Setting Up External Fellowships

1. Setting Up External Fellowships Mary Butler Ravneberg & Heather Daniels Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources: grad.wisc.edu/offr

2. Step 1:  Is it better for the student if the award is administered through the university? • Possible Benefits • Non-resident Tuition Remission if set up as a fellowship (about $7000 per semester) • Full tuition remission if set up as a RA • Health Insurance • Possible Costs • Fringe charges (27.5% of stipend for 2011-2012) • Tuition remission surcharge to department (if set up as a RA) • $4000 per semester (fall and spring only)

3. Step 1:  Is it better for the student if the award is administered through the university? • Does the award qualify for benefits? • Stipend must equal at least a 33.3% RA appointment ($11,112 academic year, $13,600 calendar year) to qualify for non-resident tuition remission and benefits • Fringes will be taken out of the fellowship (27.5% for 2011-2012) • For academic year: $11,112 + $11,112(.275) = $14,167.80 • For calendar year: $13,600 + $13,600(.275) = $17,340 • Things to consider: • Is the student a Wisconsin resident? • Does the student need university health insurance? • Does the student already have an assistantship that covers tuition and insurance? • Is the department willing to supplement the award? • Does the fellowship include money that can go toward fringes and/or tuition?

4. Step 2: Can the conditions of the fellowship be met by the university? • Most external agencies have expectations of how they want the fellowship handled • Usually found on website • Most common are that the fellow’s tuition be waived, health insurance be provided, and the fellow isn’t required to “work” for their stipend • Sometimes the awards require the university to provide funding for other years • For external fellowships not supported by the Graduate School, any supplemental funding would need to come from the graduate program

5. Step 3: Working with the agency • Talk to someone at the agency to work out the details of how the award will be handled • Are they willing to pay the award through the university by making out checks to the institution? • Does the agency need an invoice? • Where should checks be sent? In what intervals? • Are there any reporting functions the university needs to perform? • It’s important the agency understand we cannot provide tuition remission or health insurance if the stipend does not come through the university!! • Consult with your research administrators if you need help with the terms and conditions

6. Step 4: Talk to your research administrators to set up an account. • A copy of the award letter & terms and conditions will need to go to your research administrators. • They will help you set up a WISPER record. • They can work with RSP to make sure invoices are sent to the agency if needed.

7. Step 5: Finalize the agreement with the agency. • Finalize the details in writing! (Get assistance from your research administrator or the Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources, if necessary) • This can be an official, signed agreement or simply an email or letter outlining the expectations. • This should be something you can refer back to in case something goes wrong. • Example: If the agency sends the stipend directly to the student instead of the university and the student no longer qualifies for tuition remission

8. Step 6: Enter the student’s appointment into the payroll system • Set up the student’s appointment in the HRS system as 1.0 FTE • Make sure the student fills out benefits and direct deposit paperwork

9. Step 7: Submit tuition remission and third party deferral paperwork • Fellowship tuition remissions go through the Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources and they upload the information to the Bursar’s office • Third Party Deferrals go directly to the Bursar’s Office and will need to be sent if the department is paying some portion of the fellow’s tuition or if it is coming out of the student’s fellowship account.

10. External Fellowships Administered by the Graduate School • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program • Javits Fellowship Program • Ford Foundation Fellowship Program • ACLS-Mellon Dissertation Completion Fellowship • NPSC Fellowship • Charlotte Newcombe Fellowship • Spencer Dissertation Fellowship

11. Contact Info • Mary Butler Ravneberg • Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources • 231 Bascom Hall • ravneberg@grad.wisc.edu • 262-9597 • Heather Daniels • Office of Research Services • 317 Bascom Hall • hdaniels@grad.wisc.edu • 263-7274