Graduate Student Tuition Support

• Eligibility requirements
• Minimum stipend requirement
• Appointment
• Deadlines
• Duration of support
• Funding source

Tuition support is provided in three ways:

• In-state tuition awards cover the in-state tuition charged by the Cashier’s Office to all graduate students.
• Tuition Remission awards reduce the student’s tuition charges to the in-state level.
• Tuition awards may be provided to pay school-based tuition, or if a department wants to use their own funding to pay tuition for a student who does not meet the eligibility criteria.

See the University Cashier's for more information on tuition charges.

Eligibility Requirements for Tuition and Fees

A student must meet the following criteria to qualify for tuition remission, in-state tuition, and fees:

1. The student must be a full-time, degree-seeking student in a residential program administered by The Graduate School. They are considered a full-time student if they are enrolled for each term and
• Registered for 9 or more graduate credit hours in a fall or spring term
• OR registered for a minimum of 3 hours of thesis substitute (992), thesis (993), or dissertation (994) in a fall, spring, or summer term. A student may register for additional courses as needed, but if registering for less than 9 hours, this must include a minimum of 3 hours of 992/993/994 to be considered full-time
• OR registered for fewer than 9 graduate credit hours in a fall, spring, or summer term, exclusive of 992/993/994, and granted a Waiver of Hours for that term.
2. They must receive a minimum stipend level per semester, as set by The Graduate School. Stipend levels are subject to change each year.

   Minimum Stipend 2023-2024
   Doctoral programs and Master’s/Doctoral Programs: $10,000/semester (RAs and TAs)	Terminal Master’s Programs: $8,000/semester (RAs and TAs)

3. The student must have an appointment as a teaching assistant, research assistant, trainee or non-service fellow. The appointment must be in effect for a period of no less than one full semester for them to be eligible for, and to retain, tuition remission, in-state tuition, and fees. NOTE: Students hired as Graduate Assistants (EHRA) or as hourly temporary (SHRA) employees are not eligible for tuition, fee, or health insurance benefits.

Students who meet the eligibility requirements outlined above may receive in-state tuition and mandatory student fees. Non-NC residents may also receive tuition remission.

If at any point in the semester the student is determined to no longer meet the eligibility requirements to receive tuition and fees, the full amount will be rescinded, and they may be personally responsible for paying the full costs of tuition for that semester.

The Graduate School provides resources to departments for tuition remission, in-state tuition, and fees for fall and spring semesters only. Departments may provide tuition and fees for summer semesters from their own sources.

Appointment

To be eligible for in-state and tuition remission awards, a student must meet certain eligibility requirements, including earning a minimum stipend for work performed with an appropriate job code. Definitions of these positions are below:

• Graduate Assistant* - 800168
• Graduate Teaching Assistant - 800169
  a graduate student, enrolled full-time in accordance with their program of study, who regularly teaches a class or classes; supervises recitation section; has full responsibility of a course, or leads discussion sections; or grades papers and exams; or supervises a laboratory section or sections; under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty.
• Graduate Research Assistant - 800170
  a graduate student, enrolled full-time in accordance with their program of study and engaged in research activities directly related to their program of study under the supervision or in collaboration with a member of the graduate faculty.
• Fellow Trainee - 800171
  a graduate student enrolled full-time in accordance with their program of study, who holds a sponsored fellowship or traineeship, and receives a stipend or training payment (e.g., NSF Fellowship, NIH Training Grant, or Graduate School Fellow).
• Graduate Teaching Fellow - 800172
  a graduate student, enrolled full-time in accordance with their program of study who has full responsibility for the course, including leading the class and assigning grades.
• Senior Teaching Fellow - 800183
  a graduate student, enrolled full-time in accordance with their program of study who has full responsibility for a class and supervises other teaching assistants.
• Instructional Assistant - 800184
  a graduate student, enrolled full-time in accordance with their program of study who is responsible for grading and other administrative responsibilities related to a course including lab assistance and setup; but does not lead discussion sections.

Students in all of the above job codes EXCEPT Graduate Assistant are eligible for tuition and fee awards, and the jobs will feed to GradStar for eligibility determination purposes.

Appointments must be in effect for the entire semester for the student to be eligible for in-state tuition, tuition remission, and fees for the relevant semester.

Deadlines

Appointment Deadline

Students should be appointed to their positions at the beginning of the relevant semester, preferably no later than the first day of classes (as indicated in the University Registrar's Calendar.)

Registration Deadline

All eligible students should be registered no later than the last day to register/add classes as indicated in the University Registrar's Calendar in order to be eligible for a tuition remission or in-state tuition award. Failure to register on time or add/drop classes after census date could result in financial consequences.

Duration of Funding Support

• Terminal master's program students are eligible to receive tuition remission, in-state tuition, fees, and health insurance for four (4) semesters;
• Doctoral students (or students in master's/doctoral sequence programs) are eligible to receive tuition remission, in-state tuition, fees, and health insurance for ten (10) semesters.

Individual programs may grant additional semesters of support from their own budget or other departmental sources of funding. A student must maintain eligibility to receive additional tuition remission, in-state tuition, fees, and health insurance.

Additional semesters of support from Graduate School funding sources are not allowed.

If a student completes a degree in one academic program and then enrolls in another academic program or changes academic programs without receiving a degree, they are only eligible for the maximum semesters of eligibility as noted above.

Policy regarding source of funding

Payment for in-state tuition awards will default to the same source as the student’s stipend, as is the current arrangement for health insurance. Departments should budget accordingly but may make allowable source changes to meet budget priorities. Budgets for all external research proposals that are prepared and submitted should include the in-state portion of tuition if stipend support for graduate students is included in the proposal.