Fellowship Office
209 Coble Hall, GradFellowships@illinois.edu, (217) 333-0036
Current Fellows and Trainees
Congratulations on receiving a fellowship or traineeship for your study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign! The links below should assist you with questions about the benefits and obligations associated with the award. If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate College Fellowship Office at 204 Coble Hall, GradFellowships@illinois.edu, or (217) 333-0036.
Definitions
A fellowship is defined as an award providing a living allowance demands no services in return. A traineeship is a research fellowship that is awarded to provide educational training in a particular disciplinary area.
Campus Fellowship Policies
The policies related to holding a fellowship or traineeship are outlined in the Graduate College Handbook at www.grad.illinois.edu/gradhandbook.
Full-time Enrollment
Fellows and Trainees are required to register for a full courseload during each term of their fellowship. Full-time status is defined as 12 hours for spring and fall semesters and 4 hours in an 8-week course during summer. Registration in a four-week summer course will not fulfill the requirement. Failure to enroll full-time while holding a fellowship or traineeship appointment may result in termination of the appointment.
Concurrent Appointments
Fellows are prohibited from holding two major awards concurrently (fellowship, traineeship, grant, tuition payment award or comparable support from any government agency, state, federal or foreign, or from any foundation, corporation or similar organization). Any award offer should be reported immediately to the Graduate College Fellowship Office, where the determination will be made whether the two awards may be held concurrently.
Unless otherwise restricted by the granting agency or unit, all fellows and trainees may at the discretion of their department and the Graduate College carry additional appointments as graduate hourlys or assistants of up to 50 percent time, providing they conform to the minimum registration requirements. Questions about concurrent appointments should be directed to both the department and the Graduate College Fellowship Office.
Tuition Waiver Policy
- Fellowships. A fellowship, defined as an award providing living allowance of at least $6,000 for the academic year and demanding no services in return, always includes a full waiver or payment by the funding agency of all tuition assessed, regardless of whether the student's program is base-rate or full for assistantship waiver purposes. This applies to fellowships originating on and off-campus. In cases of dispute the Graduate College decides whether an award is a fellowship. Tuition waiver income lost due to fellowships is not reimbursable. Students in the College of Medicine, except those in the Medical Scholars Program, must obtain written approval from the College of Medicine before accepting a fellowship, and subsequent tuition waiver, controlled by another campus or university unit. Effective fall 2007, students in the College of Veterinary Medicine, except those in the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program, must obtain written approval from the College of Veterinary Medicine before accepting a fellowship, and subsequent tuition waiver, controlled by another campus or university unit. Should a student in the College of Veterinary Medicine, not in the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program, accept a fellowship without the approval of the College, the College may request that the Graduate College remove the fellowship waiver.
- Traineeships. Traineeships are research fellowships that are awarded to provide educational training in particular disciplinary areas. A traineeship covers full tuition (through waiver or payment by funding agency), may cover all non-refundable fees, and provides a stipend for living expenses. In cases of dispute the Graduate College decides whether an award is a traineeship. Tuition waiver income lost due to traineeships is not reimbursable. Students in the College of Medicine, except those in the Medical Scholars Program, must obtain written approval from the College of Medicine before accepting a traineeship, and subsequent tuition waiver, controlled by another campus or university unit. Effective fall 2007, students in the College of Veterinary Medicine, except those in the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program, must obtain written approval from the College of Veterinary Medicine before accepting a traineeship, and subsequent tuition waiver, controlled by another campus or university unit. Should a student in the College of Veterinary Medicine not in the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program accept a traineeship without the approval of the College, the College may request that the Graduate College remove the traineeship waiver.
Students with fellowship and traineeship waivers will also receive a waiver of the service fee, health service fee, AFMFA fee, Library/technology fee, partial payment of the health insurance fee, and vision and dental insurance, regardless of the student's academic program. For more details see the Tuition Waiver Policy in its entirety.
Financial Aid information
Students with fellowships who apply for direct loans will have their eligibility reduced by the amount of the fellowship. Traineeships are not counted when eligibility for direct loans is calculated for graduate students. For more information about financial aid for graduate students, see www.osfa.illinois.edu/aid/loans/fd_max.html.
Tax Information
Fellowship and traineeship stipends may be subject to income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has ruled that universities are not responsible for withholding or reporting income taxes on fellowship payments for U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that universities withhold taxes from the fellowship payments of international students on temporary visas. All Fellows and Trainees should be aware of the laws regarding reporting of fellowship and traineeship stipends.
Graduation for Fellows and Trainees
When preparing to graduate, Fellows and Trainees should contact the Fellowship Office before depositing their thesis or dissertation, as that event may trigger the end of those appointments. For more information consult the Thesis Deposit/Degree Conferral and Fellowship Appointment End Dates.
