INTRODUCTION
PART I: FINANCIAL AWARD INFORMATION
PART II: TUITION & FEES AWARD PROCESSING
PART III: STIPEND AWARD PROCESSING
APPENDIX
These guidelines pertain to the processing of financial awards (scholarships, fellowships and assistantships) for biomedical graduate (GDM) students enrolled in doctoral degree-granting programs (Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D.) at the Medical Center campus of Georgetown University.
These guidelines are published by the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education. Questions regarding these guidelines may be address to:
Mr. W. Taylor Johnson, M.F.A.
Director, Biomedical Graduate Education
Georgetown University
Box 571411
NE118 Medical-Dental Building
3900 Reservoir Road, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20057-1411
voice: 202/687-1379
fax: 202/687-2585
e-mail: johnsonw@georgetown.edu
IMPORTANT: All biomedical graduate financial award paperwork MUST be processed through the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education. Departments and Programs are therefore requested to submit completed paperwork directly to the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education for processing, in accordance with established deadlines where applicable. The Office of Biomedical Graduate Education will be responsible for reviewing and signing off on all biomedical graduate financial award paperwork, and for subsequently routing paperwork to the appropriate offices for final verification and processing. Medical Center Finance, Student Financial Services, Accounts Payable, Tax Accounting, Human Resources and Student Employment will NOT accept any financial award documents for processing which have not first been reviewed and signed off on by the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education.
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Scholarship Awards (Tuition & Fees)
A scholarship is a payment that is made to, or on behalf of, a student for educational expenses (such as tuition and required fees). Graduate Tuition Scholarships and non-service Fellowships (including those from extramural sources which provide funds to be applied toward tuition) both meet the definition of a scholarship, provided the recipient is enrolled in a for-credit academic program. Graduate Tuition Scholarships are credited directly to a recipient's student account as a credit toward present or future tuition and/or required fees.
A fellowship stipend is a payment that is made directly to a student, generally to cover living expenses, and that is not conditioned upon services being rendered (non-compensation). Graduate Fellowship (non-service) Stipends are paid through the Georgetown University Accounts Payable system, or through the Tax Accounting Office for some non-U.S. citizens (dependent upon tax treaty arrangements).
An assistantship stipend is a payment that is made directly to a student, generally to cover living expenses, and that is conditioned upon services being rendered (compensation). Graduate Assistantship (service) Stipends are paid through the Georgetown University Student Employment system.
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Scholarship Awards (Tuition & Fees)
Scholarships, or portions of scholarships, that are used to pay for tuition or required fees are considered qualified for tax exemption, and are nontaxable to both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens. Graduate Tuition Scholarships are credited directly to a student's account as a credit toward present or future tuition and/or required fees.
Graduate Fellowship (non-service) Stipends are paid through the Georgetown University Accounts Payable system, or through the Tax Accounting Office for some non-U.S. citizens (dependent upon tax treaty arrangements).
Taxes will not be withheld on these payments for U.S. citizens nor will they be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It is important to note, however, that these payments may be taxable to the recipient, and the recipient may be required to make estimated tax payments. For further information on taxability of non-service fellowship stipend awards, recipients may contact:
Mr. Chris Kennedy
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Accounting Office
Georgetown University
2121 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Suite 400
voice: 202/687-1158
e-mail:kennedyf@georgetown.edu
If the recipient is not a U.S. citizen, the recipient should contact the University's Tax Accounting Office to determine whether they are considered a resident for tax purposes, and to discuss possible tax treaty exemptions and possible exemption from Social Security and Medicare tax. Recipients may contact:
Mr. Lawrence Smith
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Accounting Office
Georgetown University
2121 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Suite 400
voice: 202/687-5448
e-mail: smithl@georgetown.edu
The student may be requested to bring specific documentation (such as a copy of their award letter, Passport, Visa, I-94 Card, and I-20 or IAP-66 Form), and should contact Mr. Smith prior to visiting the Tax Accounting Office.
Graduate Assistant (service) Stipends are paid through the Georgetown University Student Employment system. If the recipient is a U.S. citizen, this income will be reported to the recipient on a Form W-2. If the recipient is not a U.S. citizen, this income could be reported to the recipient on a Form W-2 and/or on a Form 1042-S. The recipient should complete withholding allowance forms in order to ensure proper withholding against this income.
