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UW Graduate School - Faculty and Staff

Benefits & Charges

Eligibility

Salaried Academic Student Employees are eligible for health insurance and tuition/fees coverage only if:

  1. They have appointments of 50% FTE or more for five out of six consecutive pay periods in a payroll quarter (see below)
  2. They are paid through the UW payroll system, and
  3. They are enrolled in at least 10 credits

Eligibility for other benefits varies; see specific benefit information below.

Graduate Research Student Assistants (GRSAs), Graduate Teaching Student Assistants (GTSAs), Graduate Student Academic Assistants (GSAAs), and Graduate Predoctoral Instructors (GPIs) — the summer-only hourly ASE appointments — are not eligible for tuition/fees benefits, because these positions can only be held by matriculated graduate students who are not enrolled. GAIP eligibility for these positions depends on various circumstances; see the GAIP website for more information.

Payroll Quarter

Payroll quarter dates are different than academic quarter dates. Payroll Quarters consist of six pay periods and the dates are:

  • Autumn: September 16–December 15
  • Winter: December 16–March 15
  • Spring: March 16–June 15
  • Summer: June 16–September 15

Health Insurance

Eligible academic student employees are covered by the Graduate Appointee Insurance Program (GAIP). Complete information about the plan can be found on the UW Benefits website.

The cost of GAIP is charged to the hiring resource as a percentage of the salary in the form of the payroll load rate.

NOTE: Dates of GAIP coverage are NOT retroactive to the beginning of the quarter for appointments which are entered late. Coverage begins the first of the month following the appointment start date or the date the appointment was entered into Workday, if that date was AFTER the start of the appointment.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition-based programs

Eligible graduate student employees receive payment (tuition waiver) of the operating fee (both resident and non-resident portions), the building fee, and the technology fee. Students are personally responsible for any remaining fees. The tuition will be covered automatically, provided that the UW student number and correct social security number are entered in both the student database (SDB) and Workday.

Fee-based programs

Graduate students enrolled in fee-based programs who hold a TA/RA/SA or Predoc Instructor position eligible for tuition coverage must receive payment of all course fees. Students are responsible for any remaining fees that tuition-based TA/RA/SAs normally pay (including but not limited to Services & Activities Fee, Facilities Renovation fee, and IMA Bond fee). The department must initiate payment of these fees and can do so by contacting UW Professional & Continuing Education (PCE).

Possible reasons tuition is not paid

  • The eligible job is not entered and/or fully approved in Workday.
  • The student does not meet minimum enrollment requirements to hold an Academic Student Employee position (at least 10 credits in autumn, winter, spring and 2 credits in summer).

Leave

Eligible employees are eligible for leave for medical, family, childbirth, and adoption as well as vacation time. The UW/UAW contract outlines policies and procedures for leaves of absence in Article 17.

Childcare

Along with the Childcare Assistance Program, eligible employees are eligible for additional childcare assistance and use of any childcare for sick children that is provided to UW staff and faculty. Information can be found in Article 5 of the UW/UAW contract.

Budget charges (tuition-based and fee-based)

When a position is eligible for benefits, the health insurance (GAIP) payroll load rate will be charged to the resource(s) paying the employee, based on the costing allocations.

Tuition-based degree programs

  • Resident Operating Fee: If the resource paying the salary for an eligible TA/RA/SA/Predoc Instructor is a GOF resource (defined as RS100216), the resident operating fee portion of tuition is waived centrally, and not charged to any unit resource. With any other resource used to pay the salary, the resident operating fee will be charged directly to that resource.
  • Building Fee and Non-resident Operating Fee: Waived centrally and not charged to employing unit.
  • Technology Fee: For any eligible TA/RA/SA/Predoc Instructor, the following resources and/or fund designations carry a central waiver of the technology fee: RS100216, RS100001 or FD200 or FD209, RS100185, RS100082, RS100366, RS100367, RS100374, RS100083, RS100193, RS100194. Otherwise, including with gifts and indirect cost recovery allocations, the technology fee is charged to the unit resource paying the salary.

Fee-based degree programs

The charges for course fees will be paid by the employing department.