The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs has created this site as a resource for graduate students, faculty, and administrators on the nature of graduate student aid at the University of Virginia and the processes through which it is distributed. The site will serve as a central location where members of our community can find comprehensive answers to Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to the graduate student funding process. 

Specific questions about individual student funding packages should be referred to the relevant program directors or the student's school of enrollment.  Any other questions not covered by the information provided below may be referred to gradstudies@virginia.edu.   

Overview and Definition of Frequently Used Terms

The University provides financial aid to graduate students as a means of supporting the completion of their degrees.  Aid is provided to students in a variety of forms depending upon the specific nature of support. Indirect Aid includes funding from the University or other parties (e.g. funding agencies, or foundations) that pays for a student's tuition, fees, or health insurance.  Direct Aid is funding that is paid directly to a student, either by the University or another party.  Direct Aid may be provided to students in the form of stipend and/or wages.  

Forms of Direct Aid

Stipends are a form of direct aid provided to students to support their living expenses while they engage in study and training. Students receiving stipends are under no obligation to perform services to the University as a condition of receiving these funds. Stipends are typically disbursed in regular monthly payments over a term or academic year, but may also be disbursed as a one-time payment in advance of the period of support (e.g. a semester).  Stipends intended to cover the incremental costs associated with travel for research or professional development activities are often provided in a single disbursement.

Stipends and other forms of indirect aid are often combined to form fellowships and scholarships, which are packages of funding provided without work or repayment requirements (unearned aid).  Although they entail no specific work requirements Fellowships and Scholarships may be tied to certain academic requirements, such as sufficient progress toward degree completion or specific training-related milestones.

Wages are a form of direct aid earned by performing services for the University.  Wages earned by enrolled students are distinct from those earned by employees in that they do not incur FICA tax (although FICA may be withheld during summer if students are working and are not formally enrolled). Students may earn wages for conducting a wide variety of duties across Grounds, but may not work more than 20 hours per week while they are enrolled. Graduate Assistantships are special a form of employment in which students earn wages by performing duties in teaching and research that simultaneously benefit the University as well as their own degree progress and professional training. Graduate assistantships also provide students with indirect aid in the form of tuition remission, fees, and a health insurance subsidy (for those who earn more than $5,000 over the course of the year).  

Forms of Indirect Aid

Forms of indirect aid provided to students at UVA consist of the following: 

Tuition Remission: The in-state tuition and all required fees paid on behalf of a student serving in a qualified graduate assistantship. Tuition remission pays only the in-state portion of an out-of-state student’s tuition charges, but pays all required fees, including the comprehensive fee, the University activity fee, the school activity fee, and, where applicable, the international student fee.

Tuition Adjustment: The amount of tuition above in-state tuition paid on behalf of an out-of-state student serving in a qualified graduate assistantship. An out-of-state student who serves in a qualified graduate assistantship receives tuition remission (in-state tuition and all required fees) and may receive tuition adjustment (difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition; all required fees are covered as part of tuition remission).

Health Insurance Subsidy: A payment made by a school or unit of the University to the University on behalf of a graduate student to cover the cost of single coverage not eh  Aetna Student Health plan.  Please see here for more information: https://sfs.virginia.edu/financial-aid-current-students/current-graduate-students/financial-aid-basics/types-aid/health

Timing of Stipend and Wage Payments (Direct Aid)

Stipend support is typically (although not always) provided in advance of the period that it is intended to support; thus a stipend payment intended to support a student for the month of September would typically be received by September 1.  Regular stipend payments (those distributed over a semester or year) are disbursed monthly.  For example, a one-year fellowship will typically be provided in the form of 12 monthly stipend payments each disbursed in advance of the period they are intended to cover.  One-time stipends intended to support the incremental costs of research or other professional development activities are typically provided in advance of the activities they are intended to support and may be disbursed at any time.  Students should check with their school or department for specific information on how stipends are disbursed in their programs.  For specific dates associated with the disbursement of monthly stipends, please see the "Upcoming Stipend Disbursement Dates" published by Student Financial Services: https://sfs.virginia.edu/departmental-aid-users. Please note that the dates listed here represent dates by which regular monthly stipends will normally be processed by University systems.  Payments will be received into students' bank accounts after these processing dates.  

Wages are paid after the period of work in which they are earned.  At UVA students earning wages are paid bi-weekly according to the Academic Biweekly payroll calendar published by UVA Finance: https://uvafinance.virginia.edu/payroll/academic-division.  

Changing from Stipend to Wage Support

Students are advised to review the sources of their funding and to present any questions to their departmental administrator, DGS, and school-level fiscal contact, as necessary.  Students whose funding sources switch from fellowships/stipends to wages (GTA or GRA) are especially encouraged to review these changes with their departmental administrators, and understand any potential challenges associated with the timing of these different forms of aid.  For students who require assistance, the University has developed a Grad Bridge Loan program.  This and other forms of emergency aid provided by Student Financial Services can be found here.  