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All biomedical graduate (GDM) students enrolled in doctoral degree-granting programs (Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D.) at the Medical Center campus of Georgetown University who are awarded a graduate tuition scholarship and/or a graduate fellowship or assistantship stipend receive an official award letter generated by the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education. Award letters are generated and distributed on an annual basis to coincide with the university's fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). The sponsoring graduate department or program will be requested to provide information on the specific source of funding for each student for incorporation into the award letter using the Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form. Ph.D. award letters are generated under the signature of the Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Education; M.D./Ph.D. award letters are generated under the co-signature of the Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Education and the Dean for Medical Education.
Award letters for new students are generated by the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education in conjunction with the official letter of admission to graduate study. At the time a recommendation for admission is made (via PeopleSoft "Record of Action" entry by the Admissions Committee), the sponsoring graduate department or program will be requested to provide information on the specific source of funding for each student for incorporation into the award letter using the Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form.
A copy of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) statement entitled Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants accompanies each award letter. The Resolution is concerned with the conditions surrounding the acceptance of offers of certain kinds of graduate student financial assistance: namely, scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, and assistantships. The general spirit of the Resolution is that students should have an opportunity to consider more than one offer and should have until April 15 to do so; that institutions and students should be able to view acceptances in force after April 15 as binding; that everyone should know what the rules are; and that an offer by the institution and its acceptance by the student constitute an agreement which both expect to honor. The Resolution acknowledges that students, after having accepted an offer, may change their minds and withdraw that acceptance. The intent of the Resolution is to provide a uniform and widely acceptable framework for so doing; one that provides protection for both student and institution.
Awards for M.D./Ph.D. students adhere to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Recommendations Concerning Medical School Acceptance Procedures for First-Year Entering Students. Schools whose first official day of classes begins prior to August 1 may start to request decisions from accepted applicants prior to May 15, but not earlier than April 15. This rule applies to all accepted applicants for the entering medical school class, including those individuals entering M.D./Ph.D. programs and individuals to whom merit scholarships or other special scholarships have been awarded. Since M.D./Ph.D. students at Georgetown University are generally required to begin their program with a summer laboratory research rotation, beginning on or about July 1, the April 15 response deadlines applies.
Award letters for continuing students are generated by the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education in the early Spring, with acknowledgement and acceptance of the award requested from the student generally by June 30. The sponsoring graduate department or program will be requested to provide information on the specific source of funding for each student for incorporation into the award letter using the Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form.
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At the time a recommendation for admission is made (via PeopleSoft "Record of Action" entry by the Admissions Committee), the sponsoring graduate department or program will be requested to provide information on the specific source of funding for each student via the Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form.
Information contained on this form will be used to post scholarship awards for tuition and required fees directly to the recipient's student account.
In the early Spring, sponsoring graduate departments and programs will be requested to provide information on the specific source of funding for the coming fiscal year for all continuing students via the Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form.
Information contained on this form will be used to post scholarship awards for tuition and required fees directly to the recipient's student account.
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Any revisions to previously processed awards (such as change in source of funding) must be requested via the Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form.
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Biomedical graduate stipend awards generally fall into one of two categories:
Fellowship stipends are provided without a work obligation. Such awards are classified as "Non-Service" (non-compensation).
For non-service stipends, the amount may be taxable unless the funds are used to pay for tuition, books, fees, supplies and equipment required of all students in their courses. However, per IRS regulations, Georgetown University will not withhold taxes, nor will the University report the amount to the IRS.
Non-service stipend recipients may be required to make estimated tax payments. The requirement to make estimated tax payments varies from individual to individual depending on facts and circumstances. Non-service stipend recipients are encouraged to visit the Georgetown University?s Department of Taxation Non-Service Stipend FAQ page for more information, or SECTION I-B: TAXABILITY OF AWARDS.
Assistantship stipends are provided in return for service in teaching, in research, or in other matters of an academic nature. Such awards are classified as "Service" (compensation).
For service stipends, Georgetown University treats the amount as taxable wages; therefore, taxes may be withheld and the student will be issued a W-2 form.
A student's academic status, combined with their source of stipend funding, determines whether they will be processed as "non-service" or "service":
Stipend awards to pre-thesis students, regardless of funding source, are to be treated as non-service (non-compensation) and will be processed through the Accounts Payable System.
