eligible through the benefit process
• Provide required course information, agreements, bills, and satisfactory completion documentation