I-9 Requirement for Students Earning Wages

Federal law requires that prior to beginning work for the University all students (and other employees) must verify that they are authorized to work in the United States by completing an I-9 form.  Unless this form is completed within 72 hours of the start of a student's first employment assignment at the University they will be unable to earn wages.  There are no exceptions to the I-9 requirement.  

In order to complete the I-9 process, students must present relevant documentation in person.  UVA Human Resources maintains a website with information for students on the I-9 process, including dates and times for in-person documentation sessions taking place at various locations around Grounds.  Please see the UVA HR website for more information: https://hr.virginia.edu/student-i-9-documentation.  

Expenditure Reimbursements

As part of their educational activities, students may incur costs that can be reimbursed to them, such as for travel related to faculty-funded research or for other specific programs.  UVA Finance provides comprehensive information and instructions on the processes for expense reimbursements here: https://uvafinance.virginia.edu/payments-expensing/expensing-reimbursements.

The process through which expense reimbursements are created varies depending on whether or not the student is in an active employment assignment (see information on forms of direct aid above). In each case, students will need to provide copies of itemized receipts in order to process a reimbursement.

Students who are active employees of the University may initiate an expense report in Workday.  Instructions on how to create an expense report are located here: https://uvafinance.virginia.edu/resources/create-expense-report-qrg. 

Students who are not active employees of the University should consult with the appropriate finance administrator in their department or program and utilize the instructions located here: https://uvafinance.virginia.edu/resources/submitting-reimbursements-non-employees-qrg.

In all cases students who experience challenges with processing an authorized reimbursement should contact the school-level fiscal point of contact for their program:

• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) - Evan Barrow egb5z@virginia.edu 
• Education and Human Development – Dana Stanley (4-7161) dfb6n@virginia.edu 
• Engineering and Applied Science – Amanda Gregg, acg8z@virginia.edu
• Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) – Fay Miller (4-2217) fmiller@virginia.edu 
• Nursing - Reece Meares (4-1978) tma4gm@virginia.edu 
• Architecture - Finance Unit (4-1026) sarc-finance@virginia.edu 
• Batten - Cindy Moore (2-2033) chm3b@virginia.edu 
• Data Science - Kylen Baskerville rke5bu@virginia.edu 
• M.D. Students - Margaret Baxton med7q@virginia.edu 
   

Tax Information

The following information is intended for educational purposes and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Please consult your professional tax advisor or attorney for more information and to determine your eligibility. The University cannot provide legal or tax advice to individuals.

Consistent with federal tax laws and labor policies, the University views graduate students serving in student employment roles first and foremost as students. Students who are enrolled full time while providing services to the University either in the form of a graduate assistantship or another defined student role are exempt from FICA tax withholding.  Moreover, unlike other employees whose educational benefits (including tuition assistance) may be treated as taxable income, U.S. Internal Revenue Code exempts graduate assistants who teach or conduct research from taxation on tuition remission and tuition adjustments provided to them as part of their graduate assistantships.  Although FICA tax is not withheld from either wages or stipends, both are considered to be taxable income.  

Additional tax-related information for graduate students can be found in The Graduate Record. 

Funding Questions or Challenges with Payments?

If students are experiencing challenges or have questions about any form of payment, whether it be a stipend, wage payment or reimbursement they are encouraged to ask the local administrator in their department and their Director of Graduate Studies or equivalent.  If a student does not know who the appropriate local contact is, or if they continue to experience challenges they should reach out to the school-level fiscal contacts listed below.  

Students in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences are also encouraged to fill out the form referenced here and provide specific information regarding the issue requiring resolution.  

School-level Fiscal Contacts for Graduate Aid:

• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) - Evan Barrow egb5z@virginia.edu 
• Education and Human Development – Dana Stanley (4-7161) dfb6n@virginia.edu 
• Engineering and Applied Science – Amanda Gregg, acg8z@virginia.edu
• Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) – Fay Miller (4-2217) fmiller@virginia.edu 
• Nursing - Reece Meares (4-1978) tma4gm@virginia.edu 
• Architecture - Finance Unit (4-1026) sarc-finance@virginia.edu 
• Batten - Cindy Moore (2-2033) chm3b@virginia.edu 
• Data Science - Kylen Baskerville rke5bu@virginia.edu 
• M.D. Students - Margaret Baxton med7q@virginia.edu 

Grad Bridge Loans an Emergency Funding 

Graduate students in need of funding to assist with gaps in payments or unplanned emergencies may take advantage of the University's Grad Bridge Loan and other emergency funding options.  Details on these funds are provided by Student Financial Services here: https://sfs.virginia.edu/tuition-billing/billing-payment/view-and-pay-your-bill/emergency-funds

Frequently Asked Questions