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 (3-1159) 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 - Diane Wendelken dw4va@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.
Tax Information for International Students and Scholars
Note: Filing federal and state income tax forms is the personal responsibility of each international student and scholar. This document is intended to provide information to help you navigate the tax laws to meet your tax filing obligations. However, please understand that ultimately you are individually responsible for the accuracy of your income tax filings.
If the FAQs below do not answer your questions, please schedule a meeting with our Foreign National Tax Analyst by clicking here.
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) - Tyisha Hathorn nbc4cf@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
Financial Aid
Yes, there is federal aid available to graduate students. To initiate this process, students will need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The University of Virginia does provide emergency funding to graduate students. To apply for an emergency loan, students will need to email Student Financial Services at sfs@virginia.edu
In addition to emergency loan funding, the Division of Student Affairs and Student Financial Services have partnered to create the Hoo Needs Help initiative to provide more financial support in times of need.
Health Insurance Subsidy
A Qualified Health Insurance Subsidy is a mandated subsidy provided on behalf of a graduate student who earns at least $5,000 in wages as a GTA or GRA over the course of the fiscal year.
If you are a GTA or GRA receiving at least $5,000 in wages over a single fiscal year (July 1 - June 30), you qualify for the subsidy. GTAs or GRAs who do not earn $5,000 during the fiscal year do not qualify for the health insurance subsidy.
I-9
An 1-9 form verifies that you are authorized to work in the United States. Federal law requires that all new employees to the University of Virginia fill-out a 1-9 form within 72 hours (about 3 days) of their first official day of work.
For further information about the 1-9 requirement, you can reach the Human Resources department at 434.924.3194 or attend a documentation information session sponsored by Human Resources.
A list of acceptable 1-9 documents can be found here.
Graduate students being paid a wage for graduate assistantship work or other university sponsored wage-related work must fill out an I-9 form. Graduate students who do not receive direct aid from the University are not required to complete an I-9 form.
Unless your 1-9 documents expire or you leave the university for 3 or more years, you only complete the verification process once.
Payroll and Reimbursement Processing
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 – Ben Baer bcb2y@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
Graduate students should retain itemized receipts for all authorized expenditures for which they seek reimbursement. We strongly encourage graduate students to take pictures of itemized receipts as a safeguard for reimbursement processing.
Direct deposit is a fast and efficient way to disburse funds directly into a banking account. Information about signing up for direct deposit can be found here.
International Student and Scholar Taxes
Foreign nationals in the U.S. on a non-immigrant basis, such as students and researchers, are generally considered nonresidents for U.S. taxation. Income tax withholding and reporting is slightly different for nonresidents.
Generally, F1 students are considered nonresidents for the first five years of presence in the U.S., while J1 researchers are considered nonresidents for the first two years of presence in the U.S. Determination of an individual’s tax residency status can be impacted by previous visits to the U.S. and individual elections. More information regarding residency determinations can be found on the IRS’ webpage: Determining an individual’s tax residency status.
Federal Filing: Nonresident students and scholars who resided in the U.S. for any portion of the prior calendar year must file a U.S. annual tax report by the applicable tax filing deadline, usually April 15th of the following year.
State Filing: Nonresident students and scholars who received earned income or scholarships in Virginia are also required to file an annual state income tax return with the Commonwealth of Virginia (usually by May 1st).
Note: If you resided in one or more U.S. states other than Virginia within the last calendar year, you may have additional state income tax filings in those states. For more information, please refer to the “State Tax Filing Requirements” section below.
Taxable income includes wages, non-qualified scholarships, fringe benefits, interest, partnership income, royalties, etc. A complete list of taxable income is available in IRS Pub. 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income. The most common University payments to students are in the form of wages and non-qualified scholarship (stipends).
- Wages: Students and scholars who are paid wages by the University will have Federal and state income tax withheld from each paycheck. The University will issue a Form W2 that reports the wages paid and the Federal and state income tax withheld. Note that the federal and state taxes withheld are estimates of the actual tax liability, based on the employee’s elections, and may differ from the total annual tax due. Any withheld taxes are applied to the actual taxes owed on total annual income.
- Stipends/Scholarships: Students and scholars receiving stipend or scholarship payments will have 14% federal income tax withheld. The University will issue a Form 1042-S that reports the taxable stipend or scholarship amount and the taxes withheld.
No. In the U.S., the tax year for individual filers runs from January 1 to December 31. If you were not present in the U.S. during the previous tax year, you do not need to file any tax forms for that calendar tax year.
Yes. All individuals who were present in the United States must file a tax report for that calendar year. You should request the University (and any other employers) to mail your Form W-2 to your home country address, or else confirm that you will be able to access the form online.
Yes. Even if they earned no income, all foreign national students and scholars must file IRS Form 8843 (“Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals with a Medical Condition”). Note that any spouses and dependents holding Visas in F-2 or J-2 status must also file Form 8843.
Yes. If you were in the U.S. even 1 day in a calendar year, you must file Form 8843.
