Graduate Student Tuition on Sponsored Awards Policy Revised

The University at Buffalo is committed to meeting its obligations to sponsors and complying with all applicable requirements to establish, administer, and monitor sponsored projects, including those related to tuition remission, where allowable as a direct cost on federal grants and contracts and on non-federal grants and contracts as may be specified in the terms and conditions of the award.

Graduate students may be employed by UB as Research Project Assistants to perform necessary work on sponsored projects. Compensation for Research Project Assistants must include salary, fringe benefits, and tuition remission for the corresponding semester of their employment on the sponsored project. Full time enrollment is not required for tuition remission.

Full review. Updated the policy to:

• Change the title of the policy from Graduate Student Tuition on Research Awards to Graduate Student Tuition on Sponsored Awards
• Add language to the policy statement specifying the university’s commitment to meeting its obligations to sponsors
• Clarify that:
  •  Compensation for Research Project Assistants must include fringe benefits in addition to salary and tuition remission
  •  Full time enrollment is not required for tuition remission
• Revise the eligibility requirement for a domestic graduate student with the title of Research Project Assistant to be registered for at least one credit (previously nine credits)
• Specify that an international graduate student with the title of Research Project Assistant must be registered for nine credits or certified full time if registered for less than nine credits
• Remove a decanal unit’s choice to implement a policy to reimburse only the in-state tuition rate
• Add a definition for Research Project Assistant
• Add department responsibilities to verify graduate students appointed as a Research Project Assistant
  •  Meet the eligibility requirements in the Student Employment Policy
  •  Are in academic good standing
• Add PI responsibilities to work with the department to verify that all graduate students appointed as a Research Project Assistant to a sponsored project meet the eligibility requirements in the Student Employment Policy
• Remove the responsibilities for Student Accounts
• Remove the Procedures section so that the policy format conforms to the university policy template; graduate student tuition information is at Support Resources for UB’s Research Community

This policy applies to sponsored projects administered by the Research Foundation and University at Buffalo Foundation.