Financial Support
Guidelines for Human Genetics Graduate Students
Carl Thummel, Director of Graduate Studies (EIHG 5200)
Natalie Moore, Human Genetics Program Manager for Grad. Student Affairs
(EIHG 2100)
September, 2008
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Provided that the student's progress and performance are considered satisfactory by his/her Supervisory Committee, the Department is committed to providing support for graduate students throughout their tenure in the department. Support from any source, however, will not be permitted after seven years at the University (1 year in the combined program and six years in one or more Department).
Current Stipend and Tuition Waiver. The current stipend is $25,000 annual, with a full tuition waiver for each semester. The stipend amount is set by the Molecular Biology Program. If not a resident of the state of Utah, students must apply for residency as soon as they have completed 40 graduate credit hours, in order to obtain the reduced in-state tuition (see Natalie Moore). Students who do not apply for residency will be responsible for paying their own tuition. See ‘Tuition Benefit Program’ below.
Fellowships, Grants, Awards. Students are expected to apply for fellowships and grants. Please see separate information sheet on “Fellowships, Grants, and Awards.” If outside fellowships or awards are secured, the department will fund the difference between the two supports, but the total will not exceed that of the standard graduate student stipend. If the total fellowship exceeds that of the current stipend, no additional stipend will be paid to the student by the department.
Other Employment. Students are not allowed to engage in other employment while in the graduate program.
Health Insurance. Health coverage through the University of Utah Student Health Policy will be provided for all students. Students should talk with Natalie if they are interested in family coverage. Students may waive the right to use the University health insurance policy if they are covered by another form of insurance (e.g. through a spouse). Under these circumstances, the money that would normally be used to provide insurance for these students will be returned to general department funds in support of graduate student education.
Travel funds. Students can apply for travel funds from the Human Genetics Department. These amounts do not exceed $500, are awarded in cases where the student will travel to a meeting to present their research (i.e. a poster or talk), and are provided once per fiscal year (starting 7/1). A travel request form should be obtained from Natalie and returned to her with the appropriate information. If the request is approved, the student must arrange their travel through the Human Genetics Dept office. These arrangements should be made at least a month in advance of departure. Note that the Graduate School offers travel awards that will match the amount from the Department (www.utah.edu/gradschool). These need to be submitted as early as possible so that the Graduate School has time to process the award before the meeting.
Fellowships, Grants, Awards. All graduate students in the Human Genetics Department are expected to apply for fellowships and grants during the course of their stay in the department. If outside fellowships or awards are secured, the department will fund the difference between the two supports, but the total will not exceed that of the standard graduate student stipend. If the total fellowship exceeds that of the current stipend, no additional stipend will be paid to the student by the department.
Applying for independent fellowship support is good training that allows students to think about their projects in terms of a fundable research prject. These awards also free up funds that are normally used for graduate student support, allowing that money to be put to other uses that will benefit students in the department. Finally, this is an excellent way to enrich the student's CV. Below is some information regarding the funding sources that are available. Be sure to tell Nalalie if you are awarded a fellowship or a slot on a training grant so that she can change your funding status and avoid problems with your stipend.
The NIH and a number of private funding organizations, such as the American Heart Association, offer predoctoral fellowships. Talk with your advisor if you are interested in applying for these funding opportunities. In addition, there are five major graduate student funding sources available on campus, listed below.
1. Several NIH Training Grants are available to Human Genetics graduate students. The ones that have supported most students in our Department are: Genetics, Developmental Biology, and Cancer (also called MCRPT) (note that Microbial Pathogenesis, Animal Models of Human Disease, Neuroscience, and other training grants are also available.) These training grants advertise on a regular basis for new trainees - keep an eye on the bulletin boards. Training Grants are usually restricted to students that have passed their preliminary exam. These NIH-supported training grants require that trainees be a US citizen, US noncitizen national, or a permanent resident. In addition to stipend support, the training grants provide money for travel to meetings, journal subscriptions, and other material that enhances the student's education. There are also annual retreats supported by the training grants that provide additional opportunities for training and for meeting colleagues in other departments. In many cases, students who are not supported by the grant can attend these retreats and find out more about their community and about funding opportunities.
2. Graduate Research Fellowships ($12,000 + tuition) are awarded each year by the University. Our department has been able to secure 1-2 of these per year. Students should apply for these! These also provide a good source of income for outstanding foreign students who are not eligible for NIH Training Grant support.
3. Graduate research Supplemental Travel Awards are offered by the Graduate Council. This provides up to $400 for students to attend a scientific meeting to present their research. Appro. 250 awards are made annually, campuswide. Instructions that can also be found on the Graduate School's website: www.utah.edu/gradschool.
More information on funding opportunities for students can be obtained from the Graduate School Office in the Park Building (1-7642), or from Natalie or Carl Thummel.
