University of AlaskaStudent Employment and Scholarships/Fellowships

Student Employment and Scholarships/Fellowships

Ways to pay students in order to help them in their pursuit of knowledge at the University of Alaska

• Employment (Compensation for Services)

• Scholarships/Fellowships

Student Employment and Scholarships/Fellowships

How do you know if a payment is a employment (compensation) or a scholarship/ fellowship?

• Complete the “Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire”

http://www.alaska.edu/hr/procedures/PDF/personnel.hiring_process.student_payment_questionnaire.pdf

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire

Decision tree to classify payments to students

• Employment: Paid through Payroll

• Scholarship/Fellowship: Paid through Financial Aid, Graduate School, or Accounts Payable

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire

Example of Thesis Completion Award

Award description:

Sum of money paid to student in order to aid them in completing their graduate degree thesis. The only requirement to receive award is that they are making satisfactory progress in attaining their degree.

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Thesis Completion

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Thesis Completion

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Thesis Completion

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Thesis Completion

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Thesis Completion

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire

Example of Research Assistant Award

Award description:

Sum of money paid to student in order to aid them in completing their graduate degree. Student required to perform research in a lab and give periodic results to principal investigator of the grant.

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Research Assistant

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Research Assistant

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Research Assistant

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Research Assistant

Employment vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire- Research Assistant

Employment

Types of employment:

• Graduate Teaching Assistants

• Graduate Research Assistants

• Student Workers (Hourly)

Graduate Research Assistants

• Graduate students performing research in the course of fulfilling requirements of an advanced degree

• Paid a lump sum payment every biweekly pay period- Track percent of effort on time sheet

• Contract letter template at http://www.alaska.edu/hr/labor/nonrep/word/ra_not_workstudy.doc

Graduate Teaching Assistants

• Graduate students whose primary purpose is teaching, tutoring, instructing, or lecturing in the activity of imparting knowledge

• Paid a lump sum payment every biweekly pay period- Track percent of effort on time sheet

• Contract letter template at http://www.alaska.edu/hr/labor/nonrep/word/ta_not_workstudy.doc

Requirements for Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships

• Students should contact the MAU Graduate Office for specific requirements of the program – Students must be enrolled full time in current

semester– Students may work over the summer term if

they demonstrate plans to enroll full time the following semester

Federal Work Study

• Graduate Research Assistants and Graduate Teaching Assistants on Federal Work Study must be paid on an hourly basis per Federal Work Study requirements

• Contract letter template at http://www.alaska.edu/hr/labor/nonrep/word/ra-ta_workstudy_contract_ltr.doc

Student workers (Hourly)

• Students can be graduate or undergraduate students

• Paid on an hourly basis and subject to minimum wage and overtime provisions of FLSA- Track hours on time sheet

• Includes students on Federal Work Study

Requirements for Student Workers (Hourly)

• Students must complete “Student Status Verification” form in order to accept student employment- http://www.alaska.edu/hr/forms/PDF/student_stat_verif_b171.pdf – Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6

credit hours in current semester– Students may work over the summer term if

they demonstrate plans to enroll in six or more credit hours the following semester

Requirements for Student Workers (Hourly)

• Students working over 20 hours per week during the academic year must have a signed “Student Employee Waiver Form”

http://www.alaska.edu/hr/forms/PDF/student_employee_waiver.pdf

• Students enrolled at least half time and working no more than 20 hours per week during the academic year may be exempt from FICA tax withholding.

Requirements for Foreign Students

Students on an F-1 or J-1 visa:

• must be enrolled full time in current semester

• may work over the summer term and breaks if allowed by visa category

• are not eligible to work over 20 hours while classes are in session

• are not eligible for the “Student Employee Waiver Form”

Scholarship/Fellowship- Account Codes

• Scholarship/Fellowship:

• Tuition Waivers:

Graduate Health Insurance

Graduate teaching assistants, graduate research assistants and graduate fellowship recipients receive health care coverage through their MAU Graduate Office.

Procedures for health insurance are located at http://www.alaska.edu/cost-analysis/downloads/healthprem_grad.pdf.

Scholarship/Fellowship- Award Letter

Award letter template for graduate thesis completion fellowships is located at http://www.alaska.edu/hr/labor/nonrep/word/grad_thesis_complete.doc

Resources

• Questions about “Compensation Stipend vs. Scholarship/Fellowship Questionnaire” , contact MAU Financial Services

• Questions about graduate teaching and research assistantships, contact MAU Graduate Office

• Questions about student employment, contact MAU Human Resources

Resources

• Questions about scholarship/fellowship payments, contact MAU Business Office

• Student Employment Procedures

http://www.alaska.edu/hr/procedures/PDF/personnel.hiring_process.student_employment.pdf