Reporting of income and payment of income tax is required by Federal law. Noncompliance with US law could jeopardize your visa status. If you owe taxes and don't file, the IRS can assess penalties and interest and seize your U.S. bank accounts and other assets for repayment. Fines and penalties assessed can often exceed the original tax owed. Applicants for permanent residency "green cards" may be asked to show proof of tax filing for previous years in the U.S.
If you believe the University may have incorrectly taxed your stipend payment(s) due to your tax residency status or a tax treaty exemption, please contact UVA Finance. UVA Finance will process a refund if its determined that tax was improperly withheld. The refund process will require registration in the UVA Vendor System and issuance of an invoice and can take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
Any nonresidents who were present in the U.S. for even one day during the preceding tax year (Jan.1 to Dec. 31), regardless of whether they earned income, must file Form 8843 (“Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals With a Medical Condition”).
In addition, nonresidents who earned taxable income in the U.S. during the preceding tax year, including taxable stipends and scholarships, must file Form 1040NR.
Yes. Tax treaty recipients are required to file an annual US tax return (both Form 8843 and Form 1040NR). Failure to file can lead to the loss of treaty benefits and possible tax penalties.
As a service to its foreign students and scholars, UVA Finance provides Sprintax Tax Prep, a tax preparation software created specifically to assist foreign nationals in preparing and submitting their tax filings. For more information, please refer to the “Assistance with Tax Form & Filings” section below.
Note: You are not obligated to use Sprintax and may instead elect to retain an individual accountant to prepare and file your taxes. You may also elect to complete the forms yourself, although this can be difficult without a solid understanding of U.S. tax laws.
If you had no earned income and only filed Federal Form 8843, then you do not have a state tax filing obligation and there is nothing you need to do.
If you had earned income and were required to file a federal tax Form 1040NR, then you also have a state income tax filing return in any state where you earned taxable income. Foreign students and scholars who received payments from UVA while residing in Virginia must file a Virginia state income tax return.
As a service to its foreign students and scholars, UVA Finance provides Sprintax Tax Prep, a tax preparation software created specifically to assist foreign nationals in preparing and submitting their tax filings. You can use Sprintax Tax Prep to file your federal income tax return at no cost to you. Sprintax can prepare and file one or more state tax returns for an additional fee per filing.
To file taxes with state tax authorities, you will need your completed federal income tax filing (Form 1040NR) and copies of any Forms W-2, 1042-S and/or 1099 received for that tax year.
You will receive a Form 1042-S from UVA if you are a nonresident alien and:
- You are employed by UVA and are exempt under a tax treaty with your home country;
- You received a taxable scholarship or fellowship from UVA; or
- You received an honoraria or taxable travel or business expense reimbursement from UVA.
Remember that not all students and scholars receive a Form 1042-S. However, if you believe you fit into one of the categories mentioned in Question #14 and that you should have received a Form 1042-S, please contact UVA’s Foreign National Tax Analyst at internationaltax@virginia.edu.
Nonresident students are not allowed to deduct the cost of tuition on their income tax filings. However, you should keep a copy of Form 1098-T with your tax document records.
If you haven’t received Form W–2 or Form 1099, or believe you received an inaccurate form, please contact UVA’s Foreign National Tax Analyst at internationaltax@virginia.edu.
UVA employees are not permitted to provide individual tax advice. However, UVA Finance provides Sprintax Tax Prep, a user-friendly tax preparation software specifically for international students and scholars, to assist with your tax filing obligations.
Note: Students and scholars with extensive investments or more complicated tax situations issues should seek advice from a tax professional familiar with nonresident tax issues.
The Sprintax Tax Prep software will help you navigate U.S. federal tax forms, residency status, tax treaties, exemptions, and deductions. Sprintax Tax Prep is accessible globally, so you can access your tax files at home, at school, or while traveling.
Some notable features of Sprintax Tax Prep:
- Calculates the substantial presence test to determine the foreign national's U.S. tax residency status.
- Checks each type of payment against any applicable tax treaty to ensure that you can take advantage of any tax treaty benefits.
- Completes the correct U.S. income tax form - either Form 1040NR or 8843.
- Prepares any additional statements or attachments, as applicable.
- Prints the completed tax return form and all additional attachments.
- Provides detailed instructions about how, when and where to submit the tax return, as well as information about the documents necessary to attach and complete the tax return filing process.
Yes, you can contact the Sprintax Support Center by using the “Live Help” button.
Students and scholars who are residents for tax purposes file using the regular Form 1040 tax return and follow resident tax rules. The IRS website http://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free provides many documents and free software to assist tax residents. Other options include commercial tax filing services and, for students with complex tax situations, retaining an individual accountant.
Note: Being a resident for tax purposes doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be considered a resident for immigration or tuition purposes. Each set of rules has a different definition of “resident”.
If you have any additional questions, please contact UVA’s Foreign National Tax Analyst at internationaltax@virginia.edu.