Pre-thesis students are designated as those who are engaged in full-time required coursework to be applied toward their doctoral degree. This includes those students who are enrolled for a laboratory research rotation (555-01) during the Summer. Pre-thesis students are also designated as those who are in their last pre-thesis semester, Fall or Spring, who are enrolled for less than 9 credits towards the completion of required coursework to be applied toward their doctoral degree, but who are engaged in full-time academic pursuits by concurrently initiating thesis research and accordingly enrolled in thesis research (999-03). Enrollment in Section 03 (999-03) of thesis research may be extended to a second consecutive semester only if courses required toward completion of the doctoral degree are not offered in the same semester.
M.D./Ph.D. stipend awards will be processed as non-service via the Accounts Payable system during the student?s enrollment in the M.D. portion of the program, as well as during enrollment in the pre-thesis Ph.D. portion of the program, as outlined above.
NRSA Stipend awards (or any other stipend awards which qualify as individual predoctoral fellowships awarded directly to the student for which the student serves as the "Principal Investigator") given to thesis students are to be treated as non-service (non-compensation) and processed through the Accounts Payable System.
NOTE: This includes students who are funded by an Institutional Training Grant (T32).
Non-NRSA Stipend awards (or any other stipend awards which do not qualify as individual predoctoral fellowships awarded directly to the student for which the student serves as the "Principal Investigator) given to students who are working on their thesis are to be treated as service (compensation/wages) and processed through the Student Employment System. This includes students who are funded by a Research Project Grant (RO1) by their thesis mentor.
Thesis students are designated as those who have completed all required coursework to be applied toward their doctoral degree, and who are enrolled only in full-time thesis research (999-01). Students should not be signed up for any additional required coursework to be applied toward their doctoral degree while enrolled in Section 01 (999-01) of thesis research.
Thesis students are also designated as those who have completed all required coursework to be applied toward their doctoral degree, and who are enrolled only in full-time thesis research during the Summer (999-61). Students should not be signed up for any additional required coursework to be applied toward their doctoral degree while enrolled in Section 61 (999-61) of thesis research.
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In order to initiate a non-service fellowship stipend payment via the Accounts Payable system, the following forms must be completed:
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
-
Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
-
Payment Voucher for Non Service Stipends
-
School of Medicine Recommendation for Appointment of Graduate Trainees
-
Accounts Payable (AP) Automatic Deposit Form (if applicable)
NOTE: Access to the above forms is available in the Appendix.
If the recipient is pre-thesis and is not a U.S. citizen, the recipient should contact the University's Tax Accounting Office to determine whether they require processing via Accounts Payable or via Tax Accounting. Recipients should contact:
Mr. Lawrence Smith
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Accounting Office
Georgetown University
2121 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Suite 400
voice: 202/687-5448
e-mail: smithl@georgetown.edu
The student may be requested to bring specific documentation (such as a copy of their award letter, Passport, Visa, I-94 Card, and I-20 or IAP-66 Form), and should contact Mr. Smith prior to visiting the Tax Accounting Office.
A renewal in Accounts Payable would apply to students who were previously processed via Accounts Payable as non-service, but were subsequently terminated and initiated as service via Payroll, but need to be renewed as non-service via Accounts Payable.
In order to renew a non-service fellowship stipend payment via the Accounts Payable system, the following forms must be completed:
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
-
Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
-
Payment Voucher for Non Service Stipends
-
School of Medicine Recommendation for Appointment of Graduate Trainees
-
Accounts Payable (AP) Automatic Deposit Form (if applicable)
NOTE: Access to the above forms is available in the Appendix.
For students wishing to receive their stipend payment via direct deposit, the Accounts Payable (AP) Automatic Deposit Form must be completed again (even if one was previously submitted) and must accompany the voucher upon submission. The voucher must also be accompanied by the Payroll termination paperwork.
For students who will continue to be processed as non-service via Accounts Payable from one fiscal year to the next, the following form must be completed:
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
-
Confirmation of Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award
-
Payment Voucher for Non Service Stipends
-
School of Medicine Recommendation for Appointment of Graduate Trainees
NOTE: Access to the above forms is available in the Appendix.
The Accounts Payable (AP) Automatic Deposit Form does not need to be resubmitted for continuations.
Should an adjustment (such as change in distribution or cost center number) to a non-service fellowship stipend award processed via Accounts Payable be required during the course of a fiscal year, the following form must be completed:
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
-
Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
-
Payment Voucher for Non Service Stipends
NOTE: Access to the above form is available in the Appendix.
It is important to note than adjustments can only be processed for future stipend payments. For payments which have already been disbursed which require retroactive adjustment, the department or program should complete a journal voucher to complete any required retroactive adjustments.
