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UW Graduate School - Faculty and Staff

Benefits & Budget 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 the six 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 Student Research Assistants (GRSAs), the summer hourly RA appointments, are not eligible for health insurance or tuition/fees benefits.

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 budget 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 waiver payment will be made 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

Eligible graduate student employees 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, IMA Bond fee, and U-PASS). 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 appointment and distribution have not yet been entered in the payroll database.
  • 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 16.

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 budget paying the employee.

Tuition-based degree programs

  • Resident Operating Fee and Building Fee: If the budget paying the salary for a Graduate Student Service Appointment is a GOF budget, the resident operating fee portion of tuition is waived, and not charged to any budget. If the distribution budget is not a state GOF budget, then the distribution budget is charged for the resident operating fee portion of tuition. A state budget is defined as budget type 01, budget class 10 through 29 as coded in the UW Financial Accounting System.
  • Non-resident Operating Fee: Waived centrally and not charged to employing budget.
  • Technology Fee: If the distribution budget is type 01 & class 31, or type 05, then a central administrative budget is charged the technology fee. The distribution budget is charged the technology fee if budget type/class is other than the type/class listed above.

Fee-based degree programs

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