NOTE 11: INCOME TAXES

Taxes on income from continuing operations were 13.2% and 13.7% for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal year 2015, respectively, compared to 18.7% and 16.9% for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal year 2014. DeVry Group’s effective income tax rate reflects benefits derived from significant operations outside the United States. Earnings of these international operations are not subject to U.S. federal or state income taxes, so long as such earnings are not repatriated, as discussed below. Four of DeVry Group’s operating units, AUC, which operates in St. Maarten, RUSM, which operates in the Commonwealth of Dominica, RUSVM, which operates in the Federation of St. Christopher, Nevis, St. Kitts in the West Indies, and DeVry Brasil, which operates in Brazil, all benefit from local tax incentives. AUC’s effective tax rate reflects benefits derived from investment incentives. RUSM and RUSVM each have agreements with their respective domestic governments that exempt them from local income taxation. Both of these agreements have been extended to provide, in the case of RUSM, an indefinite period of exemption and, in the case of RUSVM, exemption until 2037. DeVry Brasil’s effective tax rate reflects benefits derived from its participation in PROUNI, a Brazilian program for providing scholarships to a portion of its undergraduate students.

DeVry Group has not recorded a U.S. federal or state tax provision for the undistributed earnings of its international subsidiaries. It is DeVry Group’s intention to indefinitely reinvest accumulated cash balances, future cash flows and post-acquisition undistributed earnings and profits to improve the facilities and operations of its international schools and pursue future opportunities outside the United States. In accordance with this plan, cash held by the international subsidiaries will not be available for general company purposes and under current laws will not be subject to U.S. taxation. As of March 31, 2015 and 2014, cumulative undistributed earnings attributable to international operations were approximately $741.0 million and $608.4 million, respectively.

As of March 31, 2015 the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions, including positions impacting only the timing of tax benefits, was $7.0 million. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate was $7.0 million. As of March 31, 2014, the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions, including positions impacting only the timing of benefits, was $9.3 million and, if recognized, the total amount would impact the effective tax rate.

We expect that our unrecognized tax benefits will decrease during fiscal year 2015. During the first nine months of fiscal year 2015 the balance decreased by approximately $2.6 million due to the settlement of various audits and the lapsing of statutes of limitation. We do not anticipate a material change in the balance in the next 12 months. DeVry Group classifies interest and penalties on tax uncertainties as a component of the provision for income taxes. The total amount of interest and penalties accrued as of March 31, 2015 and March 31, 2014 was $1.5 million and $1.4 million, respectively.