In order to terminate a previously submitted non-service fellowship stipend award processed via Accounts Payable, the following form must be completed:
NOTE: Access to the above form is available in the Appendix.
If the award termination date coincides with the last stipend payment date as noted on the most recently submitted voucher, then a termination need not be submitted; in such instances, the stipend will automatically end, unless a voucher requesting continuation is submitted.
Questions concerning the processing of non-service fellowship stipend awards via Accounts Payable may be directed to the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education, or to:
Ms. Maleka Weatherspoon
Manager
Accounts Payable
Georgetown University
2121 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Suite 101
voice: 202/687-3945
e-mail: weatherm@georgetown.edu
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In order to initiate a service assistantship stipend payment via the Student Employment system, the following forms must be completed:
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
-
Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
-
Student Employment Transaction Form (SETF)
-
Employee Supplemental Data Form
-
School of Medicine Recommendation for Appointment of Graduate Trainees
-
I-9 Form
-
Federal W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate Form
-
State Withholding Form
-
Direct Deposit Form (if applicable)
NOTE: Access to the above forms is available in the Appendix.
A renewal in Student Employment would apply to students who were previously processed via Student Employment as service, but were subsequently terminated and initiated as non-service via Accounts Payable, but need to be renewed as service via Student Employment.
In order to initiate a service assistantship stipend payment via the Student Employment system, the following forms must be completed:
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
-
Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
-
Student Employment Transaction Form (SETF)
-
Employee Supplemental Data Form
-
School of Medicine Recommendation for Appointment of Graduate Trainees
-
I-9 Form
-
Federal W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate Form
-
State Withholding Form
-
Direct Deposit Form (if applicable)
NOTE: Access to the above forms is available in the Appendix.
For students wishing to receive their stipend payment via direct deposit, the Payroll Direct Deposit Form must be completed again (even if one was previously submitted) and must accompany the SETF upon submission. The SETF must also be accompanied by the Accounts Payable termination paperwork.
For students who will continue to be processed as service via Student Employment from one fiscal year to the next, the following form must be completed:
- Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
- Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
- Student Employment Transaction Form (SETF)
NOTE: Access to the above form is available in the Appendix.
Other supporting documents do not need to be resubmitted for continuations.
Should an adjustment (such as change in distribution or cost center number) to a service assistantship stipend award processed via Student Employment be required during the course of a fiscal year, the following form must be completed:
- Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
- Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal Form
- Student Employment Transaction Form (SETF)
NOTE: Access to the above form is available in the Appendix.
In order to terminate a previously submitted service assistantship stipend award processed via Student Employment, the following form must be completed:
- Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking Form
- Student Employment Transaction Form (SETF)
NOTE: Access to the above form is available in the Appendix.
Questions concerning the processing of service assistantship stipend awards via Student Employment may be directed to the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education, or to:
Ms. Julia Wrice
Student Employment Coordinator
Student Financial Services
Georgetown University
G Healy Hall
voice: 202/687-8393
e-mail: wricej@georgetown.edu
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The Montly Pay Schedule, indicating deadline dates for submission of biomedical graduate (GDM) stipend paperwork:
( Word | PDF )
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Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal
Form (FY'06) (
Online )
-
Biomedical Graduate Financial Aid Award Transmittal
Form (FY'05) (
Online )
-
Biomedical Graduate (GDM) Financial Award Signature Authorization Tracking
Form (
Word |
PDF )
-
Direct Deposit: Accounts Payable (Non-Service)
Form (
Word |
PDF )
-
Direct Deposit: Payroll (Service)
Form (
PDF )
-
Employee Supplemental Data
Form (
Word )
-
I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
Form (
PDF )
-
Payment Voucher for Non-Service Stipends (FY'06)
Instructions (
Word |
PDF )
-
Payment Voucher for Non-Service Stipends (FY'06)
Form (
Excel |
PDF )
-
Student Employment Transaction Form (SETF)
Form (
Word |
PDF )
-
School of Medicine Recommendation for Appointment of Graduate Trainees
Form (
Word )
-
Withholding: Federal W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate
Form (
PDF )
-
Withholding: DC Withholding Allowance Certificate
Form (
PDF )
-
Withholding: MD MW-507 Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificate
Form (
PDF )
-
Withholding: VA VA-4 Personal Exemption Worksheet
Form (
PDF )
NOTE: Other Forms used by Human Resources may be found here.
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