FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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GRADUATE STUDENT STIPENDS
As a rule, the Graduate School provides Research Assistantships to first year Ph.D. students who do not have external financial support while they are doing their tutorial projects.
Students who receive these GSBS Assistantships are considered to be half-time (50%) employees of the State and their title is "Graduate Research Assistant" (GRA). The stipend level for 2005-2006 will be $23,000 per annum.
As part of the employee sign-up process, students must provide the following documentation:
- a valid passport, or
- State-issued (not necessarily Texas) driver's license with a photograph and an original Social Security Card or a birth certificate.
This step is important and one which must be done in order for you to get paid. We are telling you about it now so that you will be sure to have the documentation you need when you arrive at GSBS. You'll need these forms when you sign up for employee benefits. If you have questions about this, please call the Office of Academic Affairs (713-500-9870).
GSBS GRAs get paid twice a month. Pay days are the first working after the 1st and 16th of the month following the pay period.
GSBS Assistantships continue while students are engaged in tutorial laboratory projects, or through May 31 for students who matriculate in the Fall Semester. Following the tutorial period, students are funded by fellowships, training grants, or their advisors' grants. The Graduate School, working with advisors and departments, will make every effort to ensure that students continue to receive financial support throughout the course of their degree programs.
The stipends awarded to GSBS students are intended to contribute sufficiently to meeting educational and living costs so that students can devote full time to their studies. It is the expectation of the Graduate School, therefore, that students holding stipends will not undertake activities, including employment of any kind, that will interfere with their educational program or delay their progress toward the degree.
An exception to this policy will be made by the Dean only if the activity proposed by the student (1) can be justified as contributing in some fashion to his/her training as a researcher/teacher and (2) involves no more than 80 hours of effort over the course of an academic year.
Students who apply directly to funding agencies outside the University and are awarded fellowships may also receive Graduate Research Assistantships as long as the combination of payments from the outside fellowship and GRA does not exceed 130% of the recommended levels ($26,000 in 2002-2003). This policy also applies to full-stipend fellowships awarded by the GSBS. Note that some fellowships (such as the Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship) prohibit supplementation.
Students who are awarded half-time Graduate Research Assistantships (either through the Health Science Center or the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center) will be eligible for employee insurance benefits and premium sharing. That means your hospitalization will be paid for by UT if you are a GRA. Dependents can be covered by the policy, although you may have to pay for the additional coverage. More information about health insurance.
Students who have not been awarded an Assistantship may obtain medical/dental insurance through the UT-Houston Auxiliary Enterprises. The Student Insurance Plan costs approximately $800 per year for a single student for medical coverage. Dental coverage is available.
All international students are required to have health insurance. Students who have been awarded a Graduate Research Assistantship will be covered by the employee medical policy. However, all international students will be required to purchase a supplemental insurance policy at a cost of approximately $30 per year to cover costs in the event of medical evacuation or repatriation.
Your arrival in Houston and your registration in GSBS will put a strain on your budget. You will have to pay deposits for your apartment, electricity, and telephone service. Be aware that most banks require a clearing period of 7-10 days for out-of-town checks, even those from other banks. This means that you should have traveler's checks or cash to tide you over until your account is ready for action.
